John Lennon, Tupac Shakur: 5 Hollywood celebrities who were murdered brutally

Hollywood can be a strange place sometimes, just ask these legendary figures who have made it to this list…

John Lennon was killed by a crazed fan outside his home in NYC
© Rowland Scherman / Contributor
John Lennon was killed by a crazed fan outside his home in NYC

Hollywood is where dreams are made, with musicians as well as actors enjoying massive fandom all over the world. But, when the coin flips, nobody —and we mean absolutely nobody—is spared.

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After Anne Heche’s recent fatal car crash, let us look at five celebs who died for no fault of their own. Read on:

John Lennon

One of the greatest musicians of all time, John Lennon, died because a fan couldn’t contain his dark thoughts about the former frontman of the all-boy band, The Beatles. On December 8 of 1980, the legendary singer-guitarist was shot multiple times by a mentally unstable fan named John David Chapman outside of Lennon’s home in New York. Lennon died from his gunshot wounds, as stated by CBC.

Tupac Shakur

Tupac’s death, which has not been solved to this day, is one tragedy that never let his fans have closure of any sort. On September 7 of 1996, Shakur was shot while travelling in a car in Las Vegas. He died six days later after being rushed to a local hospital. As mentioned earlier, his killer walks scott-free even to this day, said the Mirrorin their report.

Gianni Versace

Versace is one of the top fashion brands of all time, and celebrities from all around the world love to wear their creations. On July 15 of 1997, the Italian fashion designer, Gianna Versace, was killed on the steps outside of his Florida home by an unhinged young man named Andrew Cunanan. The motive is unclear to this day, but Cunanan killed himself days after carrying out the seemingly senseless act, reads a section of Harper's Bazaar coverage.

Sharon Tate

This actress will always be remembered for the man who killed her: America’s most notorious killer to this day, Charles Manson. On August 8 of 1969 Manson and his group of young followers, called ‘The Family’, broke into her house and killed her brutally. Tate, at the time, was eight-months pregnant with celebrated director Roman Polanski's child, wrote Vox in a detailed explainer.

Marvin Gaye

Unlike others on this list, American singer and songwriter Marvin Gaye was killed by his own father Marvin Gay Sr. on April 1 of 1984 after a domestic dispute went horribly wrong. Often called the Prince of Soul and the Prince of MoTown, Gaye died of gunshot wounds to the heart and left shoulder, as reported by Smooth Radio.

Sources used:

- CBC: 'When the world learned that John Lennon was gone'

- Mirror: '7 of the wildest Tupac conspiracy theories – faking his own death to new life in Scotland'

- Harper's Bazaar: 'Why Did Andrew Cunanan Go on a Killing Spree? American Crime Story Explores His Motives'

- Vox: 'The Manson Family murders, and their complicated legacy, explained'

- Smooth Radio: 'The tragic story of Marvin Gaye and the untimely death of a soul legend'

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These 5 celebs have all left Hollywood to live a more normal life These 5 celebs have all left Hollywood to live a more normal life