List of suicides in the 21st century

(from antiquity to the present)

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

Suicide
Social aspects Benevolent suicide Copycat Epidemic Euthanasia Legislation Philosophy Religious views Right to die
Suicide crisis Assessment of risk Crisis hotline (list) Intervention Prevention Suicide watch
Suicide types Assisted Bullying and suicide Copycat Familicide Forced Honor Internet Mass Murder–suicide Pact Parasuicide Suicide attack
Suicide methods (including hanging by London Underground by cop seppuku)
Epidemiology Among LGBT youth Gender differences Suicide rates
History List of suicides Suicide in antiquity List of suicides in the 21st century
In warfare Banzai charge Kamikaze Suicide attack Suicide mission
Related phenomena Failed suicide attempt Locations Ideation Self-harm Suicide note
By country Bangladesh Canada China France Greenland India Japan Lithuania Pakistan Russia South Korea Ukraine United Kingdom United States

The following are lists of notable people who intentionally killed themselves in the 21st century. Suicides committed under duress are included. Deaths by accident or misadventure are excluded. Individuals who might or might not have died by their own hand, or whose intention to die is in dispute, but who are widely believed to have deliberately killed themselves, may be listed under Possible suicides.

Suicides

A

• Stuart Adamson (2001), Scottish guitarist and singer (Big Country, Skids), self-strangulation after alcohol ingestion^[1]
• Ahn Jae-hwan (2008), South Korean actor, carbon monoxide poisoning^[2][3]
• Chantal Akerman (2015), Belgian film director.^[4]
• Leelah Alcorn (2014), American transgender teenager, walked in front of a truck^[5]
• Michael Alfonso, a.k.a. Mike Awesome (2007), American professional wrestler, hanging^[6]
• Marwan al-Shehhi (2001), United Arab Emirate member of Al-Qaeda, and one of the 9/11 hijackers, died in plane crash^[7][8]
• John Atchison (2007), American federal prosecutor and alleged child sex offender, by hanging^[9][10]
• Mohamed Atta (2001), Egyptian member of Al-Qaeda, and leader of the 9/11 hijackers, died in plane crash^[7][11][12]
• Pekka-Eric Auvinen (2007), Finnish Jokela High School shooter, gunshot to the head^[13][14][15]

B

• Nikki Bacharach (2007), Daughter of Burt Bacharach and Angie Dickinson, suffocated using plastic bag and helium^[16][17]
• Mark Balelo (2013), cast member on the reality TV series Storage Wars, carbon monoxide asphyxiation,^[18][19][20] days after an arrest for drug charges
• Simone Battle (2014), "X Factor" contestant and member of the pop band G.R.L., hanging,^[21] due to depression over financial issues
• Jovan Belcher (2012), American football player, shot himself after killing his girlfriend^[22]
• Malik Bendjelloul (2014), Swedish documentary filmmaker, jumped in front of moving train,^{[23][24][25][26]} he was struggling with depression
• Chris Benoit (2007), Canadian professional wrestler, hanged himself after murdering his wife and son.^[27]
• Paul Bhattacharjee (2013), British actor, jumped from a clifftop at Splash Point cliffs in Seaford, East Sussex, a day after he had been declared bankrupt, he was severely depressed^[28][29]
• Bob Birch (2012), American musician; gunshot,^[30] he had severe gastrointestinal issues brought on by his injury and suffered from extreme insomnia
• David Birnie (2005), Australian serial killer and rapist, hanging.^[31]
• Isabella Blow (2007), English magazine editor, and muse to fashion designer Alexander McQueen, poisoning.^[32]
• Eduardo Bonvallet (2015), Chilean World Cup footballer and pundit, known for his strong opinions, hanging^[33]
• Jonathan Brandis (2003), American actor, hanging,^[34] he was depressed about his career, which had slowly declined in recent years and he was drinking heavily.
• Herman Brood (2001), Dutch musician, artist, composer, jumping from the roof of the Hilton Hotel Amsterdam, he was depressed by the failure of his drug rehabilitation program and facing serious medical problems because of his prolonged drug use.^[35][36]
• Joseph Brooks (2011), American screenwriter, director, producer, and composer known for the song "You Light Up My Life".^[37][38][39] There was a plastic bag over his head and a helium tank with an attached hose and a suicide note found nearby.^[38] Police officials would not discuss the contents of the note. On May 23, 2011, the medical examiner ruled that Brooks had committed suicide, citing asphyxia by helium,^[40] he was facing rape charges.
• Jürgen Brümmer (2014), German Olympic gymnast (1988), jumping from the Koersch Viaduct,^[41] Shortly afterwards, his 15-year-old son, who was in need of ongoing care since an accident two years before, was found dead in his home, evidently having been suffocated by Brümmer.^[42][43][44]

C

Musician Brad Delp from Boston killed himself by carbon monoxide poisoning

• Homaro Cantu (2015), American chef, hanging.^[45]
• Capital Steez (2012), American hip-hop artist, jumped off the rooftop of the Cinematic Music Group headquarters in Manhattan.^[46][47]
• Tim Carter, (2008), Footballer, hanging,^[48] he was struggling to deal with his son's disabilities.
• Finn M. W. Caspersen (2009), American financier and philanthropist, firearm, after battle with cancer and anticipated financial problems.^[49][50]
• Ariel Castro (2013), Puerto Rican American man convicted in August 2013 of kidnapping, rape and aggravated murder for holding Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus in his Cleveland, Ohio home over the course of a decade, hanging.^[51]
• Iris Chang (2004), American historian and author of The Rape of Nanking, gunshot wound to the head,^[52] she had an extreme bout of depression and reactive psychosis
• Seung-Hui Cho (2007), American university student who perpetrated the Virginia Tech massacre, gunshot.^[53]
• Tyler Clementi (2010), gay American student at Rutgers University, jumped off the George Washington Bridge after his roommate secretly observed him with a webcam, kissing his date.^[54]
• Don Cornelius (2012), American television show host and producer, best known as the creator and host of the nationally syndicated dance/music franchise Soul Train. Shot himself in Los Angeles, California.^[55]
• Smiley Culture (2011), English reggae singer and DJ, stabbed himself during police raid.^[56]

D

Journalist Charmaine Dragun jumped off a cliff after a long battle with depression.

• Charlotte Dawson (2014), Australian TV presenter, hanging, due to cyber bullying.^[57][58]
• Brad Delp (2007), American rock musician (Boston), carbon monoxide poisoning in his bathroom using two charcoal grills.^[59]
• Ronald Desruelles (2015), Belgian athlete, suicide by hanging.^[60]
• Christopher Dorner (2013), American police officer, shot himself in Angelus Oaks, California.^[61]
• Jon Dough (2006), American pornographic actor, hanging.^[62]
• Dave Duerson (2011), American football player, gunshot.^[63]
• Charmaine Dragun (2007), Australian television newsreader, jumped off The Gap, an oceanside cliff in Sydney, after a long battle with depression.^[64]

E

• Freddy E (2013), American hip-hop music artist known for his comedy and spoken-word pieces, rifle shot to the head^[65][66][67]
• Robert Enke (2009), German footballer, killed himself by standing on rail road tracks near Neustadt am Rübenberge,he had been suffering from depression for six years and was distraught over the death of his daughter Lara in 2006^[68]

F

• Jackie Fairweather (2014), Australian triathlete and long-distance runner.^[69]
• Moni Fanan (2009), team manager of the Israeli basketball team Maccabi Tel-Aviv during the years 1992–2008, hanging; he owed $20 M and had been running a private bank^[70]
• René Favaloro (2000), Argentine cardiac surgeon (created technique for coronary bypass surgery), gunshot to the heart.^[71]
• James D. Ford (2001), chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives for two decades, gunshot.^[72]
• André "Dédé" Fortin (2000), founding member of the Québécois band Les Colocs, seppuku.^[73]
• Richard Farnsworth (2000), American actor, gunshot, after being diagnosed with terminal bone cancer, which left him partially paralyzed and unable to walk.^[74]
• David Fonseca (2015), former Belize City mayor, gunshot to the head.^[75]

G

British actress and model Lucy Gordon hanged herself in 2009.

• Sam Gillespie (2003), philosopher whose writings and translations were crucial to the initial reception of Alain Badiou's work in the English-speaking world^[76]
• Lucy Gordon (2009), British actress and model hanged herself on 20 May 2009, after an argument with her boyfriend, cinematographer Jerome Alveras^[77][78]
• Spalding Gray (2004), American actor, playwright, screenwriter, performance artist, and monologuist; jumped off Staten Island Ferry. In June 2001, he suffered severe injuries in a car crash while on vacation in Ireland. In the crash, Gray, who battled depression and bipolar tendencies, suffered a broken hip, leaving his right leg almost immobilized and a fracture in his skull that left a jagged scar on his forehead, leaving him with depression and a brain injury. During surgery in which a titanium plate was placed over the break in his skull, surgeons removed dozens of bone fragments from his frontal cortex.^[79]
• Mark Green (2004), American record-setting minor league hockey star, hanged himself after being accused of stealing from a car dealership.^[80][81]

H

• Charles Haddon (2010) Lead singer of British synthpop band Ou Est le Swimming Pool, killed himself by jumping off a satellite mast after injuring a fan during a stage dive.
• Ryan Halligan (2003), Vermont high school student who committed suicide due to bullying, self-hanging^[82]
• Paul Hester (2005), Australian television personality and drummer from Crowded House, hanged himself in a Melbourne park; he had split from the mother of his two daughters and he had been suffering from depression for a number of years^[83]
• Nicholas Hughes (2009), fisheries biologist, son of renowned poet Sylvia Plath, hanged himself after a long struggle with depression^[84]

J

• Marcel Jacob (2009), Swedish musician,^[85] best known as the bassist in the hard rock bands Talisman and Yngwie Malmsteen.
• Clayne Jeffs (2002), nephew of Warren Jeffs, gunshot following admission that Warren Jeffs had sexually assaulted him as a child.^[86][87]
• Richard Jeni (2007), American standup comedian and actor, gunshot,^[88][89][90] he had a history of schizophrenia and had been taking antidepressants and a sleeping aid, a week earlier, he was overheard saying "just squeeze the trigger."
• Ryan Jenkins (2009), contestant on the 2009 reality TV series Megan Wants a Millionaire, who hanged himself after being charged by police with murdering his wife, Jasmine Fiore.^[91][92]
• J.J. Johnson (2001), American Bebop trombonist, gunshot,^[93] he was diagnosed with prostate cancer

K

• Antonie Kamerling (2010), Dutch actor and musician, hanged himself.^[94]
• Chris Kanyon (2010), American professional wrestler, overdose of anti-depressant pills.^[95]
• Mike Kelley (2012), American artist,^[96] he had been depressed.
• Israel Keyes (2012), American serial killer, strangulation.^[97]
• Jiah Khan (2013), Indian actress, hanging
• Daul Kim (2009), South Korean model and blogger, hanged in her Paris apartment^[98]
• Ji-hoo Kim (2008), South Korean actor and model, hanging.^[99]
• Uday Kiran (2014), Telugu actor, hanging,^{[100][101][102]} he had suffered from depression due to financial crisis for almost a year
• R. B. Kitaj (2007), American artist; suffocation.^[103]
• Andrew Koenig (2010), actor known as Boner on the American sitcom Growing Pains, and the son of Star Trek actor Walter Koenig, hanging^[104]

L

• Deborah Laake (2000), U.S. staff writer, columnist and writer; overdose of pills,^[105] She had been diagnosed with cancer and had a severe depression
• Karen Lancaume (2005), French pornographic film actress, overdose of temazepam^[106]
• Jon Lee (2002), drummer of British rock band (Feeder), hanging^[107]
• Dave Lepard (2006), lead singer and guitarist (Crashdïet),^[108] by hanging, after a struggle with depression
• Andrzej Lepper (2011), Polish politician who was the leader of Samoobrona RP (Self-Defense of the Republic of Poland), hanging.
• Lance Corporal Harry Lew (2011), A US marine who was a victim of hazing.^[109]
• Chris Lighty (2012), American music industry executive and manager,^[110] he had been involved in an argument with his ex-wife not long before his body was discovered
• Mark Linkous (2010), American musician, gunshot to the heart.^[111]
• Roman Lyashenko (2003), Russian NHL hockey player, hanged himself with a belt.^[112]

M

British fashion designer Alexander McQueen hanged himself in his wardrobe in 2010.

• Martin Manley (2013), American sportswriter, shot himself.^[113]
• Mădălina Manole (2010), Romanian pop singer, pesticide poisoning.^[114]
• Andrew Martinez (2006), nudism activist who became known on the University of California, Berkeley campus as the "Naked Guy", suffocation.^[115]
• Mindy McCready (2013), American country music singer, gunshot.^[116][117]
• Kenny McKinley (2010), American football player, gunshot^[118]
• Alexander McQueen (2010), British fashion designer and couturier, hanged himself in his wardrobe,^[119] he had been diagnosed with mixed anxiety and depressive disorder, and took an overdose prior to hanging himself^[120]
• Megan Meier (2006), American high school student who committed suicide due to cyberbullying, hanging.^[121]
• Mario Monicelli (2010), Italian film director, jumped out of a hospital window^[122] he was admitted a few days earlier for prostate cancer.^[123][124]

N

• Terry Newton (2010), English rugby league player, hanged himself,^[125] a post mortem found traces of cocaine, amphetamines and the steroid nandrolone within his system, prescription anti-depressants, and consumption of alcohol, all of which could have impaired his judgement. Newton had left several notes stating he wanted to die.^[126]
• Jon Nödtveidt (2006), Swedish guitarist (Dissection), gunshot.^[127]

O

• Sean O'Haire (2014), former WWE wrestler and MMA fighter, hanging.^[128]

P

Olympic medalist skier Jeret Peterson shot himself in 2011.

• Jeret "Speedy" Peterson (2011), American skier, Olympic medalist; gunshot,^[129] He was still reeling from the suicide of a friend named Trevor Fernald, who had committed suicide in front of Peterson in 2005, also from a self-inflicted gunshot. Peterson also had problems with alcohol and depression and admitted he had his own thoughts of suicide—all stemming from a childhood in which he was sexually abused and at the age of 5-years-old he lost one of his older sisters to a drunk driver.
• Justin Pierce (2000), English-born American actor and skateboarder known for his role in the 1995 drama Kids, hanging.^[130][131]
• Phoebe Prince (2010), American high school student who committed suicide due to school bullying and cyberbullying, hanging.^[132]

R

• Jason Raize (2004), American actor, singer and former Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme, hanging.^[133]
• Nicola Ann Raphael (2001), Lenzie Academy high school student who committed suicide due to bullying, overdose of Coproxamol.^[134]
• Liam Rector (2007), U.S. poet and educator; gunshot.^[135][136]
• David Reimer (2004), Canadian man who after a botched circumcision in infancy, was unsuccessfully reassigned as a girl until he learned the truth at age 13, gunshot.^[137]
• Angelo Reyes (2011), Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, gunshot,^[138] his death came a week after being accused of corruption.
• Al Rio (2012), comics artist, and animation director, hanging.^[139]
• Dale Roberts (2010), English football, hanging^[140]
• Jamey Rodemeyer (2011), American high school student who committed suicide due to constant bullying, hanging.^[141]
• Michael Ruppert (2014), American political activist, shot himself in Calistoga, California.^[142]

S

Internet activist Aaron Swartz hanged himself in 2013 after facing a 35-year jail term.

• Nick Santino (2012), American soap opera actor, overdosed on pills,^[143] he committed suicide after having his dog euthanized; he felt that he had betrayed the dog, whom he had originally rescued from an animal shelter.
• Sam Sarpong (2015), British-born American model and actor, suicide by jumping.^[144]
• Robert Schommer (2001), American astronomer^[145]
• Tom Schweich (2015), American politician, suicide by gunshot.^[146]
• L'Wren Scott (2014), American fashion designer; hanged herself in her apartment in Chelsea, Manhattan in New York.^[147]
• Tony Scott (2012), English film director, famous for Top Gun; jumped off the Vincent Thomas Bridge in Los Angeles.^[148]
• Junior Seau (2012), American football All-Pro player, gunshot to the chest,^[149][150] he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a type of chronic brain damage that has also been found in other deceased former NFL players.
• Gary Speed (2011), Welsh footballer and manager, hanging,^[151] the pressure of management had put some strain on his marriage and that he and his wife had argued the night before his death.
• Mark Speight (2008), English television presenter, hanging,^[152] he was deeply depressed by his fiancee's death.
• Aaron Swartz (2013), American computer programmer, writer, political organizer and activist, hanging,^[153] after facing a maximum penalty of $1 million in fines and 35 years in prison
• Sawyer Sweeten (2015), American actor, suicide by gunshot.^[154]

