The Death of Rock: Murders

Key

Some entries have special notations prior to their names. They represent induction into one of the following Halls of Fame:

* denotes induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

# indicates induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

^ symbolizes induction into the Blues Hall of Fame.

Banda Fugaz

shot in 2007. All four members of Mexican techno group, Banda Fugaz, were killed when gunmen opened fire with AK-47s as the band was returning from a performance. Those killed were Carlos Alberto Hurtado Lule, age 26; Noa Camargo Mendoza, 21, Cristabal Juarez Serrano, 31; Daniel Gonalez Pimentel, 30. The band's manager, Carlos Hurtado Gonzalez, age 57, suffered multiple gunshot wounds. No motives have been identified in the killings, and no arrests have been made. The murders are part of a string of killings of Mexican musicians.

Carlton "Carly" Barrett

shot in 1987; he was 36. Barrett was a member of Bob Marley and the Wailers. As he arrived home and walked across his yard, a gunman approached behind him and shot him twice in the head. His wife, Albertine, her lover, Glenroy Carter, and another man, Junior Neil, were arrested and charged with his killing. Albertine and Carter were convicted and sentenced to seven years for conspiracy. After one year in prison, they were released on a legal technicality. Barrett was one of three Wailers to be murdered. (Peter Tosh and Junior Braithwaite were also gunned down; Tosh in 1987 and Braithwaite in 1999.) "My Cup (Runneth Over)," "Duppy Conqueror," "Soul Rebel," "Small Axe"

Jesse Belvin

car accident - suspected murder - in 1960. He was 27. Belvin was a soulful crooner, marketed as "the black Elvis" to a still-segregated South. While leaving his first integrated concert, in Little Rock, Belvin's car was involved in a head-on collision. One of the first state troopers on the scene stated that both of the rear tires on the black cadillac had been "obviously tampered with." Belvin and his driver died at the scene (Hope, AR); his wife Jo Ann (age 23) succumbed to her injuries after being denied treatment at Hope Hospital until payment could be secured. Belvin was co-author of The Penguins' hit, "Earth Angel," and his recording of "Goodnight My Love" was the closing theme for Alan Freed's rock & roll radio show for several years. Visit Jesse Belvin's Tribute, which expands on his his career and offers other suspicious details surrounding his death.

Junior Braithwaite

(Franklin Delano Alexander Braithwaite), shot in 1999. He was 50. Braithwaite was one of the founders and the first lead singer of The Wailers (which also featured Bob Marley, see 1981). Braithwaite was one of three Wailers to be murderded. (Carlton Barrett and Peter Tosh were both shot in 1987.) "Simmer Down," "Stir It Up," "Get Up, Stand Up"

Shirley Brickley

shot to death; 1977. Brickley was a member of girl group, The Orlons, who were popular in the 1960s. Brickley was shot and killed by an intruder in her home; she was 35. Audrey Brickley, Shirley's sister and fellow Orlon, died of acute respiratory distress syndrome in 2005 (age 58). Marlena Davis died of lung cancer in 1993 (age 48). "The Wah Watusi," "Don't Hang Up," "South Street"

Arlester "Dyke" Christian

shot in 1971. Christian sang back up for The O'Jays and later formed Dyke and the Blazers. Christian is said to have influenced many, including James Brown and Wilson Pickett. He was shot four times with a .22-caliber pistol while sitting in his car in downtown Phoenix. He was 27. It was speculated that the killing was drug-related; the case against the shooter, Clarence Daniels, was dismissed based upon "evidence indicating self-defense." Dyke and the Blazers were inducted to the Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame. "Let A Woman Be a Woman, Let a Man Be a Man," "Funky Broadway - Part 1" (later covered by Pickett as a #1 R&B single)

*Sam Cooke

murdered in 1964. Member of the gospel group, the Soul Stirrers, and wildly successful solo artist. Cooke was staying in a LA motel with a woman he had picked up. He realized his money and clothes were stolen and assumed the manageress of the motel was in on the scam. Cooke, half-naked, accosted her. She brandished a gun and a struggle ensued. Cooke was fatally shot; he was 33. Over 200,000 fans paid their respects in Chicago. Cooke was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1986; the Soul Stirrers were inducted in 1989. Visit Sam Cooke's Tribute for details about his career and suspicious death. You can also read about Cooke's connection to the Curse of Buddy Holly. "You Send Me," "Twisting the Night Away," "Chain Gang," "Bring It On Home"

