22 Celebrities Who Died Under Very Mysterious Circumstances
Inside the mysteries swirling years after their deaths.
Published 7 months ago in Creepy
eBaum's World Editor's Note: This article contains several mentions of suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, or considering suicide, please call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing "998."
While they may be household names, not even celebrities are immune from dying in ways worthy of a true crime podcast. Case in point? Brittany Murphy, Elliott Smith, and a slew of other stars with questions still circling their untimely passings.
From the mystery surrounding to a big pharma murder dating back to 2017, here are 22 celebrities who died under very mysterious circumstances.
2
Bruce Lee and his son, Brandon Lee
“The Lee’s, Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee. They both died by “accidents” Bruce took something for a headache and his brain swelled up and he died. Brandon got shot on the set of The Crow by a gun that was supposed to be firing blanks. It’s weird that they both mysteriously died at young ages.”
4
Michael Rockafeller
“Michael Rockefeller. Last seen in Papua New Guinea. Was in contact with an actual cannibal tribe. Rumors that he was eaten. Years later a picture of that tribe shows up, and theres a white guy among them. Photo is too blurry to tell if its a native with albinism, some other white guy, or Michael Rockefeller.”
5
Canadian Pharmaceutical CEO Barry Sherman and his wife, Honey
“In Canada, the owner of a Pharmaceutical company called Apotex was killed along with his wife. No one knows who did it to this day. They were killed in their own home and found with belts around their necks attached to railings by their pool.”
6
Jill Dando
“Jill Dando, presenter for the BBC "unsolved crime" series Crimewatch, was murdered during her time as host for the show. Crimewatch reconstructed her murder and a suspect was convicted. However, the conviction was overturned, he was acquitted upon retrial, and the case remains unsolved.”
8
Marsha P. Johnson
In July 1992, gay liberation leader Marsha P. Johnson’s body was found floating in the Hudson River shortly after that year’s gay pride parade. Police ruled that her death was a suicide but considering a large gash on the back of her head, several of Johnson’s friends and other community members had suspicions that foul play may have been involved in her passing.
9
Susan Cabot
“Susan Cabot, who starred in a lot of westerns and b movies (notably The Wasp Woman by Roger Corman) and had an affair with King Hussein of Jordan, which was initiated by the CIA. She got paranoid later in life and essentially became a shut in/hoarder. Her son, who had dwarfism, claimed a man in a ninja mask broken into their house and killed her. At the trial he admitted that he had beaten her to death with a weightlifting bar He said she had awakened him screaming at him, didn't recognize him, and called him by her mother's name. His lawyers claimed drugs he took to counteract his dwarfism and pituitary issues had caused a prion contamination resulting in a mental break. He got three years for involuntary manslaughter. He may have been King Hussein's love child. He died about 17 years later. I've tried looking up info about his life after the trial, but haven't found much.”
10
JonBenét Ramsey
“I know its a bit cliche, but the JonBenét Ramsey case is one I can never stop thinking about. Were the marks a taser or train tracks? A broken window too small to fit thru? A ransom note that took at least 20 mins to write, using paper from the household, that mentions John Bennett's exact bonus amount? The pineapple and milk after she was already asleep by Patsy's account? The 911 call recording? Trace DNA on her underwear that may have just been a factory worker? Its all just too weird... I honestly believe it was someone in that family, but my top suspect keeps changing from year to year as I read more.”
15
Elliott Smith
“Elliott Smith's death was never made that big a deal of but the details were always a little strange. It was suggested it was suicide but he died of two stab wounds to the chest after an argument with his girlfriend. The coroner's report was left open on whether it was suicide or homicide.”
16
Former NFL Players Junior Seau and Dave Duerson
“A different kind of mysterious, but Junior Seau, and by extension Dave Duerson. Both American Football Players who committed suicide by shooting themselves in the chest. Duerson specified ahead of time that his brain was to be donated and studied for CTE due to the number of concussions that he'd had. Seau's was donated after the fact. The mystery is because you cannot determine if someone has CTE while they are still living - They committed the act without knowing if what they feared was actually what was wrong. As someone who has had a LOT of concussions, and now deals with mental health issues and mood swings I think about them a lot.”
17
Former Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme
“Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme (that celebrity enough). Gunned down in 1986 on his way home from the cinema. Case still unsolved. I have thought and read way too much about that one. The investigation was a massive cluster***k.” eBaum’s World Editor’s Note: In 2020, Swedish prosecutors said that graphic designer Stig Engstrom — also known as "Skandia Man" — killed Palme. There is no forensic evidence or firearms linking Engstrom to the crime. Considering the designer died by suicide in 2000, prosecutors closed the case into Palme’s death as they could not charge Engstrom.
18
George Reeves
“George Reeves. The fact that he played such a beloved character like Superman but was found dead under such mysterious circumstances making you wonder if it really was a suicide or if it was something more sinister. Like imagine if tomorrow they found Chris Evans dead by a gun that doesn't have his fingerprints on it, with no gunshot residue on his hands, and it's just ruled a suicide? That would be crazy”
19
Meriwether Lewis
Going back a bit further than everyone else, Meriwether Lewis of Lewis & Clark fame. He also served as governor of the Louisiana territory before it was a state. He was on his way to DC to settle some debt matters with the government. During the journey, he wrote a will because there were a lot of bandits on the roads they were traveling. He also attempted suicide on the trip and had to be restrained. But that’s not the weird part. Lewis stopped at an inn to spend the night, but he was acting very erratic, talking to himself and pacing around nonstop. Later, he had a heated and loud argument with someone in his room in the inn. The innkeeper’s wife said she heard a scuffle and someone yelling for help, then several gunshots. Lewis was found dead with several gunshot wounds to the chest, and the local newspaper reported his throat was slit. The borrowed money he had with him was also missing. There’s also reports that the innkeeper’s wife saw through a slit in the door that he was dead and didn’t do anything about it until the next day. Some servants also reported that they had heard someone yell about a duel around that time and they said the body had a big chunk of his skull missing. And it was reported as a suicide. Thomas Jefferson even said it was suicide. What really happened? Did he have a mental breakdown and brutally off himself? Were bandits stalking him? Was it someone from the government or the military that he owed money to? There’s so many questions.”
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