Investigating the calm inside a hurricane
We all have our heroes. Singers, artists, sports stars... all are admired and serve as inspiration to generations of fans. The problem is that fandom can sometimes have its downside. Seriously so. Adoration can become a dangerous obsession to the point where celebrities end up receiving a more sinister kind of love and devotion. And in extreme cases this has led to violent acts being perpetrated by so-called fans against the very people they look up to as role models. Sadly, history has recorded the far less salubrious side of fame, instances in which VIPs have fallen victim to the most extreme examples of unhealthy hero worship.
So, who are the famous people whose admirers were anything but? Click through and discover the stars who were slain by fans and other everyday people.
John Lennon's songwriting partnership with Paul McCartney for the Beatles remains the most successful in history, with songs like 'A Hard Day's Night,' 'We Can Work It Out,' and 'Ticket to Ride' exemplifying perfectly how both worked together to construct a song.
In New York City on December 8, 1980, Mark David Chapman approached Lennon as he walked with Yoko Ono towards their apartment after a recording session. Chapman, a fan who, hours earlier, had gotten John Lennon's autograph on the 'Double Fantasy' LP, then drew a pistol and fatally shot the musician.
John Lennon died in hospital shortly afterwards. His death was mourned around the world. His killer was later jailed and remains incarcerated. Lennon's murder is the most infamous example of a crime committed against a celebrity by a fan or admirer.
Another shocking celebrity death occurred on March 31, 1995, when American singer Selena Quintanilla was shot and fatally wounded at the Days Inn in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Referred to as the "Queen of Tejano Music" and described by Billboard as one of the "Greatest Latino Artists of All Time," Selena was gunned down by Yolanda Saldívar, who had been the president of Selena's fan club and the manager of her boutiques.
Shortly before the murder, Saldívar had been fired after the singer's family discovered that she had been embezzling money from both organizations. Found guilty of Selena's murder, Saldívar was sentenced to life imprisonment.
The murder of Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace served as another tragic reminder of how high-profile individuals can fall victim to a warped and twisted mind.
On July 15, 1997, Versace was shot and killed outside his mansion on Ocean Drive in South Beach, Florida.
Versace was the last victim of Andrew Cunanan, a serial killer who had earlier murdered four other men. Police immediately launched a manhunt for Cunanan, whose body was found eight days later on a houseboat after he'd taken his own life.
Andy Warhol was a leading figure in the pop art movement, and hugely influential as one of the 20th century's most important visual artists.
On June 3, 1968, radical feminist Valerie Solanas attempted to murder Warhol, shooting at him three times and hitting him once, damaging his spleen, stomach, liver, esophagus, and lungs. Doctors said Warhol had a slightly better than 50-50 chance for survival.
Andy Warhol survived the attempt on his life, but his wounds are said to have contributed to health issues in later years. He died of cardiac arrhythmia, aged 58, after gallbladder surgery on February 22, 1987.
American singer and YouTuber Christina Grimmie was known for being a contestant on 'The Voice' and for her covers of hit songs by contemporary pop musicians.
On June 10, 2016, Grimmie performed at the Plaza Live in Orlando, Florida. After the concert, she met some fans and was signing autographs when obsessed fan Kevin James Loibl walked up to Grimmie and shot the singer at point-blank range.
Loibl was tackled by Grimmie's brother and the two men struggled before the gunman broke free and fatally shot himself. Christina Grimmie, meanwhile, succumbed to her wounds in hospital.
American actress and model Rebecca Schaeffer was a familiar face in the mid-1980s, landing the role of Patricia "Patti" Russell in the CBS comedy 'My Sister Sam' (1986–1988) and appearing in several movies. But on July 18, 1989, an obsessed fan, Robert Bardo, shot and killed Schaeffer at her home in West Hollywood.
Bardo had been stalking Schaeffer for three years before her death. He essentially ambushed her as she answered the door.
Bardo was later convicted of Schaeffer's murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.
Colombian soccer player Andrés Escobar played for Atlético Nacional and the Colombian national team.
During the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Escobar scored an own goal during the game between Colombia and the US, an error that contributed to his country's elimination from the tournament.
After the tournament, Escobar returned to Colombia. In the small hours of July 2, 1994, the soccer player was shot dead by a gunman apparently as punishment for the own goal, the killer reportedly shouting "¡Gol!" ("Goal!") after each pull of the trigger.
Darrell Lance Abbott, who went by the stage name Dimebag Darrell, was the guitarist of the heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan. He was widely regarded as one of the best metal guitarists of his era.
Damageplan were performing at the Alrosa Villa nightclub in Columbus, Ohio, on December 8, 2004, when Nathan Gale, a mentally unstable fan, clambered onto the stage and shot Abbot multiple times.
Gale continued firing and killed several others, including members of the audience who'd tried to disarm the gunman. Gale was eventually shot down by a police officer.
As one of the most infamous outlaws of the Old West, Jesse James, together with his brother Frank, was one of the most wanted gunslingers in the Midwestern United States.
Frank and Jesse rode with various gangs of outlaws, one of which included a man named Robert Ford, a new recruit who expressed admiration for the brothers, especially Jesse.
Ford, though, hid an ulterior motive: he was hoping to collect a reward on Jesses James' head and a promised amnesty for his previous crimes. On April 3, 1882, Ford short and killed his fellow gang member. Already a celebrity in life, Jesse James became a legendary figure in death.
Sources: (TheTopTens)
See also: The most mysterious murders of all time
Famous people who were killed by fans and everyday people
Celebrities slain by admirers and your everyday average folks
LIFESTYLE Fame
We all have our heroes. Singers, artists, sports stars... all are admired and serve as inspiration to generations of fans. The problem is that fandom can sometimes have its downside. Seriously so. Adoration can become a dangerous obsession to the point where celebrities end up receiving a more sinister kind of love and devotion. And in extreme cases this has led to violent acts being perpetrated by so-called fans against the very people they look up to as role models. Sadly, history has recorded the far less salubrious side of fame, instances in which VIPs have fallen victim to the most extreme examples of unhealthy hero worship.
So, who are the famous people whose admirers were anything but? Click through and discover the stars who were slain by fans and other everyday people.