Forensic experts call to reopen Kurt Cobain death case as homicide

An independent review suggests his death may not have been a suicide

A group of independent forensic scientists is calling for a fresh investigation into the 1994 death of Kurt Cobain, arguing that new analysis of his autopsy raises questions about the long-standing ruling of suicide.

Cobain, the frontman of Nirvana, was found dead at his Seattle home at age 27. The King County Medical Examiner's Office determined at the time that he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

However, independent researcher Michelle Wilkins and forensic specialist Brian Burnett say they spent three days reexamining available evidence and concluded in a peer-reviewed document that Cobain’s death may have involved foul play.

Their claims revisit long-debated theories, including questions about heroin levels in his system and alleged inconsistencies in handwritten notes found at the scene.

Despite the renewed scrutiny, the Medical Examiner’s Office said it stands by its original findings. In a statement, officials said they conducted a full autopsy and followed proper procedures in ruling the death a suicide, adding that they have seen no new evidence that would justify reopening the case. They noted, however, that a review could occur if credible new information emerges.

Cobain had publicly struggled with depression and substance abuse in the years leading up to his death. A month before he died, he was hospitalized in Rome after overdosing on a mix of Rohypnol and champagne, an incident his wife, Courtney Love, described as a suicide attempt.

Cobain’s death at 27 placed him among the artists often referred to as the “27 Club,” which includes musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Brian Jones and Amy Winehouse.

More than three decades later, Cobain’s death remains a subject of intense public fascination, with officials maintaining that the original conclusion still stands.