Top 20 Celebrity Death Conspiracy Theories
#20: John Lennon
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The world stopped and grieved on the night of December 8, 1980 when it learned that John Lennon had died. After returning home following a recording session, Lennon was infamously shot in the back by Mark David Chapman. It’s a pretty clear-cut and readily accepted story. Regardless, it has resulted in a few conspiracy theories. Some believe that Chapman was a patsy used and brainwashed by the CIA, which wished to assassinate Lennon due to his outspoken left-wing ideals. Others think Chapman is totally innocent, including author Salvador Astrucia, who argues that forensic evidence absolves Chapman of the crime. In any case, Lennon won’t be the only Beatle on this list.
#19: Sam Cooke
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Often called the “King of Soul,” Sam Cooke was popular in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. But on December 11, 1964, Cooke was shot and killed by a motel manager. Allegedly, Cooke took a woman named Elisa Boyer to the motel and assaulted her. She then escaped and Cooke violently confronted the motel manager, who shot Cooke in self-defense. Cooke’s family and fans reject this version of events, however, and have put forth various theories. Some believe that Cooke was violently attacked by several people, with singer Etta James stating that his body had suffered horrific, unexplained injuries. Others claim that Cooke’s manager Allen Klein might’ve even had him killed. So far, neither of these theories have been corroborated.
#18: Bobby Fuller
This rock singer found top ten success with a cover of the Crickets’ “I Fought the Law.” The single was released in late 1965. On the following July 18, Fuller was found dead inside a parked car, and the medical examiner tentatively blamed gasoline vapors for his death. Fuller’s death is officially labeled a fatal accident. However, various far-reaching conspiracy theories have been put forward by people who don’t buy it. Fuller’s bandmate Jim Reese believed that Charles Manson had something to do with it (despite being in prison at the time), and others suspect that Fuller was killed due to personal connections with the mafia. It’s likely that we’ll never know.
#17: Avril Lavigne
Let’s just clarify that Avril Lavigne is not dead. The 2000s pop icon is alive and thriving. But not according to some. A few fans are adamant that the Avril Lavigne we see today is actually a woman named Melissa Vandella. According to the conspiracy, the real Lavigne passed away after the release of her debut album “Let Go.” But the record company didn’t want to stop the gravy train, so she was replaced with a body double to fool the public and continue her musical legacy. The main evidence surrounding the conspiracy is Lavigne’s changing physical appearance, supposed subliminal messages in later songs, and the word “Melissa” written on her hand in a photoshoot. As expected, Lavigne has continuously denied the conspiracy.
#16: Tupac Shakur
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On September 7, 1996, hip hop icon Tupac Shakur was shot in a Las Vegas drive-by; he died six days later. Two Crips gang members were named in an affidavit, including Duane Davis, who later said that his nephew Orlando Anderson was the shooter. However, countless conspiracy theories exist in regards to Tupac’s death (and even survival). Some believe that the shooting was ordered by either music executive Suge Knight or The Notorious B.I.G. Others believe that Tupac is actually alive and faked his death and moved to Cuba. And, as is often the case with conspiracy theories, some believe that the CIA is involved. Regardless, Tupac’s death may forever remain contentious.
#15: Steve Jobs
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The famous co-founder and CEO of Apple passed away on October 5, 2011 from pancreatic cancer. He was only fifty-six years old. Nearly eight years after his death, a photo began spreading around the internet that had everyone convinced of his continued survival. The photo shows a balding, gray-haired man sitting in a plastic chair outside, and the man admittedly bears a striking resemblance to the late Jobs. The sneaky photo was reportedly taken in Egypt, leading many to believe - whether seriously or not - that Jobs is alive and well. Unfortunately, this is simply a case of one man looking a lot like another.
#14: Michael Jackson
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The world lost music’s biggest icon on June 25, 2009, when the “King of Pop” died of cardiac arrest in his LA mansion. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, as he had incorrectly administered various drugs to help Jackson sleep. Murray spent two years in prison. But many people, including Jackson’s own daughter, believe that there is more to the story. Paris Jackson claims that her father’s death was “a setup” orchestrated by people “out to get him”. However, she’s declined to explain who the “people” are. Jackson’s old advisor, Leonard Rowe, told RadarOnline that Jackson was assassinated for his music catalogue worth approximately $1 billion.
