Celebrities Who Died In Bizarre Circumstances
Dec. 4 2015, Updated 12:35 p.m. ET
Take a look at the celebrities that had odd—and deadly—accidents.
1. Sonny Bono: The Sonny and Cher singer-turned-politician, and father of Chaz Bono, died at 62 in 1998 after suffering massive head injuries from skiing into a tree in South Lake Tahoe, California.
Sonny Bono: The Sonny and Cher singer-turned-politician, and father of Chaz Bono, died at 62 in 1998 after suffering massive head injuries from skiing into a tree in South Lake Tahoe, California.
2. Aaliyah: The Are You That Somebody? singer died at 22 in 2001, after the over-loaded twin-engine plane she was flying in crashed while leaving the Bahamas. Eight others died in the crash.
Aaliyah: The Are You That Somebody? singer died at 22 in 2001, after the over-loaded twin-engine plane she was flying in crashed while leaving the Bahamas. Eight others died in the crash.
3. Natalie Wood: The Rebel Without A Cause actress died in 1981 at 43, after falling overboard on a boat sailing near California’s Catalina Island. Officials ruled her death an accidental drowning, adding Wood had drank as many as eight glasses of wine, and was intoxicated when she died.
Natalie Wood: The Rebel Without A Cause actress died in 1981 at 43, after falling overboard on a boat sailing near California's Catalina Island. Officials ruled her death an accidental drowning, adding Wood had drank as many as eight glasses of wine, and was intoxicated when she died.
4. Marvin Gaye: The Mercy, Mercy Me singer — living in his parents house at the time because he was depressed and suicidal — was fatally shot by his own father in 1984 after an argument over misplaced documents. Gaye’s father had reportedly been beaten by the singer prior to the shooting, and received five years of probation after pleading guilty to manslaughter charges.
Marvin Gaye: The Mercy, Mercy Me singer -- living in his parents house at the time because he was depressed and suicidal -- was fatally shot by his own father in 1984 after an argument over misplaced documents. Gaye's father had reportedly been beaten by the singer prior to the shooting, and received five years of probation after pleading guilty to manslaughter charges.
5. Michael Jackson: The King Of Pop died at 50 in his Holmby Hills, California mansion in 2009, and authorities deemed his official cause of death, “acute intoxication of a powerful anesthetic complicated by other sedatives.” His live-in doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray, was subsequently charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the Thriller singer’s death.
Michael Jackson: The King Of Pop died at 50 in his Holmby Hills, California mansion in 2009, and authorities deemed his official cause of death, “acute intoxication of a powerful anesthetic complicated by other sedatives.” His live-in doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray, was subsequently charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the Thriller singer's death.
6. Phil Hartman: The witty Canadian comic of Saturday Night Live fame was fatally shot at 49 by his wife Brynn in 1998 at their Encino, California home. She later turned the gun on herself.
Phil Hartman: The witty Canadian comic of Saturday Night Live fame was fatally shot at 49 by his wife Brynn in 1998 at their Encino, California home. She later turned the gun on herself.
7. Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez: The TLC beauty, known for his such as Waterfalls and No Scrubs, died of head and neck injuries at 30 in 2002, following a single-car accident in La Ceiba, Honduras.
Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez: The TLC beauty, known for his such as Waterfalls and No Scrubs, died of head and neck injuries at 30 in 2002, following a single-car accident in La Ceiba, Honduras.
8. Brandon Lee: The son of karate icon Bruce Lee died at 28 in 1993 in Wilmington, North Carolina after he was accidentally shot on the set of his film, The Crow. According to iMDb, the film footage of Lee’s death was destroyed before being developed.
Brandon Lee: The son of karate icon Bruce Lee died at 28 in 1993 in Wilmington, North Carolina after he was accidentally shot on the set of his film, The Crow. According to iMDb, the film footage of Lee's death was destroyed before being developed.
9. Selena: The popular Tejano singer, just 23, was fatally shot in 1995 by Yolanda Saldivar, the president of her fan club, after a falling out. Jennifer Lopez’s career took off after playing the singer in the 1997 feature film, Selena.
Selena: The popular Tejano singer, just 23, was fatally shot in 1995 by Yolanda Saldivar, the president of her fan club, after a falling out. Jennifer Lopez's career took off after playing the singer in the 1997 feature film, Selena.
