20 Celebrities Who Lost Family Members to Murder
Dealing with the death of a loved one can be an extremely difficult experience. Nobody is every ready to say goodbye to someone who they love, and sometimes it can be impossible to imagine what life will be like without that person. However, these feelings are intensified when that death is both unexpected and extremely violent. Losing a family member to murder can be one of the most tragic and shocking experiences a person has to endure. While some people are lucky enough to find closure, others spend the rest of their lives mourning the loss of a relative who was taken by the hands of another person. Here are 20 celebrities who lost family members to murder.
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Dave Navarro
Dave Navarro lost his mother and aunt to murder at just 15 years-old when they were both killed by his mother’s ex boyfriend. According to Navarro: “I don’t know if there’s ever a day when you’re repaired. [But] to have a deeper emotional understanding, to have a deeper psychological understanding, I definitely feel more at peace for sure.”
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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs
When Diddy was just three years old, his father was murdered in connection to his work as a drug dealer. Diddy was silent on the event for years before finally opening up in 2013. According to Diddy: “They say you can’t miss something you never had, but that’s only a little ways right. There’s definitely been times as I’ve gotten older that I’ve missed my father – – his presence – – not being here.” Diddy also said that his father’s death taught him to stay away from dealing drugs.
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Robert Blake
Not only did Robert Blake lose a loved one to murder, but he was also accused of being the person behind the violent act. In 2001, Blake’s wife, Bonnie Lee Bakley, was shot to death while sitting in the car after dinner with her husband. The following year, Blake was arrested for the incident but was later acquitted.
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Ice Cube
Rapper turned actor, Ice Cube, is no stranger to violence. At just 12 years-old, Ice Cube experienced a horrible family tragedy when his half-sister was killed in a murder suicide carried out by her boyfriend.
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Omarosa Manigault
In 2011, Omarosa was heartbroken when her brother, Jack, was murdered after experiencing some relationship problems with his girlfriend. According to reports, Jack was shot to death in his bed by his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend. After his death, Omarosa released a statement saying: “My brother was so special to us! We loved him unconditionally and we were so proud of him when he turned his life around and gave his life to God two years ago”
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Charice Pempengco
Glee star, Charice Pempengco’s father was stabbed to death in 2011 after an altercation in the Philippines. Although he had been abusive to her and her mother, Charice says that his death took a great toll on her. During an interview she stated: “When my father got murdered, that’s when everything fell apart.” She says that knowing that they will never be able to fix their problems is something that she has really struggled to deal with.
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Duane Allman
Before even reaching his teenage years, legendary guitarist Duane Allman lost his father to a senseless tragedy. After offering a man a ride after a night of drinking, Allman’s father was killed by the hitch hiker.
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Sofia Vergara
Due to her lighthearted sense of humor, it’s hard to image Sofia Vergara being serious. However, she has had to go through several very serious situations throughout her life time, one of which being the tragic death of her brother and sister who were kidnapped and murdered in their native Colombia in 1996.
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James Ellroy
In 1958, James Ellroy’s life was changed forever when mother was murdered. The crime, which remains unsolved, has played an important life in Ellroy’s personal life and career. Most of his written works are somehow linked back to his mother and the great feelings of loss and confusion that are associated with her death.
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Sean Lennon
Sean Lennon’s father, the legendary Beatle, John Lennon, was tragically murdered right outside of his apartment building by a deranged fan. Music fans all over the world mourned the loss of the great Lennon, and his murderer remains in prison today after being denied parole on eight separate occasions.
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Charlize Theron
When Charlize Theron was a teenager, she witnessed the death of one parent at the hands of another. According to the story, Theron’s mother shot and killed her husband in self-defense after he pulled a gun on both of them. Due to the crime being considered self-defense, Theron’s mother was never charged with committing a crime.
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Mark Ruffalo
In 2008, Mark Ruffalo’s brother, Scott, was murdered. Scott, who was a popular hair dresser in the Beverly Hills area, was found dead in his home with a gunshot wound the head. Ruffalo has since spoken about the incident, stating: “You never get over it; you just get used to it. You get calloused, a little bit harder maybe, so be on guard for that. But take these tragic things and turn them into something meaningful and worthy of the loss. Make it count.”
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O.J. Simpson
During the 90s, O.J. Simpson was at the center of the most well-known murder trial of the decade. In 1994, Simpson’s wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and a friend were both murdered at her home in Los Angeles. Simpson immediately fell under suspicion for committing the crimes. In one of the most shocking verdicts in recent history., he was ultimately found not guilty of murdering either individual.
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Dylan McDermott
Actor Dylan McDermott’s mother was killed nearly have a century ago from a gunshot wound to the head. For years, her death remained a mystery before gaining some steam again in 2011. According to sources, the police had been hiding details from the case for years, and had even gone as far as to hide McDermott’s mother’s boyfriend’s role in the crime.
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Patrick Duffy
In the fall of 1986, Duffy suffered an unimaginable loss when both of his parents were killed during a robbery at a bar that they owned. Although it’s been nearly 30 years since the incident, Duffy has said that while he still struggles to cope with the loss, he has had to learn how to move forward. The men who murdered Duffy’s parents are still behind bars today.
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Jennifer Hudson
In 2008, Jennifer Hudson made headlines all over the country when news spread that three of her family members had been tragically murdered by her brother-in-law, William Balfour. Hudson’s mother, brother, and seven year-old nephew were all killed after Balfour went on a rampage. Although Balfour maintained his innocence, he was sentenced to life in prison.
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Venus and Serena Williams
Being born and raised in Compton, CA a city known for its violence, tennis super stars, Venus and Serena Williams, had to overcome a lot adversity before making their way to the top. Unfortunately; however, everyone in their family was not as lucky. In 2003, Venus and Serena’s older sister and assistant, Yetunde Price, was shot to death while riding in a car with her boyfriend.
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Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan lost his biggest fan in 1993 when his father, James Jordan, was murdered after pulling to the side of the road to take a nap. Apparently, two men spotted the car, killed Jordan, and stole the vehicle. The men soon realized that he was Michael Jordan’s father and stole several of his belongings including two championship rings.
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Bill Cosby
In 1997, Bill Cosby and his wife lost their only son, Ennis (who was said to be the inspiration for the character of Theo Huxtable), when he was shot and killed while changing a tire on the side of the road in Los Angeles. According to reports, a group of teens who were high on drugs intended to rob Cosby, but shot him instead when he took too long to give them his wallet.
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Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski’s experience with family death’s is certainly one of tragedy. His mother, Bula, was killed during World War II after being placed in one of the most infamous concentration camps: Auschwitz. In 1969, Polanski would be forced to deal with murder again when his wife, Sharon Tate, was murdered at their Los Angeles home while Polanski was doing work out of the country.
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