#13: Paul McCartney
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Sir Paul McCartney is one of the two surviving members of the Beatles. But according to one prominent urban legend that sprung up in the 1960s, McCartney actually died long before his late bandmates. Proponents claimed that McCartney perished in a car crash shortly after the album release of “Revolver.” Not wanting to upset the public, McCartney was quickly replaced with a look-alike. Fans scouring the Beatles’s work have found so-called subliminal messages in their songs and album covers. The Beatles’s press office was quite vocal in its defense, calling the legend “a load of old rubbish” and referring to its believers as “nuts.” The rumor was put to bed after a very-much-alive McCartney was featured in “Life” magazine in November 1969.
#12: Bob Marley
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The death of this reggae legend was hard to accept. In July 1977 Marley was diagnosed with an aggressive skin cancer under his toenail, which within three years spread to the rest of his body, leading to his death at just 36. Fans couldn't accept the explanation, and the conspiracy led to where they seemingly always lead - the CIA. The story goes that a CIA agent named Bill Oxley infected Marley with cancer through a pair of Converse sneakers. He reportedly did so because the CIA didn’t want Marley starting a revolution. Despite the story not making a ton of sense, it nevertheless received traction, and in 2018 was shared by the likes of T.I. and Busta Rhymes.
#11: Andy Kaufman
In life, this quirky comedian often enjoyed pulling fast ones on….well, everybody. So, when Andy Kaufman permanently disappeared in 1984, supposedly due to lung cancer, the world refused to believe the official account of his death. Andy’s last girlfriend and his own brother seem to have conflicting stories, but whatever you believe about Kaufman’s death, no one can deny that a decades-long hoax would’ve been sooo Andy. He allegedly even said that if he were to fake his death, he would return 20 years later… which would have been in 2004. Who knows, maybe he’s probably just enjoying some R&R in Albuquerque.
#10: JonBenét Ramsey
What happened to this American child beauty queen shocked the nation in 1996, and continues to fuel debate and conspiracy. The case remains unsolved, which certainly doesn’t help. And while some conspiracies are more grounded and based in reality, others are a little more “out there” and, let’s face it, a little disrespectful. One theory claims that Ramsey didn’t actually die and grew up to become Katy Perry. This theory was given further prominence in 2017 when Billy Eichner confronted Perry about it at the VMAs for a “Billy on the Street” segment. It’s a bizarre theory, and a quick Google search shows that the timelines don’t even add up, as Perry was twice Ramsey’s age at the time of her death.
#9: Jimmy Hoffa
While the average person may not know what this man actually did for a living, many have thought his body was buried under Giants Stadium. As the leader of the Teamsters Union, Jimmy Hoffa was known to anger a few people, and according to legend, “the mob” took care of the problem. Who exactly? Well, it’s become quite popular to claim responsibility for the hit. It’s an awfully trendy deathbed confession among mobsters, and if you believe notorious hitman Richard Kuklinski, he’s the man responsible for Hoffa’s earthly departure. Can we just all agree that Jimmy Hoffa could only have been killed once?
#8: Jim Morrison
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If you were around in the late 60s and had the opportunity to hang with the lead singer of The Doors, he probably seemed more like a regular dude than somewhat of a mythical unicorn figure. But, a shady death always leads to conspiracy theories, especially when the person in question supposedly died in a Parisian bathtub. Although the cause of death was stated as heart failure, no autopsy was ever performed; causing some to think Jim faked his own death, and others to claim that he overdosed in the bathroom of a nightclub. Well, the 70s were definitely a bit hazy for some, and conspiracy theorists continue to search for clarity.
