The FBI has released a long-held file on Kurt Cobain which documents conspiracy theories surrounding the singer’s death.
For 27 years, the official cause of Kurt Cobain‘s death has been ruled as an apparent suicide, and despite the heartbreak of the Nirvana frontman’s gone-too-soon death, that has been accepted on face value as the likely cause.
However, the FBI releasing a 10 page report from the ‘Vault‘, the FBI’s Freedom of Information library, does lead us to ask, why now? And to what end?
The file contains letters from people asking federal authorities to reopen the investigation.
Understandably, there are many people who still need closure. The letters cite evidence of theories speculated upon by the public, documentarians and television producers. Two books have been written about the events surrounding the death and in 2014, headlines incorrectly reported that the Seattle police department were re-opening the case.
The names of the writers are redacted, but the contents of what they wrote are not. “There has since been evidence found that he was killed and didn’t commit suicide, as originally thought,” said one writer. “Millions of fans around the world would like to see the inconsistencies surrounding the death cleared up for once and for all. It is sad to think that an injustice of this nature can be allowed in the United States,” said another.
According to Rolling Stone, the FBI periodically releases files on well known people, so this might just be the next round in their list. Rolling Stone also reported that the file contained production notes from Unsolved Mysteries, which aired a segment on Cobain in 1997.
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By way of reply, the FBI pointed to the investigation as falling outside of their jurisdiction.
“We appreciate your concern that Mr. Cobain may have been the victim of a homicide,” according to one of those FBI responses, also part of the 10-page file. “However, most homicide/death investigations generally fall within the jurisdiction of state and local authorities. … Based on the information you provided, we are unable to identify any violation of federal law within the investigative jurisdiction of the FBI.”
Kurt Cobain has a legacy as a grunge icon and there will always be those looking for answers surrounding his death, but with most things, it’s probably best to take it with a pinch of salt.
You can read more about this topic over at the Classic Rock Observer.
Check out ‘Lithium’ by Nirvana:
