Celebrities are everyday people like you and me. That tends to get lost in all the glitz and glamour that accompanies a lifestyle of wealth and fame. While celebrities lives are definitely less stressful, they do still face the daily challenges of humans in general. They have to deal with traffic on the way home from work or the power might go out at their house. Sometimes they have to deal with much larger problems though. We hear about celebrities being involved in crimes all the time. Usually it involves tax evasion or other financial related crimes. DUI’s are common on media outlets like TMZ. There are times though when the crimes go from minor to unconscionable. When celebrities end up killing someone, it always ends up being big news. Here are the stories of 45 celebrities and how they deliberately, accidentally or was somehow involved in killing someone. The amount of celebrities who have killed people is pretty staggering. Some of the names on this list shocked me.
1. Aaron Hernandez – Hernandez was once considered one of the best tight ends in the NFL. He had just signed a $40 million dollar contract extension in 2012. Hernandez’s career came to an abrupt end in 2013 after his arrest and conviction for the murder of Odin Lloyd. Lloyd was found dead in an industrial park only a mile from Hernandez’s house. He was shot several times.
2. Amy Locane – Locane is a former actress on “Melrose Place”. In the year 2010, Locane was driving her car with a blood alcohol level 3 times higher than the legal limit. She struck another car, killing 60-year-old Helene Seeman while critically injuring her husband Fred. She was convicted of vehicular manslaughter and sentenced to 3 years in prison.
3. Brandy Norwood – Brandy is a world-famous singer, actress and judge on “Americas Got Talent” was involved in a freeway pileup in California in 2006. The accident unfortunately took the life of Awatef Aboudihaj. Awatef was driving the vehicle in front of Brandy, and actually struck the vehicle in front of her before Brandy ever hit Awatef. Though it was clearly just an accident, eye witnesses reported Brandy saying, “I should have stopped”.
4. Caitlyn Jenner – Caitlyn Jenner was involved in a fatal crash in California in February 2015. Jenner’s car rear-ended a white car that was sent careening into oncoming traffic. The white car was then struck by a Hummer, killing the driver of the white car. Seven others sustained injuries of varying degrees in the accident. Jenner voluntarily submitted blood for a BAC test and was found to be neither drunk nor speeding. Jenner initially claimed she was being chased by paparazzi, however police now believe that to be untrue.
5. C-Murder – The rapper known as C-Murder, whose real name is Corey Miller and brother of Percy “Master P” Miller is currently serving a life sentence for murder. In 2002 he beat and shot a 16 year-old fan Steve Thomas at a Louisiana nightclub.
6. Caleb Lawrence McGillvary – He became an internet sensation known as “Kai the hatchet-wielding hitchhiker”. He was found guilty for the murder of 73 year-old lawyer Joseph Galfy who was found murdered in his home in 2013.
7. Charles S. Dutton – At just 17 years-old, Charles Dutton got into a fight with another man and ended up killing him. He was convicted of manslaughter and would spend the next 7 years in prison.
8. Christian Brando – Son of the legendary actor Marlon Brando, Christian pleaded guilty to manslaughter after the shooting of his half-sister Cheyenne’s boyfriend Dag Drollet in May 1990. He claimed the shooting was accidental, but did say it happened during an altercation with Dag about his alleged abuse of Cheyenne. Brando was charged with first-degree murder originally, and served 5 years of a 10 year sentence.
9. Craig MacTavish – While he was a center for the Boston Bruins in 1984, MacTavish pleaded guilty to DUI and vehicular homicide after a car crash. He struck a 26 year-old female named Kim Radley. She died 4 days after the accident. MacTavish only served 1 year in jail, and ultimately played in the NHL for 17 seasons.
10. Don King – Don King has actually killed two separate men in two different incidents. King killed a man in self-defense as he was trying to break into King’s gambling operation. The next incident was definitely not self-defense. King was convicted of second-degree murder after he stomped to death an employee who owed him $600.
11. Duane “Dog” Chapman – “Dog” The Bounty Hunter was involved in a shooting in 1976 in the UK. He and his friends went to see Jerry Oliver to buy some marijuana when Jerry was shot to death. “Dog” was in the car at the time but was still convicted of first degree murder. He served 18 months of a five-year sentence, and his barred from entering the UK ever again.
12. Dwayne Goodrich – Dwayne Goodrich is a former cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys. In 2003 however, he was convicted of two counts of criminally negligent homicide. Goodrich was driving on a Dallas freeway when he struck and killed two motorists on the side of the road who were attempting to rescue a man from a burning vehicle. Goodrich was sentenced to 7 years in prison, then had an additional 5 years added on.
