MY TOP 10 FAMOUS DEATHS: MURDERS, SUICIDES AND COLD CASES,, (PART 1)

1# STEVE IRWIN "The Crocodile Hunter"

Steve Irwin was an Australian ecologist and a television celebrity. He received global recognition when he began filming his TV program called “The Crocodile Hunter”. It was an unconventional documentary show about wild nature. Steve Irwin was also the owner and director of the “Australian Zoo” in Beerwah, Queensland. He practically spent his whole life surrounded by the most dangerous animals in the world. The most ironic thing about his life was definitely his death.

On 4th September in 2006 he decided to take the opportunity of filming a short report for the television program in which his daughter was collaborating. He was snorkelling with a companion in Port Douglas in north Queensland. There, they were surrounded by many stingrays. Stingrays use to give poison off when they feel they’re being threatened by another animal. This poison isn’t lethal at all, so when a person has been injured because of this, doctors can relieve the pain without any problem.

Nevertheless, Crocodile Hunter was fatally pierced in the chest by one of those stingrays. After this, he immediately died because stingray’s poison perforated his heart. If instead of perforating his chest stingray would have hurt, for example, his leg Steve Irwin would be alive now.

2# MARILYN MONROE

Norma Jeane Mortenson, better known as Marilyn Monroe was a famous actress, singer and model. She spent all her life living in two different worlds. On the one hand, she gave all her own to fame’s world. She pretended to be a perfect woman, who was always happy and who liked being considered a sex-symbol to the other men’s eyes. But truth was completely different. Marilyn was actually an insecure woman who was always very depressed because she could never show her real personality. Directors, producers, rich men…take always profit from her beauty and turned her into a “silly blonde” when she wasn’t like this at all. Although everyone though she was happy with it, she realized she was like an object to other people’s eyes, especially men’s ones. This fact and many other facts such as ageing were the reason of her sadness. She knew perfectly that she could never be completely happy, but she conformed to live that life of fame and falsehood. However, her life ended really soon.

On 5th August in 1962 police received a call at 4:25 a.m. from Dr. Ralph Greenson, Monroe’s psychiatrist, told them that Marilyn was found dead at her home in Brentwood, L.A., California. She was 36 years old. At the autopsy, doctors could detect a high level of medicines, such as anti-depressant in her system. Doctors declared the final verdict of Monroe’s death: “probable suicide from barbiturate poisoning”. Nevertheless, it has been always considered a cold case and there are many theories, including murder, circulating even nowadays. The main reason of all these theories is the period of time between Marilyn’s death and the call.

Rumors said that Marilyn had been President Kennedy’s lover and was precisely him the last person who talked with the famous star. The conspiracy says that maybe The President or even The Mafia can be involved in Marilyn’s death. There’s also another theory which says that some hired killer were contracted by John Kennedy’s wife, Jackie Kennedy, when she found out her husband was cheating on her. In any case, no one has still been able to solve this mystery.

3# ELVIS PRESLEY "The King of Rock"

Elvis Aaron Presley was a well-known singer and actor. He became a cultural icon in the 20th century and people still refers to him as “The King of Rock”. He has a wonderful and uncommon voice which gave him the maximum recognition. He also came into fashion his slicked down toupee and his original way to dress. Since he became a famous star, Elvis had been forced to working at a frenetic speed. This was the reason why his doctors prescribed them medicines. Some medicines were sedatives, such as sleeping pills. They were aimed at helping him on falling sleep to preserve all singers’ energy for the next show. The other medicines were amphetamines and narcotics to give them all the energy calmed during his sleeping time.

It was very harmful for Elvis’ body and his death was a great example of this. All this barbiturates caused in Elvis a dangerous addiction and in 1973 the singer spent three days in a coma because of this. Until that day, his addiction was getting bigger and bigger. A great example of this were all the times Elvis fell down publicly, his problems on pronunciation, his cancelled tours…By this point, he suffered from multiple ailments—glaucoma, high blood pressure, liver damage, and an enlarged colon, each aggravated.

On August 16th, in 1977 (aged 42), Elvis was found dead in his bathroom floor. Doctor’s autopsy revealed that the cause of his death was a heavy intoxication of barbiturates. Surprisingly, rumors also surrounded Elvis Presley’s death. There are some people who say he is still alive: they say Elvis left Hollywood’s world to live peacefully. There are also many people who assure they have seen the singer in Las Vegas, after his death. The media also had the theory that this intoxication wasn’t accidental, they think it was probably a suicide. In any case, Elvis was and will always be an unforgettable celebrity and all his effort will always be remembered.

4# BRITTANY MURPHY

She is the most recently death celebrity. Brittany Anne Bertolotti, better known as Brittany Murphy, was a famous Hollywood actress. He began acting, dancing and singing at the age of four. He made her Broadway debut in 1997 and until then she was a recognized actress. She was also an actor voice: she voiced a character of the animated sitcom “King of the Hill” or even a character of the animated film “Happy Feet”. Her death isn’t a suicide, isn’t cause by drugs or alcohol…but it’s also one of the most uncommon deaths I’ve ever heard about.

