Chris Cornell’s wife says meds may play factor in suicide

Chris Cornell’s wife, Vicky, has released a statement saying that medication her late husband was taking could have played a factor in his suicide. Vicky and her attorney, Kirk Pasich, say her husband was taking prescription Ativan and may have taken more than the recommended dosage.

“Without the results of toxicology tests, we do not know what was going on with Chris—or if any substances contributed to his demise,” Pasich states. “Chris, a recovering addict, had a prescription for Ativan and may have taken more Ativan than recommended dosages. The family believes that if Chris took his life, he did not know what he was doing, and that drugs or other substances may have affected his actions.”

Some medical literature indicates that Ativan can cause paranoid or suicidal thoughts, slurred speech and impaired judgment.

Through her attorney, Vicky Cornell explains how shocked and sadden her family are at her husband’s suicide.

“Chris’s death is a loss that escapes words and has created an emptiness in my heart that will never be filled. As everyone who knew him commented, Chris was a devoted father and husband. He was my best friend. His world revolved around his family first and of course, his music, second. He flew home for Mother’s Day to spend time with our family. He flew out mid-day Wednesday, the day of the show, after spending time with the children,” she says.

“Chris’s death is a loss that escapes words and has created an emptiness in my heart that will never be filled.”

She continues, “When we spoke before the show, we discussed plans for a vacation over Memorial Day and other things we wanted to do. When we spoke after the show, I noticed he was slurring his words; he was different. When he told me he may have taken an extra Ativan or two, I contacted security and asked that they check on him. What happened is inexplicable and I am hopeful that further medical reports will provide additional details. I know that he loved our children and he would not hurt them by intentionally taking his own life.”

Vicky concluded by thanking the community for their love and support.

“The outpouring of love and support from his fans, friends and family means so much more to us than anyone can know,” she says. “Thank you for that, and for understanding how difficult this is for us.”

Early Thursday (May 18th), the world was shocked as they awoke to news that Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell was had died. He was found dead Wednesday night (May 17th) at his hotel in Detroit following what fans are calling a great performance at the Fox Theater earlier.

The Wayne County Medical Examiner has determined Cornell’s cause of death to be “hanging by suicide” and would release further details after a full autopsy is complete.

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com