13. Faye DeWitt – Actress Faye DeWitt was charged with murdering her husband in 1965. According to court reports, she allegedly stabbed him to death with a letter opener.
14. Felicia Pearson – Felicia Peterson is best known for her work on the TV show “The Wire”. When she was 14 however, she was actually convicted of second degree murder for shooting Okia Toomer. She was sentenced to two 8 year consecutive sentences, but was released after 6.5 years.
15. Gig Young – Gig Young and his wife were both found dead in their home in 1978. The police surveyed the scene and concluded that Young had shot his wife and then himself.
16. Howard Hughes – Howard Hughes struck and killed a pedestrian in 1936. He was never charged for the incident however.
17. J.R. Smith – In 2007, J.R. Smith failed to stop at a stop sign which caused an accident. The passenger in his car was killed, and he plead guilty to vehicular manslaughter. Smith was sentenced to 90 days in jail, but got out after only 30.
18. James Stewart – James Stewart is a legendary actor, but he was also a pilot in the U.S. Air Force Reserve during WWII. He participated in bombing runs that killed civilians and enemy soldiers alike.
19. Jayson Williams – Jayson Williams accidentally shot and killed his limousine driver while he was playing with a shotgun. He ended up pleading guilty to aggravated assault.
20. John Huston – John Huston was a director who in 1933 struck a woman with his car and killed her. Like Howard Hughes, he was never charged for the incident.
21. John Landis – John Landis was the director of the movie “The Twilight Zone”. While filming the movie, an accident occurred on set that killed actor Vic Morrow and two children who were extras. He was charged but ultimately acquitted of involuntary manslaughter.
22. John Wilkes Booth – We all know the story of John Wilkes Booth. He is the man who killed Abe Lincoln while he watched a play.
22. Johnny Lewis – Lewis was an actor who played a role on the hit show “Sons Of Anarchy”. One day he just snapped and broke into his 81 year-old neighbors home. He proceeded to murder her and her cat. He then climbed over a fence, assaulted a neighbor and then returned to his neighbor’s house. He either fell or jumped off the roof of said house and was pronounced dead at the scene.
23. Keith Moon – Drummer for the band The Who, Moon accidentally killed his bodyguard and friend Neil Boland on January 4, 1970 when he hit him with his car. He was driving away from a pub, trying to flee patrons who were harassing him. He did not see Neil who was standing in the road. He was charged with Boland’s death, for driving without a license or insurance and for driving under the influence. The death was ruled an accident, but Moon pleaded guilty to the charges. Killing his friend haunted Moon until his death in 1978.
24. Lane Garrison – Garrison pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter for the drunk driving accident in 2001 that claimed the life of the passenger of his vehicle. His BAC was .20 and there was cocaine in his system at the time of the accident.
25. Laura Bush – When the former first lady was in high school she failed to stop at a stop sign and struck the car in front of her. The accident killed her classmate and good friend Michael Dutton Douglas
26. Huddie William Ledbetter – Known for his bad temper, Huddle was involved in an altercation over a women with one of his relatives which ended in Huddie killing his relative. He was charged with murder.
27. Lillo Brancato, Jr. – In 2005, the actor from Bronx Tale and “The Sopranos” was arrested for the murder of an off-duty police officer. His girlfriend’s father was actually convicted of the murder, while Lillo was convicted of second-degree murder. He was found not guilty, but was convicted first-degree attempted burglary and sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was released from prison on parole in 2013.
28. Matthew Broderick – In 1987 Matthew Broderick and then girlfriend Jennifer Grey were vacationing in Ireland. Broderick accidentally drove the wrong way on a street and struck an oncoming vehicle. Both the driver and passenger in the other car died from their injuries.
29. Michael Brea – Brea is bit actor, but his crime is pretty heinous. In 2010 he allegedly decapitated his mother with a samurai sword while screaming bible verses.
30. Michael Jace – An actor on the hit show “The Shield”, Michael Jace murdered his wife in 2014 over what is believed to be domestic violence. To make it even worse, his two children were in the house at the time of the shooting.
31. Michael Massee – Massee is the man who infamously killed Brandon Lee, son of the legendary Bruce Lee, while filming The Crow. A prop gun on the set was improperly prepared for a scene. A real bullet was actually fired, killing Lee.
