20 Unsolved Celebrity Deaths

20 Unsolved Celebrity Deaths

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at 20 Unsolved Celebrity Deaths.

For this list, we’ll be looking at the most mysterious and puzzling instances where stars passed away or were presumed dead. These include any open-ended cases that were left unanswered or uncertain even after an official ruling.

Which of these cases do you find the most perplexing? Let us know in the comments below.

Barbara Colby

Barbara Colby was perhaps best known for her guest spots on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and its spinoff "Phyllis." But in 1975, she and actor James Kiernan were both shot by unknown assailants after an acting class. Colby essentially passed immediately afterward. Kiernan initially survived the attack, but later died in the hospital from his injuries. There was no indication that they had been robbed, and it was ultimately described as a random homicide. What’s more, the guilty parties were never identified. It's particularly terrifying to think that there was no apparent motive for these tragic deaths.

William Desmond Taylor

During the silent movie era, William Desmond Taylor was a prolific filmmaker with dozens of credits in Hollywood. Bizarre circumstances surrounding his 1922 homicide ultimately made it a cold case. An unknown doctor reportedly examined the body and ruled the death as being from a stomach hemorrhage. By the time experts made it to the home, the physician was no longer present, but they did discover a bullet in the victim's back. Several actors and people within Taylor's circle were considered as suspects, including a valet that was known to steal from him. Due to limited technology and crime scene mismanagement, nobody was formally connected to the death.

Peter Ivers

Peter Ivers was a multi-talented artist and musician known for being the host of "New Wave Theatre." He had many famous connections in the industry and wrote music for films like "Eraserhead." In 1983. Ivers was beaten to death at home. The LAPD did not properly manage or close off the crime scene. This led to a slew of evidence being lost or altered due to outside influence. Filmmaker David Jove was considered by some to be one of the possible culprits. He even apparently left the apartment with the musician's bloodied blankets. Unfortunately, no solid case was ever created.

Richey Edwards

Welsh musician Richey Edwards made a name for himself as the songwriter and guitarist for Manic Street Preachers. After three albums with the band, Edwards disappeared right before their scheduled U.S. tour in 1995. Authorities found his abandoned car less than a month later with no signs of where he was or where he was going. The vehicle’s location and his history of depression pointed towards him taking his own life. In 2008, he was “presumed dead” after the police failed to find his body. Rumors abound with theories and mysterious sightings that claimed he was alive and well somewhere, but nobody really knows.

Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart was renowned for her work as a pioneering female pilot in the 1930s. The aviator broke the glass ceiling by becoming the first woman to make a nonstop transatlantic flight by herself. But she became even more well-known due to her disappearance in 1937. Her effort to circumnavigate the globe with navigator Fred Noonan ended in mystery. Both were lost in the Pacific Ocean in a probable crash. Though a huge search effort was undertaken, authorities failed to recover their remains or the plane. Earhart’s prior accomplishments and celebrity have continued to fuel interest in her vanishing and presumed passing all these years later.

Elizabeth Short

Elizabeth Short wasn’t well-known in her lifetime, but that changed following her untimely and highly shocking passing. Indeed, her 1947 homicide led to years of speculation from dozens of real and wannabe detectives. An unknown assailant severely harmed and separated Short at the waist as part of the disturbing crime. She became widely referred to as the “Black Dahlia” as the case became national news. Taunting local authorities and press, the alleged killer crafted letters and evidence-filled envelopes which puzzled investigators. The gruesome details and intense media circus led to several novels and films inspired by the victim’s story.

Jill Dando

Jill Dando spent the 1980s and 1990s as a presenter at the BBC for programs such as “Breakfast Time” and “Crimewatch.” In 1999, she was murdered outside her home. This prompted a massive investigation from British authorities. Due to reasonable suspicion, local man Barry George was arrested after details of his sordid past came to light. After he was charged with the crime, he went away to prison. But three appeal attempts and a second trial later, he was released in 2008. While some still pointed fingers at George and other potential scenarios were considered, the entire process seemingly muddled any hopes of confirming the true killer.

Christa Helm

Actress Christa Helm was a 27 year-old Hollywood hopeful that had small roles on shows like "Wonder Woman." On an unassuming night in 1977, the performer left a party and drove to the house of agent Sandy Smith. Helm was stabbed and hidden underneath a car outside the home. She apparently seemed afraid at the event beforehand, and had a journal full of information about famous men she had been intimate with. That, combined with the attack’s grotesque nature and the apparent struggle that ensued, made the crime appear personal in nature. Decades after the “Black Dahlia” murder, this killing once again showcased the horrors lurking in the City of Angels.

Jam Master Jay

Producer and DJ Jason Mizell helped build Run-DMC into hip-hop icons. The artist, known professionally as Jam Master Jay, was killed in 2002 in a New York studio. Further investigations suggested a possible drug connection, with claims that the DJ reportedly tried to repay debts by selling illicit substances. Documentaries attempted to find the missing pieces in subsequent years, but nothing was conclusive. However, Ronald Washington was notably considered an accomplice for many years. He and another man named Karl Jordan Jr. were charged in 2020. With both suspects entering not guilty pleas, questions remain unanswered, and this development will hopefully shed light on sought-after details.

Bobby Fuller

Bobby Fuller and his group The Bobby Fuller Four rocked the 1960s with popular renditions of songs like “I Fought the Law.” But the frontman’s lifeless body was found in his car outside his abode in 1966. Police discovered a gas can inside the 23-year-old’s vehicle. Initial reports considered that he’d intentionally asphyxiated himself with fumes, while later accounts claimed it was an accident. Considering his recent successes and some timeline inconsistencies, many found it hard to consider the former ruling. Was it the result of Fuller’s own hand or foul play? Without substantial evidence to the contrary, there’s no definitive answer to that question.