*King Curtis

(Curtis Ousley, born Curtis Montgomery), murdered. Curtis was a legendary session saxophonist who appeared on many hits in the '50s and '60s. He had 15 top 100 songs from 1962 to 1971. In 1971, he had an argument outside his apartment when a man stabbed Curtis in the heart. He was 37. (Notably, before he collapsed, Curtis managed to wrestle the knife away from his murderer and stabbed him. The police were able to apprehend the man when he was admitted to the hospital with those stab wounds.) King Curtis was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. (Read about Curtis' link to the Curse of Buddy Holly.) "Soul Twist," "Ode to Billie Joe," "Memphis Soul Stew." Curtis also appeared on The Coasters' "Yakety Yak" and "Charlie Brown" and Aretha Franklin's "Respect".

"Dimebag" Darrell

(Darrell Abbott), shot to death in 2004, while performing with Damageplan. He was 38. Darrell was co-founder and guitarist of the metal groups Pantera and Damageplan (with his brother, Vinnie Paul, see 2018). The shooting occurred on the 24th anniverasry of John Lennon's fatal shooting by Mark David Chapman (see 1980). You can read the report on Darrell's murder, released 24 October 2005. With Pantera: "Planet Caravan" (Black Sabbath cover), "Revolution is My Name," "Becoming." With Damageplan: "Explode," "Save Me," "Breathing New Life"

Gary Driscoll

(John Gary Driscoll), murdered in 1987. He was 41. Driscoll was an American drummer who performed with Elf, Rainbow (briefly), Dakota, and Bible Black. Driscoll's death remains shrouded in mystery. He was found dead in a home in Ithaca, New York; it is speculated that there may have been more than one killer and the motives range from a drug dispute to a ritualistic satanic sacrifice. The main suspect fled the country and Driscoll's murder remains unsolved.

Charles Fizer

shot by the National Guard during the 1965 Watts Riots. He was 24. Fizer was a member of the vocal quartet, The Olympics. Friday, the 13th of August, marked the third day of rioting in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. President Lyndon B. Johnson had sent in the National Guard to quell the hostilities. Thirty-four people would be killed and over 1,000 injured before the violence ceased. Fizer was on his way to rehearsal on the 13th when he was struck and killed by a National Guard bullet. Also killed was the sister of Melvin King, who had replaced Fizer in The Olympics for a year while Fizer served a jail sentence for drug possession. King, devastated by the loss of his sister, played only one more show with the group. He was replaced by Mack Starr, who was killed in a motorcylce accident (see 1981). "Western Movies" (which reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100), "(Baby) Hully Gully," "Big Boy Pete," "Good Lovin'"

Rhett Forrester

shot to death in 1994; he was 37. Forrester was the lead singer for Riot. The group appeared with acts such as Rainbow, The Scorpions, and Kiss. Forrester was shot to death in Atlanta when he refused to surrender his car during a car-jacking. He was inducted into Atlanta's Hard Rock Cafe in 1996. Albums with Riot: Restless Breed, Riot Live (EP), and Born in America

Bobby Fuller

(Robert Gaston Fuller), murdered in 1966. Leader of the Bobby Fuller Four. Their biggest hit, "I Fought the Law," was penned by Sonny Curtis of Buddy Holly's Crickets. (Read about Fuller's connection to the Curse of Buddy Holly.) Fuller's body was found in his car at his house. He had been severely beaten, one of his right fingers was broken, and he was drenched in gasoline. Friends stated that Fuller had recently been harassed by local mobsters, possibly in connection with a woman. The police dismissed his death as a suicide. His death certificate states the causes of demise as asphyxia and inhalation of gasoline, ruled as an "accident." Fuller was 23. Visit The Archive's Tribute to Bobby Fuller. "I Fought the Law," "Love's Made a Fool of You," "Never to Be Forgotten"

*Marvin Gaye

(Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr.), shot by his father in 1984. Gaye was one of Motown's most successful artists, and his career spanned three decades. His early singing partner, Tammi Terrell, collapsed in his arms at a concert. Three years later (1970) she died from a malignant brain tumor. Gaye and his father had a volatile and reportedly abusive relationship. After an allegedly physical argument, Gaye, Sr. entered his son's room with a pistol and shot him. Marvin Gaye, Jr. was 45 at the time of his death. For a more detailed account of Gaye's life, career, and death, visit The Archive's Tribute to Marvin Gaye. Gaye was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. "What's Goin' On," "Ain't No Mountain (High Enough)," "Let's Get It On," "Sexual Healing"

Samuel George, Jr.

stabbed during a family argument in 1982. He was 39. George was the lead singer of the Capitols, who had a hit in 1966 with "Cool Jerk." Fellow Capitol, Richard McDougall, died in 1984 of unknown causes. His age at death is also unknown.