32. O.J. Simpson – Simpson’s case is probably one of the most famous murder trials in U.S. history. Simpson was arrested in connection with the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman. He was found not guilty, however you won’t find many people who don’t think he straight up got away with murder.
33. Oliver Stone – Stone enlisted in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He actually requested combat duty and killed multiple enemies with a grenade. He also participated in over 25 helicopter assault missions. He earned numerous awards for his actions in Vietnam, including a Bronze Star with “V” device and a Purple Heart.
34. Oscar Pistorius – The man known as “Blade Runner” was convicted of murdering his girlfriend Rita Steenkamp in 2013. He fired three fatal shots through his bathroom door at what he says he thought was an intruder.
35. Phil Spector – Lana Carson was found dead in Phil Spector’s in 2003 from a gunshot wound. Spector was charged with murder and convicted in 2009. He was sentenced to 18 years to life in prison.
36. Rae Carruth – Carruth is currently in prison for charges stemming from the murder of his pregnant girlfriend Cherica Adams in 1999. Adams was in her car when all of sudden Carruth pulled in front of her, blocking her in. Carruth’s friend Van Brett Watkins then pulled up and shot Adams four times. She was in a coma for a month after the shooting, then died. While Carruth wasn’t convicted of her murder, he was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and is serving a 18-24 year sentence.
37. Rebecca Gayheart – Rebecca Gayheart is a former “Noxzema girl” who, in 2001, hit a 9 year-old girl with her car. This girl later died from her injuries. Gayheart was charged with vehicular manslaughter to which she plead “no-contest”.
38. Robert Blake – Robert Blake was charged with the murder of his wife Bonnie Lee Bakley in 2002. Though Blake was later acquitted of any criminal charges, he was found liable in a wrongful death civil lawsuit.
39. Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle – This case is pretty unusual. Arbuckle was charged with manslaughter of a women named Virginia Rappe. She was found in Arbuckle’s hotel room very ill after drinking bootleg alcohol, which irritated her chronic cystitis. She eventually died from a ruptured bladder. A friend of Rappe’s told police that Arbuckle had raped Virginia. After some time, police concluded that Arbuckle’s weight had caused the distress to Virginia’s organs. After two highly publicized mistrial’s, Arbuckle was finally found not guilty in a third trial. The damage to his name and reputation had been done however, and his films did terrible. He was blacklisted from Hollywood for 10 years after.
40. Salman Khan – You may have never heard of Salman Khan, but he is huge Bollywood superstar. He is currently in prison for culpable homicide. In 2002 he drove his car into a bakery, killing one person and injuring 3 others.
41. Sid Vicious – The famous bassist and vocalist for The Sex Pistols. Vicious was accused of killing his girlfriend Nancy Spungen to death in a hotel room bathroom in 1978. Vicious originally told police that he found Nancy already dead, but later admitted he had killed her. He never saw trial however as he died while out on bail.
42. Skylar Deleon – Deleon was only a bit part actor, but his crimes are near the top of this list. He had been convicted of two counts of first degree murder for taking the lives of Tom and Jackie Hawks. Deleon convinced the Hawks to take him on a test cruise of their yacht that he was pretending to be interested in buying. While at sea, he tied the couple to the anchor and tossed it overboard. Both were still alive at the time. He was also convicted of the murder of Jon Jarvi. Deleon was sentenced to death in 2009.
43. Snoop Dogg – The outspoken rap superstar was charged with murder along with his body-guard of a rival gang member. Johnny Cochran defended Snoop and he was eventually acquitted of all charges after a lengthy legal battle.
44. Ted Kennedy- In the year 1969, Ted Kennedy was driving his car in Chappaquiddick, an island near Martha’s Vineyard. He was driving over a bridge when he lost control and his car drove off the side of the bridge and plummeted into the water below. Kennedy was able to exit the vehicle and swim to shore. His passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne however, was killed in the accident. Kennedy fled the scene and waited 9 hours to call the police. He eventually plead guilty to fleeing the scene of an accident.
45. Tony Stewart- During a race at the Canandaigua Motorsports Park in 2014, Stewart and another driver named Kevin Ward, Jr made contact with their vehicles that caused Ward to hit the wall. Ward got out of his car angrily and tried to confront Stewart about the fact that he forced him into the wall. As Stewart was making his lap around the track, his back-end slipped out and his right rear tire struck Ward. Ward tragically died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
Some of these celebrities who have killed people were completely accidents. They are human after all, and while it is a horrible thing to have happen sometimes bad things just do happen. Some of these celebrities however, committed some pretty heinous acts that are way beyond forgiveness of any kind.