On 20th December, in 2009, Brittany was found death in her and her husband Simon’s home. Doctors took her to the hospital, but some hours later she died after going into cardiac arrest. There are two theories about Brittany’s death. The first one says she died because of pneumonia with side effects such as anemia. In the autopsy doctors detected high levels of hydrocodone, acetaminophen, L-methamphetamine and chlorpheniramine in her system. So, they considered that Murphy’s death cause was drug intoxication (Doctors had prescribed Brittany some medicines, but she always took them in doses).

Unbelievably, Brittany’s husband Simon Monjack died on 25th February, in 2010 in his and his wife’s home as well. Doctors, once more, detected he suffered from pneumonia and also anemia. Some days later investigators discovered that they both died for possible toxic mold. Brittany’s family doesn’t approve this theory at all, but it’s hard to believe they both die in such a similar situation.

5# MICHAEL JACKSON "The King of Pop"

Michael Joseph Jackson, also known as “The King of Pop” is considered a legend in music’s world. Otherwise, things never were easy to him and he had to work really hard to be labeled as one of the most famous stars.

All his life was always surrounded by drama. Everything started during his childhood. Michael had four brothers and two sisters. His father Joseph Jackson wanted to make them superstars and earn a lot of money with it. So, instead of playing with toys he and his brothers were subjected to a lot of hours of rehearse. His father was really strict with them because he wanted them to be perfect. When they did something wrong, Joseph Jackson automatically hit them with anything he had at his disposal. From that moment, Michael and their brothers had a huge talent and they have everything to succeed. Unfortunately, this great gift had stolen their childhood. They get recognition around the world with his music band “The Jackson 5”. They all were brilliant, but Michael was always more prominent than his brothers: he was the little one, he was the main singer and nobody could believe how a child could have so powerful voice or so many rhythm and self-confidence as well.

Everybody knew that Jackson should start his solo career someday, and that day took place in the late 70’s. With his first solo singer “Don’t Stop ‘Till Get Enough” Jackson became an absolute superstar. His video-clip “Thriller” released in the 80’s was seen around the world and until then people referred to Jackson as “The King of Pop” because they considered that no one wouldn’t ever be able to dethrone him.

He had a magnificent and treble voice which was really uncommon in male singers. He also created dance steps, such as his worldwide known “Moonwalker”. Music became his whole life and he could show everyone that he had a special touch for it.

As I said before, Michael never had a true childhood. He spent all his early years dancing and singing, suffering from his father’s aggressiveness. He knew that it wasn’t fair at all, so he also spent a lot of money on building an amusing park called “Neverland”. He would invite children around the world to have fun there and make sure they’re having a nice childhood. It’s also important to say that most of their songs were dedicated to children and their rights. He felt a special affection to them and he also felt that there was a child inside of him who wanted make up for lost time.

The media always tried to destroy Jackson’s career, so they always made rumours and scandals up to get this. Jackson always recovered from false accusations, but the worst was coming. In May 2002, a child declared to the media that Jackson sexually abused him. Jackson confessed many times that everything was false, but no one believed him. He had to pay a high fine to this child’s family and until that moment his life and his career were in decline.

He was really depressed for all those facts because he spent all his life fighting for child’s rights and now people were accusing him of violating the most sacred thing of a child: his innocence. So, Jackson decided to retire for some time and he take the opportunity of spending all his free time with his two sons and his daughter. He also tried to protect them from the media and the cruel world in general. People considered him a little crazy and extravagant as well, but he knew it was the best he could do.

It’s important to remember that until his retire Michael had a lot of debts. That was the main reason why in 2009 he decided to make some concerts in London. These concerts would be their last shows and with this he would leave music’s world in triumph. Jackson spent a lot of money in preparing all his shows because he wanted to make something unforgettable. He was 50 years old then, and he suffered from healthy problems caused by surgery, his skin disease…Producers subjected Michael to a frenetic work and he hadn’t enough straight for this. Because of this, doctors prescribed them some more medicines (he was already taken other medicines) aimed at give them enough energy to support his rehearsals.

It was too much for Michael’s health and one night he felt he couldn’t breathe properly. His personal doctor decided to give them an extra-dose of medicines. It caused him a heart failure and he died in his bed. Michael Jackson’s death is always surrounded by many rumours. His family is nowadays facing up to Michael’s doctor in court because they all believe he could save Michael’s life. Police investigated this case and realized that when emergency services found Michael he was lying on the floor. Specialists have declared that when someone suffers from a heart failure or difficult to breathe this is the worst posture for that person. So, if Michael’s doctor knew that, why he moved him from his bed to the floor? Was it an intentioned death? If Michael’s doctor had let him in his bed maybe nowadays Jackson would be alive. There are also many rumours who said that everything was for the money. Producers had filmed all of “The King”’s rehearses and they released a film with them which make them earn millions of dollars. As has happened in other cases, is hard to know the truth of Michael Jackson’s death.