Sometimes, things aren’t what they seem. Celebrity killers have been in and out of the news over the years for different reasons. This list of celebrities is not what it seems. Some of these deaths were accidents, some are bizarre, and some are just rumors that can’t be proven.
Because we live in a world where money is needed to survive, Latte Lindsay runs a number of affiliate programmes and offers contributed or partnered content. If you choose to click the links and read the posts, the site may earn a commission or receives a payment. All of the opinions are my own. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any partner brands/company(s), beauty & lifestyle brands, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities unless specified.
Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg was acquitted of murdering a gang member in February 1996. Calvin Broadus (AKA Snoop) and his former bodyguard allegedly shot and killed gang member, Philip Woldemariam. What happened that night in 1993 when the shooting took place remains unclear. Witness statements and lies from the prosecution derailed the case which allowed both men to walk free. Was Snoop responsible, or was it a case of the blame landing on him? We may never know.
Oliver Stone
In 1967, Stone enlisted to serve in the army and is rumored to have killed a man during the Vietnam War. He was awarded several awards for bravery, including a Purple Heart with Bronze Oak Cluster. His experiences in the army and in combat have heavily influenced his filmmaking. All you need to do is watch Platoon to get an understanding of what he went through.
John Landis
This American filmmaker is responsible for the deaths of three people on the set of the Twilight Zone: The Movie. Vic Morrow and two child actors, Myca Dinh Le (age 7) and Renee Shin-Yi Chen (age 6), were killed when a helicopter crashed on the set. Landis admitted that he had breached child labour laws by making the children work after hours but denied he was responsible for the deaths. He and his crew were acquitted of all charges but the families sued.
Jayson Williams
This NBA star had his career cut short with a broken leg but carried on with the occasional charity match. But in 2002, when giving a tour of his mansion, the shotgun he was holding went off and killed his driver, Costas “Gus” Christofi. Over the years there have been trials and appeals but Williams ultimately served 5 years for reckless manslaughter.
James Stewart
Like many young men, when World War 2 kicked off, James was quick to enlist. He served in the United States Army Air Forces for 27 years but rarely spoke about what he did as he didn’t want it treated as a stunt. It is rumoured that Stewart is responsible for the deaths of plenty of Nazis during his time as a pilot. He took part in bombing campaigns to halt the Nazi forces building ball-bearings.
Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle
This is one of the weirder entries on my killer list. Although this was ruled as an accidental death, there were so many questions left unanswered. During a party, Virginia Rappe died and Arbuckle got the blame. Rappe suffered from health problems, including cystitis, and the bootleg liquor at the time was known for flaring it up. Arbuckle was rumoured to have rubbed ice on Rappes stomach to help ease her pain but this was sensationalised and twisted to the point that the press was reporting that Arbuckle had raped Rappe with a shard of ice, a coke bottle, even a champagne bottle.
Salman Khan
This Indian star has a career that spans over 20 years and has had plenty of scandals to boot. In 2002, he crashed his car into a bakery, killing one person and injuring three others. It wasn’t until 2015 that he was found guilty of culpable homicide after the charges had been repeatedly dropped against him.
Michael Massee
Michael Massee is involved in one of the most well-known and tragic film accidents in the history of film. While filming The Crow, Massee shot and killed Brandon Lee when he was using a poorly prepared prop gun. For years after, Massee suffered from nightmares and refused to watch the movie when it was released. The death of Lee was ruled as an accident.
Caleb Lawrence McGillvary
McGillvary became famous after featuring in a viral news video where he describes how he saved a woman’s life from a man who had hit a pedestrian and claimed he was Jesus Christ. Three months later in May 2013, McGillvary was arrested for murdering New Jersey attorney, Joseph Galfy. McGilvary claimed the killing was in self-defense. He is still waiting for his trial to begin after nearly 5 years in prison.
Rick Springfield
Springfield has a history of depression and suicidal thoughts (things which he speaks openly about). The “Jessies Girl” singer was entertaining troops in Vietnam when they all came under attack. Springfield helped to load the mortars to repel the attack and one of his struck a Viet Cong soldier, killing him. Springfield calls it one of his darkest secrets.
If you would like to learn about some other celebrity killers, you can check out part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4.