#7: George Reeves
Here’s what we know for sure: TV’s Superman died from a gunshot to the head in June 1959, which ended his reign as the Man of Steel. But from there, things get extremely blurry - in part thanks to the extreme inebriation of the guests at his house that night. While they claimed to have heard one gunshot, three bullets had been fired from the gun. Police believed he took his own life, but some have theorized that MGM vice president Eddie Mannix or his wife Toni Mannix were involved, since Reeves and Toni had had an affair. Others suggest that Reeves’ fiance Leonore Lemmon shot him accidentally. In the end of course, it’s all speculation.
#6: Princess Diana
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Months before the Princess of Wales was killed in a 1997 car crash along with boyfriend Dodi Fayed, she allegedly wrote a telling letter, worried that someone might tamper with her brakes. Well, we all know what happened, as Princess Diana’s death inadvertently ushered in the age of Internet speculation. One theory, according to claims by Dodi’s father, Mohamed Al-Fayed, is that the MI6 and CIA were involved, with the potential motive for murder being that Diana may have been pregnant with Dodi’s child, and that the two were going to get engaged. The paparazzi photographer who was following Diana before her death, James Andanson, took his own life shortly after conspiracy theories arose, just one of many oddities about a seemingly straightforward matter.
#5: Kurt Cobain
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As the lead singer of Nirvana and husband to Courtney Love, Kurt Cobain earned plenty of headlines in the early 90s, and deservedly so. But it was Cobain’s 1994 death that sparked a larger discussion about his personal life. At the time, his decision to take his own life wasn’t a complete shock, at least considering the media portrayal of Cobain. But as new details emerge, theories continue to arise in search of the truth. For example, take the 2015 documentary “Soaked in Bleach,” which focused explicitly on the details of his death. Did someone “assist” in Cobain’s death? And was it possible for Kurt to even pull the trigger given his state at the time? We may never know.
#4: Natalie Wood
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From child stardom to massive success as an adult, this late icon never failed to impress. But with fame comes insecurities, and Natalie Wood had a life-long fear of drowning, which makes her 1981 death even more suspicious. After a night out with husband Robert Wagner and actor Christopher Walken, the actress inexplicably wound up in the waters off Santa Catalina Island, dead at the age of 43. With reportedly plenty of drinking and arguing going on that night, one could be led to believe that Natalie fell off the boat; but many think her husband may have “forcibly removed her from the situation.” The captain seems to know what happened, but it’s likely only Wagner and Walken know the truth. Well, allegedly, that is.
#3: Elvis Presley
In August 1977, the King of Rock and Roll was found dead in his bathroom. Today, he continues to live on through his music– although some take this more literally. In fact, some theorize that he faked his death and that he’s actually still alive, as over the years, there have been countless claimed Elvis sightings. A few people even claim he was an alien - and just went home. We may never actually know what went down at Graceland, but Elvis did have a few health issues, most notably an enlarged heart. And as you can imagine, prescription drug abuse likely didn’t help the ol’ ticker. Even so, the King lives through conspiracy theories and all those special people who understand what’s really goin’ on.
#2: Marilyn Monroe
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Just a few months after her famous birthday salute to JFK, an American icon consumed a lethal amount of barbiturates and called it quits– at least that’s one possibility. On the surface, it seems that Marilyn Monroe was severely depressed and took her own life. However, some think her overdose was accidental, while others believe she may have actually been murdered that evening in Brentwood, due to the fact that she ran with an interesting crowd of politicians, mobsters, and some real powerful individuals. Was it Norma Jean herself or someone with a motive and opportunity? Although no evidence of foul play was found in the investigation, the theories surrounding her death continue.
#1: John F. Kennedy
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Well, here’s what we do know: Marilyn Monroe did not kill JFK. And maybe, just maybe, neither did Lee Harvey Oswald. In 1963, the extremely public death of John F. Kennedy altered the course of history, and subsequently inspired decades upon decades of conspiracy theories. But someone pulled the trigger on not only the gun, but also on a massive cover up. Given all the documentaries and books written about the ordeal, one could go mad just thinking of all the possibilities. Was it the CIA? The Soviets? The New Orleans contingent? The list of possibilities is endless. But when you look at the facts, is it really possible that Lee Harvey Oswald, a lone gunman, executed the perfect crime… or were there larger forces at work?