Leroy Griffin

incinerated. Lead singer of the '50s doo-wop group, The Nutmegs. Originating from New Haven, Connecticut, the group charted several regional hits ("Ship of Fools", "Let Me Tell You", "The Way Love Should Be", "Why Must We Go to School", "Down in Mexico", and "You're Crying"). In 1955, The Nutmegs gained national attention with "Story Untold", which reached #2 on the charts. In 1966, Leroy Griffin had returned to the Koppers coke factory where he occasionally worked. Sadly, on September 1st, he had an altercation with a colleague and his body was later found in one of the facility's large furnaces. He was 32. (Fellow Nutmeg, Leroy McNeil, was also murdered. See 1975.)

*Cornell Gunter

shot. Gunter was one of the original Coasters and, in 1980, reformed the band as The Fabulous Coasters. (This was the same year that manager Patrick Cavanaugh murdered their bassist, Nathaniel Wilson.) In 1990, after a show in Vegas, Gunter pulled up at an intersection in his '78 Camaro. An argument ensued with an unidentified man who was standing at the curb. Then Gunter's car was sprayed with bullets; he was hit twice. He tried to speed away but his injuries were too severe and he crashed into a wall. He was 53. His murder was never solved. The Coasters were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. "Yakety Yak," "Poison Ivy," "Charlie Brown"

*Al Jackson

(Albert J. Jackson, Jr.), murdered in 1975; he was 39. Jackson was a session drummer and member of Booker T. and the MGs. Among others, Jackson backed Otis Redding, Al Green, and Sam & Dave. Jackson's death remains suspicious: he was killed the day before he was allegedly due to testify at a hearing concerning Stax Records' bankruptcy. Also, Jackson's estranged wife, Barbara, was at his home the night of the murder. She claimed she was bound and gagged and that intruders had tied Al up and shot him. He sustained five gunshot wounds to the back. The couple had been negotiating a divorce and Barbara had shot Al earlier that year in "self defense." No items of value were missing after the break-in. The suspected killer was the boyfriend of Barbara's friend; he was shot and killed in 1976 while resisting arrest. Al Jackson was inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame in 2015, and Booker T. & the MGs were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. "Green Onions," "Time is Tight," "Soul Limbo," "Hang 'Em High"

*Michael Jackson

(Michael Joseph Jackson), acute propofol intoxication, ruled as a homicide (2009); he was 50. Jackson collapsed at his home and was not breathing when paramedics arrived. He suffered a cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at UCLA Medical Center. The Los Angeles County coroner ruled Jackson's death a homicide. Dr. Conrad Murray, Jackson's personal physician, administered lethal levels of propofol (a powerful anesthetic) in addition to several sedatives hours prior to Jackson's collapse, supposedly in an effort to get the performer to sleep.

Jackson was arguably the most famous entertainer in the world, winning every music (and music video) award in existence. He began his career as lead singer of The Jackson 5, a group consisting of Michael and his brothers. (Singer Janet Jackson is his younger sister.) He went onto a phenomenal solo career, releasing Thriller in 1982, the best-selling album of all time. He influenced music, dance, music videos and fashion. Jackson co-wrote and performed on "We Are the World," for the charity USA for Africa, which went on to become the best-selling single at the time. He won 13 Grammy Awards, had 13 number one singles and achieved sales of over 750 million albums worldwide. Jackson was named male artist of the millennium at the World Music Awards. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice: with the Jackson 5 in 1997 and as a solo performer in 2001.

By contrast, his personal life was often a subject of controversy. He was married twice, once to Elvis Presley's (see 1977) daughter, Lisa Marie, and he was the father of three children: Michael Joseph, Jr. ("Prince") and Paris Michael Katherine (with second wife, Debbie Rowe), and Prince Michael II ("Blanket") born to an unnamed surrogate mother. Jackson battled several allegations of child molestation occurring at his Neverland Ranch and he came under fire when he once dangled "Blanket" off a balcony in front of the paparazzi. He was also criticized for his compulsion for plastic surgery and his claim that he suffered from vitiligo, a condition where the skin loses all pigmentation.