10. Jeff Buckley: The second-generation musical talent died at 30 in 1997 in Memphis’s Wolf River Harbor, where coroners claim a sober Buckley accidentally drowned. He hit the top of the Billboard charts in March 2008, with his rendition of Leonard Cohen’s song, Hallelujah.
Jeff Buckley: The second-generation musical talent died at 30 in 1997 in Memphis's Wolf River Harbor, where coroners claim a sober Buckley accidentally drowned. He hit the top of the Billboard charts in March 2008, with his rendition of Leonard Cohen's song, Hallelujah.
11. Heath Ledger: The Australian actor died in 2008 in his New York apartment after an overdose of prescription drugs, just as his career was hitting its’ stride. He’d posthumously win the best supporting actor Oscar for his performance in The Dark Knight at that year’s Academy Awards.
Heath Ledger: The Australian actor died in 2008 in his New York apartment after an overdose of prescription drugs, just as his career was hitting its' stride. He'd posthumously win the best supporting actor Oscar for his performance in The Dark Knight at that year's Academy Awards.
12. Anna Nicole Smith: The Playboy Playmate-turned-reality star fatally overdosed in 2007 in a Florida hotel room at the age of 37, causing a media blitz in the wake of her premature passing. She died less than a year after her son, Daniel Wayne Smith, died of an accidental overdose.
Anna Nicole Smith: The Playboy Playmate-turned-reality star fatally overdosed in 2007 in a Florida hotel room at the age of 37, causing a media blitz in the wake of her premature passing. She died less than a year after her son, Daniel Wayne Smith, died of an accidental overdose.
13. Brittany Murphy: The actress of Clueless and 8-Mile fame died at 32 in her Hollywood Hills home in 2009, from what authorities said was pneumonia, with secondary factors of iron-deficiency anemia and drug intoxication. Her widower, Simon Monjack, died in the same house less than six months later.
Brittany Murphy: The actress of Clueless and 8-Mile fame died at 32 in her Hollywood Hills home in 2009, from what authorities said was pneumonia, with secondary factors of iron-deficiency anemia and drug intoxication. Her widower, Simon Monjack, died in the same house less than six months later.
14. David Carradine: The veteran star of classics like Kung Fu and Kill Bill died in 2009 after he was found hung in the closet of his Bangkok, Thailand hotel room, with a rope tied around his neck, wrist and genitalia.
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David Carradine: The veteran star of classics like Kung Fu and Kill Bill died in 2009 after he was found hung in the closet of his Bangkok, Thailand hotel room, with a rope tied around his neck, wrist and genitalia.
15. Michael Hutchence: The INXS singer was found dead at 37 in 1997 in a Sydney, Australia hotel room. While initially deemed a suicide by authorities, his ex Paula Yates (who died three years later from a heroin overdose) claimed the What You Need singer had botched an attempt at auto-erotic asphyxiation, causing his premature death.
Michael Hutchence: The INXS singer was found dead at 37 in 1997 in a Sydney, Australia hotel room. While initially deemed a suicide by authorities, his ex Paula Yates (who died three years later from a heroin overdose) claimed the What You Need singer had botched an attempt at auto-erotic asphyxiation, causing his premature death.
16. Steve Irwin: The beloved Crocodile Hunter died at 44 in 2006 after he was fatally pierced in the chest by a sting ray spine during a snorkeling outing at Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. His widow Terri said in her 2007 book Steve And Me that the TV personality had premonitions he’d die before the age of 40.
Steve Irwin: The beloved Crocodile Hunter died at 44 in 2006 after he was fatally pierced in the chest by a sting ray spine during a snorkeling outing at Australia's Great Barrier Reef. His widow Terri said in her 2007 book Steve And Me that the TV personality had premonitions he'd die before the age of 40.
17. John Belushi: In 1982, the genius comic mind behind The Blues Brothers and other Saturday Night Live classics was found dead at 33 in his room at Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont hotel, after an overdose of cocaine and heroin. A companion named Cathy Smith later served 15 months behind bars for giving him the fatal dose.
John Belushi: In 1982, the genius comic mind behind The Blues Brothers and other Saturday Night Live classics was found dead at 33 in his room at Hollywood's Chateau Marmont hotel, after an overdose of cocaine and heroin. A companion named Cathy Smith later served 15 months behind bars for giving him the fatal dose.
