Kath had a self-admitted history of drug abuse, including alcohol.[42] Seraphine knew that Kath had a high tolerance for drugs and later recalled Kath telling him, "I'm going to get things under control ... if I don't, this stuff is going to kill me." Chicago bandmates including Seraphine[19] have noted that he was then also becoming increasingly unhappy.[43] The night before he died, Kath visited bandmate Laudir de Oliveira. De Oliveira offered him tea and the two spent all night talking.[44] Guercio has said that Kath was finishing writing a solo album before he died,[45] and Pankow has adamantly denied that Kath was suicidal.[43]
Kath enjoyed target shooting and by 1978 was regularly carrying guns.[42] On January 23, after a party at the home of roadie and band technician Don Johnson, in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, Kath began to play with his guns. He spun his unloaded .38 revolver on his finger, put it to his temple, and pulled the trigger. Johnson warned Kath several times to be careful. Kath picked up a semi-automatic 9 mm pistol and, leaning back in a chair, said to Johnson, "Don't worry about it ... Look, the clip is not even in it." His last words were, "What do you think I'm gonna do? Blow my brains out?"[38] To calm Johnson's concerns, Kath showed him the empty magazine. Kath then replaced the magazine in the gun, put the gun to his temple and pulled the trigger. Apparently unbeknownst to Kath, the gun had a round in the chamber. He died instantly from the gunshot,[38] eight days before his 32nd birthday.
Kath left behind his wife, Camelia Ortiz,[46] and a 20-month-old daughter, Michelle Kath (now Michelle Kath Sinclair). Kath had been married to Pamela Robinson from May 1970 until they divorced in May 1975.[citation needed]
Kath is interred near his mother, Evelyn Kath, and father, Raymond Kath, in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California, in the Gardens of Remembrance.[47][48]
The group's members were devastated over losing Kath and strongly considered disbanding, but were persuaded by Doc Severinsen, musical director of the Tonight Show band, to continue.[49] Kath's position as guitarist in Chicago was filled by Donnie Dacus.[50] At Chicago concerts, members Lee Loughnane (trumpet) and Robert Lamm (keyboards) have performed lead vocals originally sung by Kath