With the Jackson 5: "I Want You Back," "ABC," "Who's Lovin' You," "The Love You Save," "I'll Be There," "Dancing Machine"

Solo career: "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," "Rock With You," "Billie Jean," "Beat It," "Thriller," "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)," "Human Nature," "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" (duet with Siedah Garrett), "Bad," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Man in the Mirror," "Smooth Criminal," "Black or White," "Remember the Time," "In the Closet," "Scream" (duet with Janet Jackson)

*Jam Master Jay

(Jason Mizell), shot while working in a Queens (NY) recording studio in 2002. Mizell was DJ for the ground-breaking rap trio, Run-DMC. His death was one in a string of rap artist slayings. Mizell was 37. In 2024, two men - Mizell's godson and a childhood friend - were convicted of his murder. Supposedly, it was revenge after Mizell cut them out of a lucrative drug deal. A third individual is awaiting trial as an accessory; he reportedly let the murderers into the building. Run-DMC were named Greatest Hip Hop Group of All Time by MTV.com and Greatest Hip Hop Artist of All Time by VH1. The trio was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2009. Run-DMC's cover of "Walk This Way", featuring Aerosmith, charted higher on the Billboard Hot 100 than Aerosmith's original version, reaching the number four spot. "Mary Mary," "It's Tricky," "Down With the King"

*^Robert Johnson

(Robert Leroy Johnson), poisoned in 1938; he was 27. Father of the Blues, "King of the Delta Blues". Legend has that Johnson was living in Mississippi with no outstanding talent for guitar playing, but a strong desire to master the blues. He took his guitar to a crossroads at midnight, where he was met by a mysterious man who took the guitar and tuned it. Thereafter, Johnson possessed the unparalleled ability to play blues guitar. He had sold his soul to the devil in order to be the greatest bluesman. Johnson was infamous for his womanizing; while in Mississippi, he was supposedly given a bottle of whisky that had been poisoned by a jealous husband. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine named Johnson one of the greatest guitarists of all time (ranking #5). He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. He was also honored on a United States postage stamp. Read about how Robert Johnson started the "Curse of 27". "Crossroads," "I Think I'll Dust My Broom," "Hellhound on My Trail"

*John Lennon

shot outside the Dakota Apartments in New York City by Mark David Chapman. Lennon left his apartment building with wife, Yoko Ono, at approximately 5 pm on 8 December 1980. On his way out he signed a copy of Double Fantasy for Chapman. The couple returned home less than six hours later, and Chapman, who remained outside the Dakota, fired five hollow point bullets at Lennon's back. Four of the bullets found their mark. John Lennon was 40. He was a member of The Beatles and a controversial solo artist. He was also father to musicians Sean (of Cibo Matto) and Julian. While he was still with The Beatles, Lennon was asked how he expected to die. He lightly answered: "I'll probably be popped off by some loony." (Another macabre fact is found in The Beatles' "Come Together", which contains the words "shoot me" repeated over and over throughout the song. The "me" is obscured by music, but it is there.) Lennon was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice: with The Beatles in 1988 and as a solo artist in 1994. The Beatles were also inducted into both the UK Music Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004. This is an article from 2010 detailing the sale of Mark David Chapman's signed copy of Double Fantasy. Read about Lennon's connections to the Curse of Buddy Holly and the Curse of Harry Nilsson. With the Beatles: "She Loves You," "I Want to Hold Your Hand," "Eleanor Rigby," "Yellow Submarine," "A Day in the Life," "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." Solo: "Woman," "Imagine," "Instant Karma," "Just Like Starting Over"

Leroy McNeil

stabbed. McNeil was a member of The Nutmegs, a doo-wop/R&B vocal group. In 1975, McNeil was fatally stabbed during an argument. He was 36. (Fellow Nutmeg, Leroy Griffin, was also murdered, in 1966.) "Story Untold," "Ship of Love"

Miami Showband

ambushed; several members murdered in 1975. The Miami Showband were wildly successful throughout Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, considered the "Irish Beatles." During The Troubles, five of the band members were stopped at a checkpoint when returning from a show in Northern Ireland. A group of men, members of the UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force, a Northern Irish paramilitary group) and the Ulster Defence Regiment, with suspected ties to the British government, escorted the band members from their bus. It was bombed and the musicians were shot. The Miami Showband Massacre, as it came to be called, took the lives of Brian McCoy (age 32), Fran O'Toole (age 28) and Tony Geraghty (age 24). Des Lee and Stephen Travers sustained serious injuries. "Clap Your Hands and Stomp Your Feet," "Dance in the Old Fashioned Way," "There Won't Be Anymore"

*Don Myrick

shot accidentally by police; he was 45. Myrick played saxophone for Earth, Wind & Fire. In 1993, an LAPD officer had a warrant to search Myrick's apartment for drugs. (Myrick had been abusing crack cocaine.) He shot Myrick when he mistook a cigarette lighter for a pistol in Myrick's hand. Earth, Wind & Fire were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Vocal Hall of Fame in 2003. "Shining Star," "Boogie Wonderland," "Let's Groove," "September"

Jesus Adolfo Rayos Otanos

murdered in 2011. Otanos was the clarinetist for the Mexican group, Hermanos Baldenegro. Three men pulled up next to the band's tour bus in Nogales, Mexico and requested that the group play a song. When the lead singer refused, one of the men pulled out a gun and fired into the bus. Otanos, who was sleeping, was shot twice, in the right leg and ankle. He later died at the hospital from heart failure. He was 30.

Felix Pappalardi

shot and killed by his wife, Gail Collins, in 1983, when they argued over his long-standing affair with a younger woman. (Collins was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and sentenced to four years in prison.) Pappalardi had done production work for Cream and was a producer and member of Mountain. He was 43. "Mississippi Queen"

Jaco Pastorius

(John Francis Anthony Pastorius III), provoked a fight at a nightclub and later died from his injuries (1987); he was 35. Pastorius was a jazz musician who played electric bass. He was a member of Weather Report, a solo artist and he worked with Pat Methany, Herbie Hancock, and Joni Mitchell. Pastorius earned two Grammy nominations and he was inducted into the DownBeat Hall of Fame. Albums with Weather Report include Black Market, Heavy Weather and Night Passage. Albums as leader or co-leader: Jaco, Jaco Pastorius, Word of Mouth and Invitation.

Bobby Ramirez

murdered in 1972. Ramirez was the drummer for Edgar Winter's White Trash. While in a Chicago bar, a man made a derogatory comment about Ramirez's long hair. Ramirez replied and the man hit the drummer, drawing blood. When a request for law enforcement was refused, Ramirez followed his attacker outsider. When fellow band member Jerrry LaCroix next saw Ramirez, he was bloody and lifeless in their road manager's arms. His assailant had used a pointed steel-tipped shoe as one of his weapons and had not engaged Ramirez alone. The drummer was 23 when he was killed. "Give It Everything You Got," "I've Got News For You," "Fly Away"

Walter Scott

(Walter Nothesis), murdered; he was 40. Lead singer of Bob Kuban & the In-Men, who scored a 1966 hit with "The Cheater". Scott was reported missing shortly after Christmas, 1983. It wasn't until 1987 that his body was found, floating in a cistern with a gunshot wound to the chest. Jim Williams, who was having an affair with Scott's wife, Joanne, murdered both Scott and his own wife, Sharon, with Joanne's cooperation. They married shortly after the murders, before their plan was uncovered. Jim Williams received life without parole; Joanne Scott was sentenced to five years for hindering the investigation but was released early on parole.

Selena

(Selena Quintanilla Perez), shot in 1995. The "Queen of Tejano Music" was just beginning to enjoy mainstream success; she was 23. Selena's family discovered that Yolanda Saldivar, the president of Selena's fan club, was embezzling money and fired her. Afterwards, Selena met Saldivar at a hotel in Corpus Christi, TX, to obtain missing financial documents. Saldivar took a gun from her purse, and as Selena turned to leave, shot her once in the back. Selena ran to the lobby and collapsed on the floor, dying at the hospital from extensive blood loss. Saldivar barricaded herself in her pickup truck with the gun and enetered into a stand-off with police for ten hours before surrendering. She was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. (Saldivar was denied parole in 2025. She will again be eligible in 2030.) Selena won a Grammy and was nominated for another. She was awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021. Selena's birthday, 16 April, was declared "Selena Day" in Texas, and a film based on her life (with Jennifer Lopez as the slain singer) was released in 1997. In June 2006, a museum was dedicated to Selena and a life-size bronze statue were unveiled in Corpus Christi. "I'm Getting Used to You," "I Could Fall in Love," "Dreaming of You"