T

• Hunter S. Thompson (2005), gonzo journalist, author of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, gunshot,^[155] he had many painful and chronic medical conditions, which included a hip replacement.
• Terry Thompson (2011), zookeeper and owner of Muskingum County Animal Farm, gunshot^[156]
• Amanda Todd (2012), Canadian high school student who committed suicide due to school bullying and cyberbullying, hanging.^[157]
• Dudu Topaz (2009), Israeli TV personality and entertainer, hanging while incarcerated in jail^[158]
• Dick Trickle (2013), American race car driver (NASCAR), gunshot,^[159] he had been suffering for some time with severe chronic pain^[160]

V

• Edwin Valero (2010), Venezuelan boxer, hanging, after arrest on suspicion of murdering his wife^[161]
• Ned Vizzini (2013), American author of young adult fiction, such as the novel, It's Kind of a Funny Story, leapt from a building; had struggled with depression^[162]

W

Actor and comedian Robin Williams hanged himself in 2014.

• David Foster Wallace (2008), American author; hanging,^[163] he had suffered from depression for more than 20 years and stopped his medication on the advice of his doctor, and he tried electroconvulsive therapy, he attempted suicide by taking pills, which led to hospitalization, then he bound his wrists and hanged himself.
• Jeff Weise (2005), American high school student who committed the Red Lake shootings and then committed suicide after years of bullying, gunshot.^[164]
• Bob Welch (2012), musician and former member of Fleetwood Mac, a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest, he had had spinal surgery three months earlier, but doctors told him he would not get better, and he was in serious pain and he did not want his wife to have to care for an invalid
• Dawn-Marie Wesley (2000) Canadian high school student who committed suicide due to bullying, hanging.^[165]
• Robin Williams (2014), American comedian and actor, hanging,^[166] he was suffering from severe depression prior to his death and was diagnosed with early stage Parkinson's disease
• Jack Wishna (2012), president and CEO of CPAmerica, carbon monoxide poisoning.^[167]
• Tobi Wong (2010), Canadian born designer, and conceptual artist, overdosed on pills.^[168]
• Tera Wray (2016), American pornographic actress, drug overdose^[169]

Y

• Lee Thompson Young (2013), American actor known for his roles in films such as Friday Night Lights and The Famous Jett Jackson, and on TV series such as Smallville and Rizzoli & Isles, gunshot,^[170] Young had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, for which he had been taking medication, and had been suffering from depression before his death.
• Fakhra Younus (2012), Pakistani dancer, jumped from building in Rome twelve years after being disfigured in an acid attack,^[171] after "endur[ing] more than three dozen surgeries over more than a decade to repair her severely damaged face and body[,]...she finally decided life was no longer worth living."^[172]

Z

• Bill Zeller (2011), American computer programmer, developer of myTunes, oxygen deprivation due to hanging led to brain damage, taken off life support.,^[173] due to depression over being sexually abused as a young child^[174][175]

Possible suicides

Actor David Carradine hanged himself in 2009.

• David Carradine (2009), American actor, hanging, however, reported evidence suggested that his death was the result of autoerotic asphyxiation. Two autopsies were conducted and concluded that the death was not a suicide.^{[176][177][178][179][180]}

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to People who died by suicide.

• Artists Who Committed Suicide
• Hollywood Suicides - slideshow by Life
• Famous Artist Suicides - slideshow by Life
• Famous Suicides

Suicide Suicide crisis Assessment of suicide risk Crisis hotline List of suicide crisis lines Suicidal ideation Suicide intervention Suicidology Suicide prevention Suicide watch Social aspects Legislation Philosophy of suicide Religious views Euthanasia Right to die Benevolent suicide Among LGBT youth Suicide survivor Literature Suicide types Bullying and suicide (list) Copycat Familicide Forced Honor Internet Mass Murder-suicide Parasuicide Rational suicide Senicide Suicide attack By cop Pact Youth suicide Epidemiology Sex differences List of countries by suicide rate LGBT-related suicides Antidepressants and suicide risk History Suicide in antiquity List of suicides List of suicides in the 21st century Related phenomena Failed suicide attempt Self-harm Suicide methods Suicide note Locations Suicide prevention contract By country Canada China France India Japan Pakistan Sweden Switzerland South Korea United States