Jack Nance

Jack Nance became famous for his role in David Lynch’s “Eraserhead.” His part in that film and Lynch’s other works made him something of a cult figure. The actor also reportedly struggled with alcoholism. One night in 1996, the performer, thought to have been inebriated at the time, got into a fight with two unidentified men. He received a severe blow to the head and passed away the next day. It seemed that blunt force trauma and a subdural hematoma were to blame. Ultimately, loads of unanswered questions remained, including who he fought with and why, with certain people questioning whether his death was caused by that brawl at all.

Jimmy Hoffa

Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa stood as the most powerful labor organizer of his day. He also accumulated a host of enemies. After being charged with various crimes including attempted bribery, he was sentenced to years in prison. The government barred Hoffa from leading the IBT or any other organization in exchange for a commuted sentence. But in 1975, he was reportedly scheduled to meet with organized crime figures, though many associated with the union didn’t want to see him regain control. He vanished that day, and was said to be “legally dead” in 1982. Famously, the leader’s body was rumored to have been disposed of in a variety of different locations, though it’s never been confirmed.

Brittany Murphy

Brittany Murphy cemented herself as a talented dramatic and comedic addition to films like "Clueless" and "8 Mile." In late 2009, the actress was said to have died from pneumonia in her home. Initial reports pointed toward an improper mixing and overuse of medications and anemia as the triggers, though her family attributed her passing to a cardiac issue. Her death was further scrutinized the following May when her husband Simon Monjack died of similar causes. An unconfirmed theory was put forward that both of their deaths were caused by toxic mold present at their residence. To this day, rumors linger about the possible factors that played into Murphy’s untimely demise.

George Reeves

George Reeves rose to prominence as the title hero in the TV show “Adventures of Superman.” But the actor reportedly struggled with typecasting and attempted to break away from the iconic role. His 1959 death from a gunshot wound was ruled as self-inflicted, which some tied to this struggle. Yet there were family members and friends of Reeves who thought otherwise, questioning details laid out by authorities at the time. Additional bullet holes and the potential lack of residue from the weapon on the performer cast doubt over the initial conclusion. Works like “Hollywoodland” played up the various theories of his death, but the final ruling never changed.

Robert Johnson

Blues legend Robert Johnson’s life is wrapped in a shroud of mysterious and apocryphal tales. At the young age of 27, he passed away, though the reason was undetermined. Later, researchers brought up the possibility of congenital syphilis being the cause. Much like his fabled meeting with the devil, the musician’s death generated loads of fanciful stories. There were theories regarding a possible poisoning and other lethal afflictions. Adding to the mystery surrounding the cause of his passing is the fact that people don't even know for certain where he was buried. Regardless, his tremendous impact on the industry has continued to be felt throughout the years.

Bob Crane

Bob Crane was primarily famous for his leading role in the TV series "Hogan's Heroes." But he had developed the hobby of documenting his various explicit romantic encounters with friend John Henry Carpenter. When the actor was bludgeoned to death in 1978, the prime suspect was his fellow video enthusiast. Carpenter was charged with the murder in 1992 when a picture of potential brain tissue from his rental car was discovered. But he was acquitted in 1994 and was adamant that he hadn’t done it for the remainder of his life. What might have seemed like an open and shut case turned out to be much more complicated, and the story remains unresolved as a result.

Nancy Spungen

Nancy Spungen became famous as the partner of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious. Both had substance use disorders, which is said to have contributed to their volatile relationship. Spungen died after being stabbed at the Chelsea Hotel in 1978. Her musician boyfriend served as the chief suspect and was booked for second-degree murder. To make matters worse, he overdosed before he could stand trial. Defenders of Vicious cited the possibility of a deadly robbery. Alternative theories point to one of the couple's suppliers, actor Rockets Redglare, as a possible culprit. Doubts remained, but there's no way to tell who wielded the murder weapon.

Natalie Wood

Natalie Wood broke into the acting industry when she was quite young and thrived, becoming an Oscar-nominated icon later on. In 1981, she joined her husband Robert Wagner and then co-star Christopher Walken on a boat. Not long after, the star was found dead from drowning. Though she had been discovered with bruises, the incident was considered an accident. But details made investigators reconsider decades later. It was subsequently revealed that she and her husband had fought beforehand. Eventually, Wagner became a suspect in the case. Many signs hinted at his involvement, but there was never definitive proof. However, the cause of death was changed from “drowning and other undetermined factors.”

Biggie Smalls

Christopher “The Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace shook up 1990s hip-hop with his considerable talents. His personal lyrics and rhyming schemes put him in the pantheon of rap emcees. In 1997, Biggie Smalls was repeatedly shot and killed in Los Angeles after years of feuding with West Coast rappers. The drive-by incident occurred less than a year after Tupac Shakur was also murdered. Both artists were closely linked in life and death as the two coasts built up a fierce rivalry. Books and films delved into Smalls’ passing, with many believing that the West Coast rap scene or local gang members were involved. Ultimately, his unsolved death served as a tragic climax to a new era of hip-hop.

Tupac Shakur

Tupac Shakur was the unofficial poet laureate of rap until his life was cut short in 1996. Leaving a Las Vegas boxing match, the rapper sat in the passenger seat of producer Suge Knight’s car. Someone in another vehicle fired shots, striking Shakur multiple times. Shakur was rushed to the hospital, but ultimately died from his injuries. Some thought his East Coast rival Biggie Smalls may be involved. The story then pointed to an earlier altercation with presumed Crips gang member Orlando Anderson. While he became a prime suspect with a motive for revenge, no charges were ever filed. The death of Biggie Smalls and Anderson in the years following only added to the mystery of Tupac’s demise.