They had fame, fortune, and millions of fans, but behind the glitz and glamour, these 13 celebrities share a chilling truth: they took a life.
Whether by tragic accident, reckless behavior, or deadly intent, each of these stars found themselves at the center of real-life horror stories that no movie script could match. From Hollywood icons to musicians and athletes, their shocking actions left permanent scars, and in some cases, shattered lives.
These are not rumors. These are not urban legends. These are the very real, often haunting stories of celebrities who killed someone — and the consequences that followed.
1. Matthew Broderick
In 1987, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off star Matthew Broderick and his then-girlfriend, Jennifer Grey, were vacationing in Ireland when tragedy struck. Broderick, reportedly unfamiliar with the local roads, accidentally drove into the wrong lane and collided head-on with another vehicle.
The crash killed Margaret Doherty, 63, and her daughter Anna Gallagher, 28.
Broderick suffered serious injuries and claimed amnesia regarding the day of the crash. While initially facing charges of “dangerous driving causing death,” he ultimately pleaded guilty to a lesser offense of “careless driving” and was fined $175, a result the victims’ family called “a travesty of justice.”
2. Alec Baldwin
On October 21, 2021, while filming the Western Rust, Alec Baldwin discharged a prop gun that fatally struck cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The gun was believed to be “cold,” meaning it should not have contained live rounds. Yet, it fired a bullet that hit Hutchins in the chest, killing her.
Baldwin maintained he never pulled the trigger, but investigations and charges followed. In 2024, involuntary manslaughter charges against him were dismissed due to allegations of withheld evidence.
The film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was found guilty and sentenced to 18 months in prison. Baldwin has reportedly been suffering from PTSD since the incident.
3. Robert Blake
Actor Robert Blake faced trial for the murder of his wife, Bonny Lee Bakley, in 2001. She was found shot dead in Blake’s car after the couple had dinner at a Los Angeles restaurant.
Despite testimony from stuntmen who claimed Blake tried to hire them to kill her, a lack of forensic evidence led to his acquittal.
In a subsequent civil suit, Blake was found liable for her wrongful death and ordered to pay $15 million.
4. Laura Bush
Before becoming First Lady, Laura Bush (née Welch) was involved in a fatal car crash at age 17. On November 6, 1963, she ran a stop sign and collided with another car, killing her classmate Michael Dutton Douglas, someone she had been close to.
No charges were filed, and the crash was ruled a tragic accident.
Bush reflected on the loss decades later in her memoir, describing the lasting emotional scars.
5. Sid Vicious
On October 12, 1978, Nancy Spungen, girlfriend of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious, was found stabbed to death in their hotel bathroom. Vicious, heavily intoxicated, initially confessed but later retracted his statement, claiming memory loss.
Though charged with murder, Vicious never stood trial, he died of a heroin overdose just months later. Spungen’s murder remains officially unsolved.
6. Ryan Grantham
Canadian actor Ryan Grantham, best known for Diary of a Wimpy Kid, shocked the public when he murdered his mother in 2020. Grantham shot her while she played piano, then packed a car full of weapons and drove off, allegedly planning to assassinate Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau before turning himself in.
Diagnosed with severe depression and a cannabis use disorder, Grantham was sentenced to life in prison with parole eligibility in 2036.
7. Amy Locane
Melrose Place actress Amy Locane killed a woman in a 2010 DUI accident. Driving well over the speed limit with a BAC of 0.23, she collided with a vehicle pulling into a driveway, killing passenger Helene Seeman.
Originally sentenced to three years, Locane’s punishment was later extended to eight years after an appeals court deemed the initial ruling too lenient. She was released in 2024 but continues to express remorse.
8. Michael Jace
Michael Jace, known for The Shield, was arrested after calling 911 to report he had shot his wife, April Jace. Found dead at their South LA home, April had suffered multiple gunshot wounds.
Authorities cited financial and marital issues as possible motives. Prosecutors said Jace shot her in front of their children in an act of revenge. Convicted of second-degree murder in 2016, he was sentenced to 40 years to life, highlighting the tragic issue of domestic violence in high-profile families.
9. Joe Son
Best known for playing Random Task in Austin Powers, Joe Son’s real life turned dark. In 2011, DNA linked him to a brutal 1990 rape and torture case. He was convicted of felony torture and sentenced to life in prison.
Just a month later, Son killed his cellmate and received an additional 27-year sentence.
10. Phil Spector
Legendary music producer Phil Spector shot actress Lana Clarkson at his mansion in 2003. Though he claimed it was a suicide, forensic evidence and testimonies from other women painted a different picture.
In 2009, Spector was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 19 years to life. He died in prison in 2021.
11. Charles S. Dutton
Before starring in Roc and Alien 3, Charles Dutton served time for manslaughter after a fatal fight at 17. Later imprisoned for illegal gun possession, he discovered theater while refusing to give up a book of plays.
Dutton earned a GED, a college degree, and later graduated from Yale School of Drama. He now uses his past to advocate for criminal justice reform and arts education in prisons.
12. Don King
Before rising to fame as a boxing promoter, Don King was involved in two deadly incidents. One was ruled justifiable homicide, but in 1966, he was convicted of manslaughter for stomping a man to death over a gambling debt.
After serving nearly four years, he was pardoned and launched a successful career promoting legends like Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. His violent past remains a subject of controversy.
13. William S. Burroughs
In 1951, legendary Beat writer William S. Burroughs shot and killed his wife, Joan Vollmer, in Mexico. He initially claimed they were reenacting a “William Tell” act, attempting to shoot a glass off her head, a story he later changed.
Charged with culpable homicide, Burroughs spent just 13 days in jail and fled to the U.S. He later credited the tragedy with pushing him to write, saying it led him to confront “the Ugly Spirit.”
Final Thoughts
Fame may bring privilege, but it doesn’t grant immunity from the consequences of one’s actions — at least, not always. These 13 cases serve as stark reminders that even those who live in the spotlight are capable of crossing the most unforgivable line.
Some of these deaths were tragic accidents, others acts of unchecked violence or negligence, and a few still remain surrounded by questions. But in each case, a life was lost — and the truth behind that loss continues to haunt the legacy of the stars involved.
In a world obsessed with celebrity, these stories force us to reckon with an uncomfortable reality: sometimes, behind the fame lies a far darker narrative than any fan could ever imagine.