Billie Gagné-Lebel
1 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© Kobal / Shutterstock
The death of a celebrity, any celebrity, is always tough on their fans. When murder is involved, public scrutiny is even more intense, thanks to widely covered investigations and trials. Here is a list of 20 celebrities who met a terrible end, some at the hands of their fans, family members or even complete strangers.
Sharon Tate – August 9, 1969 (age 26)
2 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© MGM / Kobal / Shutterstock
Promising young actress Sharon Tate was just 26 years old when she was brutally murdered by Charles Manson’s followers in August 1969. She was eight and a half months pregnant at the time, expecting a child with her husband, director Roman Polanski. Four other people were murdered that night in her Los Angeles home. These murders are a source of fascination to this day: Quentin Tarantino used the tragedy as the background story for his film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Tupac Shakur – September 13, 1996 (age 25)
3 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© A Crollalanza / Shutterstock
American rap icon Tupac died at the tender age of 25, just days after his car was shot at, in September 1996. The identity of his murderer still sparks a lot of interest; the Netflix series Unsolved explores the investigation into his death. In 2017, he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the same year All Eyez on Me, a biopic about his life, was released in theatres.
Selena Quintanilla – March 31, 1995 (age 23)
4 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© Instagram @abquintanilla3
A young singer from Texas, Selena Quintanilla shot to fame in Mexico and South America in the early ‘90s. Just before the release of her first English album in 1995, she was shot by the former president of her fan club. A movie and a TV series have been made about Selena’s life, and she remains an icon for the Latin community in the U.S.
See photo on Instagram
Marvin Gaye – April 1, 1984 (age 44)
5 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© Provided by Espresso
Singer Marvin Gaye defined the musical genres of Motown and soul during his career in the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, and his greatest hits are still very popular. He died tragically in 1984 at the age of 44, shot by his own father for intervening in an argument between his parents.
John Lennon – December 8, 1980 (age 40)
6 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© ITV / Shutterstock
The legendary British musician, also known as a member of The Beatles, left behind a huge musical legacy in his too short time on Earth. In 1980, he was shot by Mark David Chapman just in front of his New York home. A memorial called Strawberry Fields was erected in Central Park five years after Lennon’s death, and it is still a popular site to this day.
Gianni Versace – July 15, 1997 (age 50)
7 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© Martin Lawrence / ANL / Shutterstock
The famous Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace founded his brand in 1978 and was hugely successful. He was murdered by Andrew Cunanan in 1997, but the motive remains a mystery. A 2018 television series, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, recounts the fashion icon’s story.
Biggie Smalls – March 9, 1997 (age 24)
8 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© Mediapunch / Shutterstock
American rapper Biggie Smalls (pictured right), also known as The Notorious B.I.G., was murdered six months after his friend-turned-rival Tupac, in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. His murder remains unsolved. His real name was Christopher Wallace, and he hit the big time by collaborating with other hip-hop artists like Sean Combs and Mary J. Blige.
XXXTentacion – June 18, 2018 (age 20)
9 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© Larry Marano / Shutterstock
Rapper XXXTentacion, whose real name was Jahseh Onfroy, was just 20 years old when he was shot and killed outside a motorcycle dealership in 2018. He was a controversial figure: his rise in popularity on SoundCloud happened while he was in prison facing assault and battery charges related to his ex-girlfriend, who was pregnant with their child at the time.
Christina Grimmie – June 10, 2016 (age 22)
10 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© Mike Webster / Shutterstock
The young American singer Christina Grimmie was discovered via YouTube and became a household name when she appeared on TV show The Voice in 2014. While on tour opening for the band Before You Exit, Grimmie was shot by a fan while signing autographs after a concert. Her sudden death was a shock to several celebrities and YouTube personalities.
Phil Hartman – May 28, 1998 (age 49)
11 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© NBC
Canadian-American comedian Phil Hartman rose to stardom performing on Saturday Night Live, on which he was a series regular for eight seasons (1986-1994). He was also part of the Simpsons team by voicing several characters. His third wife, who was suffering from addiction problems, murdered Hartman in his sleep after an argument, then take her own life with the same weapon.
Maurizio Gucci – March 27, 1995 (age 46)
12 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© Kevin Harvey / Shutterstock
Maurizio Gucci, heir to the Italian fashion house Gucci, was at the helm of the brand for a little over a decade after the death of his father. He was shot down in front of a hotel in Milan in 1995. Two years later, the police discovered that the killer was a hitman hired by Gucci’s ex-wife, Patrizia Reggiani. A movie about their story, House of Gucci, is currently being filmed, starring Lady Gaga as Reggiani and Adam Driver as Gucci.
Dimebag Darrell – December 8, 2004 (age 38)
13 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© Shutterstock
Darrell Abbott, a.k.a. Dimebag Darrell, was an extremely talented guitarist. After an acrimonious split with Pantera, he formed a new band with his brother, called Damageplan. Just a few months after they released their first album, a Pantera fan shot the guitarist during a concert. Three other people also lost their lives that night trying to intercept the killer.
Nicole Brown Simpson – June 12, 1994 (age 35)
14 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© BEI / Shutterstock
Nicole Brown Simpson became famous after marrying American football star, O.J. Simpson. The couple had two children together before she filed for divorce in 1992. Two years later, she was found dead outside her home, along with her friend Ron Goldman. The prime suspect was her ex-husband: overwhelming evidence pointed to his guilt. However, he was acquitted after a long and highly publicized trial.
1 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© Kobal / Shutterstock
The death of a celebrity, any celebrity, is always tough on their fans. When murder is involved, public scrutiny is even more intense, thanks to widely covered investigations and trials. Here is a list of 20 celebrities who met a terrible end, some at the hands of their fans, family members or even complete strangers.
Sharon Tate – August 9, 1969 (age 26)
2 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© MGM / Kobal / Shutterstock
Promising young actress Sharon Tate was just 26 years old when she was brutally murdered by Charles Manson’s followers in August 1969. She was eight and a half months pregnant at the time, expecting a child with her husband, director Roman Polanski. Four other people were murdered that night in her Los Angeles home. These murders are a source of fascination to this day: Quentin Tarantino used the tragedy as the background story for his film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Tupac Shakur – September 13, 1996 (age 25)
3 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© A Crollalanza / Shutterstock
American rap icon Tupac died at the tender age of 25, just days after his car was shot at, in September 1996. The identity of his murderer still sparks a lot of interest; the Netflix series Unsolved explores the investigation into his death. In 2017, he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the same year All Eyez on Me, a biopic about his life, was released in theatres.
Selena Quintanilla – March 31, 1995 (age 23)
4 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© Instagram @abquintanilla3
A young singer from Texas, Selena Quintanilla shot to fame in Mexico and South America in the early ‘90s. Just before the release of her first English album in 1995, she was shot by the former president of her fan club. A movie and a TV series have been made about Selena’s life, and she remains an icon for the Latin community in the U.S.
See photo on Instagram
Marvin Gaye – April 1, 1984 (age 44)
5 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© Provided by Espresso
Singer Marvin Gaye defined the musical genres of Motown and soul during his career in the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, and his greatest hits are still very popular. He died tragically in 1984 at the age of 44, shot by his own father for intervening in an argument between his parents.
John Lennon – December 8, 1980 (age 40)
6 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© ITV / Shutterstock
The legendary British musician, also known as a member of The Beatles, left behind a huge musical legacy in his too short time on Earth. In 1980, he was shot by Mark David Chapman just in front of his New York home. A memorial called Strawberry Fields was erected in Central Park five years after Lennon’s death, and it is still a popular site to this day.
Gianni Versace – July 15, 1997 (age 50)
7 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© Martin Lawrence / ANL / Shutterstock
The famous Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace founded his brand in 1978 and was hugely successful. He was murdered by Andrew Cunanan in 1997, but the motive remains a mystery. A 2018 television series, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, recounts the fashion icon’s story.
Biggie Smalls – March 9, 1997 (age 24)
8 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© Mediapunch / Shutterstock
American rapper Biggie Smalls (pictured right), also known as The Notorious B.I.G., was murdered six months after his friend-turned-rival Tupac, in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. His murder remains unsolved. His real name was Christopher Wallace, and he hit the big time by collaborating with other hip-hop artists like Sean Combs and Mary J. Blige.
XXXTentacion – June 18, 2018 (age 20)
9 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© Larry Marano / Shutterstock
Rapper XXXTentacion, whose real name was Jahseh Onfroy, was just 20 years old when he was shot and killed outside a motorcycle dealership in 2018. He was a controversial figure: his rise in popularity on SoundCloud happened while he was in prison facing assault and battery charges related to his ex-girlfriend, who was pregnant with their child at the time.
Christina Grimmie – June 10, 2016 (age 22)
10 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© Mike Webster / Shutterstock
The young American singer Christina Grimmie was discovered via YouTube and became a household name when she appeared on TV show The Voice in 2014. While on tour opening for the band Before You Exit, Grimmie was shot by a fan while signing autographs after a concert. Her sudden death was a shock to several celebrities and YouTube personalities.
Phil Hartman – May 28, 1998 (age 49)
11 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© NBC
Canadian-American comedian Phil Hartman rose to stardom performing on Saturday Night Live, on which he was a series regular for eight seasons (1986-1994). He was also part of the Simpsons team by voicing several characters. His third wife, who was suffering from addiction problems, murdered Hartman in his sleep after an argument, then take her own life with the same weapon.
Maurizio Gucci – March 27, 1995 (age 46)
12 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© Kevin Harvey / Shutterstock
Maurizio Gucci, heir to the Italian fashion house Gucci, was at the helm of the brand for a little over a decade after the death of his father. He was shot down in front of a hotel in Milan in 1995. Two years later, the police discovered that the killer was a hitman hired by Gucci’s ex-wife, Patrizia Reggiani. A movie about their story, House of Gucci, is currently being filmed, starring Lady Gaga as Reggiani and Adam Driver as Gucci.
Dimebag Darrell – December 8, 2004 (age 38)
13 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© Shutterstock
Darrell Abbott, a.k.a. Dimebag Darrell, was an extremely talented guitarist. After an acrimonious split with Pantera, he formed a new band with his brother, called Damageplan. Just a few months after they released their first album, a Pantera fan shot the guitarist during a concert. Three other people also lost their lives that night trying to intercept the killer.
Nicole Brown Simpson – June 12, 1994 (age 35)
14 of 21 Photo in Gallery
© BEI / Shutterstock
Nicole Brown Simpson became famous after marrying American football star, O.J. Simpson. The couple had two children together before she filed for divorce in 1992. Two years later, she was found dead outside her home, along with her friend Ron Goldman. The prime suspect was her ex-husband: overwhelming evidence pointed to his guilt. However, he was acquitted after a long and highly publicized trial.
By his WIFE?
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