For actors, singers, and other stars of stage and screen, death often factors into their
performances, whether it's pretending to get murdered on a TV show or crooning a ballad
about a lost loved one.
But sometimes, the veil of fiction drops, the record skips, and famous performers are
put face-to-face with death in real life … and it's by their own hands.
Here are a few stars who reportedly killed people in real life.
Rebecca Gayheart
In June 2001, actress Rebecca Gayheart was driving her friend's car in Los Angeles when
she hit 9-year-old Jorge Cruz Jr. as he walked across the street.
Cruz died of his injuries a day later.
Eyewitnesses said that after several cars stopped to let Cruz cross, Gayheart allegedly
"swerved around the traffic and into a two-way left-turn lane, hitting the boy."
Gayheart pleaded no contest to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter and was sentenced to
"three years' probation, a one-year suspension of her license, a $2,800 fine," and "750 hours
of community service."
Gayheart also settled a wrongful death civil suit filed for an undisclosed amount.
In May 2005, she told People that it took her years to cope with that tragic day.
She claims she, quote, "couldn't really function for a while" and eventually turned to therapy
to try to rebuild her life.
Lane Garrison
In 2006, actor Lane Garrison's career prospects were looking good.
He had a recurring role on Prison Break as "Tweener," as well as a small part in the
Mark Wahlberg action drama Shooter.
But on December 2, 2006, the 26-year-old star decided to party with some teens he met in
a grocery store parking lot, and everything went sideways.
Garrison was driving the teens back to the parking lot after attending a party when he
lost control of his Land Rover and hit a tree.
Seventeen-year-old passenger Vahagn Setian was rushed to the hospital but did not survive.
At the time of the crash, Garrison's blood alcohol level was point-two-zero and police
reported that he had, quote, "an undisclosed amount of cocaine in his system."
Garrison pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence and two other alcohol-related
charges.
He was sentenced to 40 months in prison.
"Not a day has gone by that I've not thought about that young man, and not thought about
all that I've been through, and that's why I'm so blessed to be sitting on this couch
and getting a second chance."
Keith Moon
The Who drummer Keith Moon reportedly ran his Bentley over his chauffeur, Neil Boland,
while trying to escape from a pack of skinheads in January 1970.
The angry horde was gathered outside a pub, rocking Moon's car and throwing coins at it.
Boland confronted them, and when things got ugly, Moon tried to drive away, accidentally
striking Boland and dragging him under the car.
He later died at the hospital.
Moon was charged with drunk driving, driving without a license, and driving without insurance.
A judge told Moon that Boland's death, however, was an accident, and he wouldn't face charges:
"Under the circumstances, you had no choice but to act the way you did and no moral culpability
is attached to you."
Gig Young
On the screen, Oscar-winning actor Gig Young was a consummate performer.
He was nominated for an Academy Award three times, and won for best supporting actor in
1970 for his role in They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Offscreen, Young saw three marriages end in divorce and was an alcoholic, sometimes even
appearing to be drunk during interviews …
"There's so many actors in Hollywood usually one works only…
I've only worked with each one once."
In 1978, Young's troubles came to a head when, just three weeks after marrying German actress
Kim Schmidt, police say he shot and killed her, then turned the gun on himself.
Longtime agent and friend Martin Baum, to whom Young willed almost his entire estate,
later said, "He seemed like a man who had everything going for him…
How little we know."
Brandy
In December 2006, R&B singer Brandy rear-ended another motorist, causing a chain reaction
involving four cars.
A 38-year-old mother of two, Awatef Aboudihaj died as a result of "major injuries" sustained
during the crash.
After a year-long investigation, prosecutors determined there was insufficient evidence
to charge Brandy with vehicular manslaughter.
The singer settled with Aboudihaj's husband for an undisclosed amount, and paid $300,000
each to his two sons, who were in the vehicle with their mom at the time of the accident.
Speaking with Oprah Winfrey in 2014, Brandy said the tragedy renewed her faith in God
because she had "no one else to turn to."
"I don't think that's something I could ever get over or ever truly understand, but that
was one of the worst times in my life."
Michael Massee
Rising action star Brandon Lee died in March 1993 on the set of The Crow after being shot
with an ill-prepared prop gun while filming his character's death scene.
Michael Massee, who played the villain, Funboy, was the unlucky one who pulled the trigger.
A fragment of a "dummy bullet" accidentally left in the chamber came to rest near Lee's
spine and caused so much damage that the doctors were unable to save his life.
Massee, who died of cancer in 2016 at the age of 64, reportedly only spoke publicly
about the tragic accident one time, in a 2005 Extra interview.
He said Lee's death affected him so deeply that he immediately took an entire year off
to do nothing but stick close to family and friends.
"I don't think you ever get over something like that.
No, I've gone through it a lot and things keep changing…
You just keep on going.
Life is extraordinary and very resilient, you know?
And you take the good where you see it."
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