Victoria Zardoya toxicology findings have added new detail to the death of Milania Giudice’s childhood best friend, who died after a fall in Florida in July. A medical examiner report obtained by TMZ and published Nov. 3 showed that Zardoya’s blood contained ketamine, norketamine, alcohol and etomidate at the time of her death.
Zardoya, 20, was touring the Fort Dade ruins when she suffered the fatal fall on July 24. Her death was ruled an accident and attributed to craniocerebral trauma. The autopsy documented skull fractures and a brain bleed, according to the report.
What the Report Shows
The blood sample was collected shortly after the fall. Along with ketamine, it tested positive for norketamine, a substance produced as the body breaks down ketamine. Alcohol and etomidate, a short-acting medication used for sedation, were also present.
The medical examiner did not specify when or why the drugs entered Zardoya’s system, nor whether they played any role in the fall.
A Friend’s Account of the Accident
Victoria Silberbusch, who was with the group at the Egmont Key site during the incident, described the aftermath in an Instagram post on July 26. She said the friends initially believed Zardoya had fallen only one level, but quickly realized the drop was much farther.
According to Silberbusch, the group climbed down to reach Zardoya while others called 911 and guided first responders to their location. The friends stayed with her and tried to keep her comfortable until help arrived. Paramedics reached the scene by boat, and a medical helicopter eventually transported Zardoya to a hospital after what Silberbusch described as a very difficult rescue.
Milania Giudice’s Tribute
Milania Giudice, also 20, held a celebration of life for Zardoya and later wrote on Instagram that her friend could light up any room she entered. In a Sept. 10 post, she described Zardoya as the life of the party, someone who loved being around friends, having fun, listening to music, attending concerts, visiting Tampa and making memories.
Giudice also reflected on a friendship that lasted from childhood, saying the two grew up together and that she would always be grateful for the memories they made.
Part of the Family
Joe Giudice, Milania’s father, also mourned Zardoya in July. In an Instagram post, he wrote that she was like a daughter to him, that he had watched her grow up alongside Milania, and that the families had been neighbors for years. He said she had become part of their family and that he could not believe she was gone.
The two friends attended the University of Tampa together and shared a long history of trips and celebrations. Their friendship included Easter Sundays in Tampa, a music festival in April 2026, a costume party in November 2025 and a horse-racing event in New Jersey in July 2025. Zardoya once marked Giudice’s birthday by calling her the Paris to her Nicole, and in a 2020 birthday tribute she described Giudice as the girl who had never left her side.
