Rob Reiner, Zubeen Garg, Matthew Perry: Mysterious celebrity deaths that sparked murder investigations

The sudden deaths of popular actors and singers have often left behind more questions than answers. In some cases, a regular postmortem is just never enough, and often calls for a second look into deaths that otherwise seemed 'accidental'. Over the years, several celebrity deaths have taken over the headlines when they trigger full-fledged murder investigations, exposing disturbing details, legal battles and unanswered questions. From Rob Reiner's stabbing, to Zubeen Garg's drowning and Matthew Perry's overdose, here’s a look at some of the most high-profile and mysterious celebrity deaths that sent shockwaves through the entertainment world.

Veteran filmmaker and actor Rob Reiner, known for directing classics such as ‘When Harry Met Sally’ and ‘A Few Good Men’, was found dead at his Los Angeles home along with his wife, Michele Singer Reiner. Authorities initially withheld the identities of the deceased and stated that the case was being investigated as a 'suspected homicide'. Later, it was confirmed that the couple had been 'stabbed to death' and their bodies were discovered by their daughter Romy.
Early reports suggested that the Reiners' throats had been slit, with others suggesting that the couple had wounds consistent with a stabbing. As the investigation progressed, PEOPLE reported that sources close to the family revealed the couple had been killed by their own son, Nick Reiner, aged 32.
Following his arrest, Nick was formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder. According to the chief prosecutor of Los Angeles, he now faces the possibility of life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty if convicted. The case is now one of the most disturbing Hollywood family tragedies in recent memory.

The death of popular Assamese singer Zubeen Garg during a trip to Singapore triggered a high-profile investigation back home in India. Garg reportedly died during a scuba diving outing, and his initial death certificate and autopsy report cited drowning as the cause of death.
However, a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Assam Police, headed by Rosie Kalita gave way to 'murder' allegations. On December 12, the SIT filed a chargesheet before the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup, Guwahati, naming seven accused in connection with the case.
Those charged include the main event organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, Garg’s manager Siddharth Sharma, bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, co-singer Amritprava Mahanta, cousin Sandipan Garg, and two personal security officers, Nandeswar Bora and Paresh Baishya.
Four of the accused, namely Mahanta, Sharma, Goswami and Mahanta, have been charged with murder under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
SIT Chief and Special DGP (CID) Munna Prasad Gupta told ANI that the main chargesheet runs over 2,500 pages, and when combined with supporting documents, technical and electronic evidence.

Hollywood actor Matthew Perry, known for his role as Chandler Bing on ‘Friends’, was found dead in his hot tub, sparking an investigation that would later unravel a drug network operating in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner ruled that Perry’s death was caused by the acute effects of ketamine, with contributing factors including drowning, coronary artery disease and the presence of another drug. What initially appeared to be an overdose soon became the centre of a multi-year federal investigation, leading to five people being charged, including doctors Mark Chavez and Salvador Plasencia. They reportedly worked together to supply Perry with ketamine at inflated prices. Both doctors pleaded guilty. Plasencia was sentenced to 30 months in prison, while Chavez received three years of supervised release.
Also among those who pleaded guilty was Jasveen Sangha, described by prosecutors as the dealer who supplied Perry with the ketamine that ultimately killed him.

The death of former One Direction singer Liam Payne in October 2024 quickly evolved into a police investigation after he was found dead following a fall from the third-floor balcony of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. What was first suspected as a suicide, later turned into a criminal probe after examining CCTV footage and taking note of hotel staff testimony. The singer's toxicology results also showed traces of alcohol, cocaine and a prescription antidepressant in his system, prompting questions about the circumstances leading up to his death. The investigations lead to five people, including Payne's manager as well as the manager of the hotel and its head of reception, being charged with manslaughter. While the charges against 3 were dropped, the two other men accused of selling Payne cocaine before his death remain in prison.

Bhojpuri actor Amrita Pandey, aged 27, was found dead in her apartment in Bhagalpur, Bihar. Police initially suspected suicide, with the actor’s family stating that she had been struggling with depression and anxiety over lack of work and was undergoing treatment.
However, the case took a dramatic turn after the viscera report revealed that her death was caused by shock and respiratory asphyxia due to strangulation, with no common poison detected in her body. Based on these findings, police converted the case from an 'unnatural death' (UD) to a murder investigation against unidentified persons.
Authorities began their probe by seeking to unlock Pandey’s iPhone, with the help of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to access crucial digital evidence.

Model and actor Kritika Chaudhary was found dead under mysterious circumstances at her Andheri residence in Mumbai in June 2017. Her death came to light after neighbours complained of a foul smell emanating from her fifth-floor flat at Shree Bhairavnath SRA Society.
Police discovered her decomposed body after breaking open the door. Investigators later revealed that she had been hit on the head with a knuckle duster, leading to her death. At the time, police cited robbery and a dispute over non-payment of Rs 6,000 to a drug peddler as possible motives.
Two accused, Shakeel Khan and Basu Das, were arrested soon after the murder and spent eight years in jail. However, both were acquitted by a sessions court due to lack of evidence, leaving the case unresolved.