James "Shep" Sheppard

murdered in 1970. He was 34. Sheppard, lead singer for Shep and The Limelites, was found shot to death in his car on the Long Island Expressway. He had been robbed and beaten. The doo-wop trio had a hit with "Daddy's Home" (1961). Fellow group member, Charles Baskerville, died in 1995 at the age of 58. The cause of death is unknown. "A Thousand Miles Away," "Everybody's Somebody's Fool"

Peter Tosh

(Winston Hubert McIntosh), murdered in 1987. One of the Wailers with Bob Marley (see 1981) and later a Grammy-winning solo artist. (Tosh was an astounding six-feet-five-and-a-half inches tall.) Three men came to his house demanding money, staying for several hours in an attempt to obtain cash. (Tosh claimed there was none in the house.) Frustrated, the leader of the gang, Dennis "Leppo" Lobban, whom Tosh had tried to help find work after a long jail sentence, put a gun to Tosh's head and fired twice. The other gunmen began shooting, wounding several others and killing disc jockey Jeff "Free I" Dixon. Leppo turned himself in, and was supposedly convicted in the shortest jury deliberation in Jamaican history: 11 minutes. He was sentenced to death, commuted to life in prison in 1995. Neither of his two accomplices were found. (Rumours persist that both were gunned down in the streets.) Tosh was one of three Wailers to be assassinated. (Carlton Barrett was murdered in 1987 and Junior Braithwaite was killed in 1999.) Tosh was 42. The Wailers: "Simmer Down," "Stir It Up," "Get Up, Stand Up" Solo: "Legalize It," "Fight On," "Not Gonna Give It Up"

John Whitehead

murdered at age 55 in 2004. He was working on a vehicle when two men approached and opened fire; he was shot in the neck and killed. Whitehead and Gene McFadden (see 2006) formed The Epsilons, and scored hits with "The Echo" and 1979's "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now." The Epsilons toured with Otis Redding (see 1967), and McFadden and Whitehead wrote the O'Jays' "Backstabbers" and Harold Melvin (see 1997) & the Blues Notes' "Wake Up Everybody."

Larry Williams

gunshot wound. He was 54. Williams had been involved in criminal activity since his teens. In 1980, he was found shot in the head at his home. It was officially deemed a suicide, but much speculation exists that it was actually a homicide resulting from his involvement with drugs and crime. "Dizzy Miss Lizzy," "Bony Maronie," "She Said Yeah"

Nathaniel "Buster" Wilson

murdered and dismembered; he was 35. Wilson was a later member of The Coasters, who scored several hits during the late 1950s. The band was reformed by original Coaster Cornell Gunter (see 1990) as The Fabulous Coasters, and a new manager was brought in, Patrick Cavanaugh. In 1980, Wilson discovered Cavanaugh's questionable business practices and was considering involving law enforcement. Wilson then disappeared. Several weeks later, parts of his body were found near the Hoover Dam and others near a ravine in Modesto, California. Wilson had been shot and his hands and feet severed. Cavanaugh was convicted of the crime; he died in prison in 2006. (The original version of The Coasters were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999.) "Yakety Yak," "Poison Ivy," "Charlie Brown"

Harry Womack

(Harris Womack), stabbed by his girlfriend. He was 28. Womack was a member of The Valentinos, an R&B group comprised of all five Womack brothers (including Bobby, who would become famous for his solo career and infamous for his scandalous personal life, and Cecil, who would find success with Womack & Womack). In 1974, Harry was staying at Bobby's home. After finding a pair of panties in the room in which Harry was staying, his girlfriend, Patricia, flew into a jealous rage and plunged a steak knife into Harry's neck. The panties actually belonged to a girlfriend of Bobby.

Mia Zapata

raped, beaten, and strangled in 1993. Singer for The Gits, a seminal Seattle Grunge band, she was 27. According to the medical examiner, if she had not been strangled she would have died from the internal injuries suffered from the beating. After her murder, friends formed Home Alive, a self-defense group. Zapata's case was aired on the nationally broadcast television program, "Unsolved Mysteries." It wasn't until 2004 that Jesus C. Mezquia was identified as her killer and sentenced to 36 years in prison. (He died in 2021.) Read about Zapata's involvement with the Shadows of Seattle and her connection to the Curse of 27.  Albums: Frenching the Bully and Enter: The Conquering Chicken.