Merritt Butrick

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Merritt Butrick

Born	Merritt R. Butrick September 3, 1959 Gainesville, Florida
Died	March 17, 1989 (aged 29) Los Angeles, California
Years active	1981–1989

Merritt R. Butrick (September 3, 1959 – March 17, 1989) was an American actor who was known for his role as Captain James T. Kirk's son David Marcus in the movies Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. He also appeared in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Symbiosis". Earlier in his career he starred as "Johnny Slash" Ulasewicz in the sitcom Square Pegs. Another notable role was Barbara Hershey's hillbilly son in Shy People.

Butrick was born in Gainesville, Florida. He graduated from Tamalpais High School, in Mill Valley, California, in 1977.^[1]

In the week before his death, Merritt received a spinal tap/lumbar puncture to help relieve cranial pressure as he was suffering from toxoplasma of the brain. At the time, Merritt was suffering from pneumonia and as of consequence of his combined illnesses, brought about by his AIDS status, Merritt died in his own apartment in Hollywood on 17 March, 1989. He was cremated and returned to his family in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

While speculation was always rife that he was a drug user, which was inaccurate,^{[citation needed]} Merritt developed AIDS. Although he never discussed his private life in public, friends of Merritt have come forward in recent years to defend his reputation in order to speak out about the "drugs" speculation and to confirm that Merritt became an AIDS patient through unsafe sex.^{[citation needed]}