Treat Williams at Tribeca Film Festival in 2016© Cindy Ord,Getty

Hollywood stars who have died in tragic circumstances in the last decade

Treat Williams died in a motorcycle accident recently

Senior Features Writer
June 14, 2023

Fans were shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic and sudden passing of Hollywood legend Treat Williams at the age of 71.

Active since the early 1970s, the actor was beloved for his many roles in Hollywood movies and TV shows including Once Upon a Time in America, Everwood and Hair and scores of A-List names paid tribute to him and his impressive career. Sadly, Treat isn't the only star who lost their life in tragic circumstances. Below, we're paying tribute to some more celebrities and Hollywood greats who left us far before their time.  

WATCH: Movie stars gone too soon

Treat Williams

Treat Williams was killed in a motorcycle accident in Vermont on Monday, June 13, his agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed. According to McPherson, the accident occurred when a car abruptly cut off Williams as he was making a turn. "He was killed this afternoon. He was making a left or a right [and] a car cut him off," he revealed. Overwhelmed with grief, McPherson added: "I'm just devastated. He was the nicest guy. He was so talented."

 MORE: Where Robin Williams' wife Susan Schneider is now nine years after actor's tragic death 

© Getty Images

Treat Williams died in a motorcyle accident

Anne Heche

Emmy award-winning actress Anne Heche was adored for her roles in titles including Donnie Brasco, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and Six Days, Seven Nights opposite Hollywood heavyweight Harrison Ford. She also made headlines and broke boundaries during her high-profile relationship with Ellen DeGeneres from 1997-2000.

But the star tragically lost her life when she was involved in a car accident in Los Angeles in August 2022. The accident involved a sequence of three collisions that destroyed a house and inflicted critical injuries on the actress. Anne was immediately taken to the hospital and put on life support but was not expected to survive the anoxic brain injury. After nine days on life support in order to restore her organs for donation, Anne was "peacefully" taken off life support. The LA medical examiner-coroner ruled her death as an accident.  

© Axelle/Bauer-Griffin

Anne Heche died in 2022

Torie Bowie

The sports world was left shaken when Olympic sprinter Torie Bowie was found dead at her home in Florida on  May 2. This week, the coroner's report was released and explained the cause of the 32-year-old's death.

It's since been reported that the Olympic athlete was around eight months pregnant and in labor, and the medical report states that Torie died due to childbirth complications. Her online obituary said she was pre-deceased by a daughter, Ariana. Medical officials said that Tori suffered possible complications that included eclampsia and respiratory distress.

© Getty

Tori Bowie was pre-deceased by her daughter, Ariana

Bob Saget

Bob Saget, affectionately known as 'TV's dad', was a beloved actor known for his work on iconic shows like Full House, Fuller House and as the host of America's Funniest Home Videos, and the world was shocked when the news of his sudden death aged 65 broke in January 2022.

The star, also a standup comic, was found unresponsive in a hotel room in Orange County, Florida, after family members had tried to contact him but with no reply. Authorities pronounced him dead at the scene but no cause of death was immediately announced.

A few weeks later, an autopsy report found that Saget had suffered a blunt head trauma from an accidental blow to the back of his head and died from the resulting injuries.

© Phillip Faraone

Bob Saget died in 2022

Nipsey Hussle

Rapper, activist and entrepreneur Nipsey Hussle made a name for himself in the hip-hop music world before he was taken too soon at age 33. The rapper was shot ten times in the parking lot of his clothing store, Marathon Clothing in South Central Los Angeles on March 31 in 2019.

Hussle, along with two other victims, were rushed to hospital where the artist was later pronounced dead. In May that year, a grand jury indicted Eric Ronald Holder Jr. on one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder and assault with a firearm. A memorial service for the rapper was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and many paid tribute to him. Former US president Barack Obama praised the Grammy award-winner for his work in his local community of Crenshaw.

© Prince Williams

Rapper Nipsey Hussle was fatally shot in 2019

Naya Rivera

Naya Rivera shot to fame as Santana Lopez on the Ryan Murphy created-show Glee and her shocking death sparked an outpouring of grief and tributes to her. The 33-year-old actress was declared a missing person in July 2020 after her four-year-old son, Josey, was found sleeping alone in Naya's rented boat at Lake Piru, a reservoir in Ventura County, California. After an extensive search, on July 13 it was declared that a body had been found and the family confirmed it was Naya. Later, it was stated by the Sheriff that Naya may have found herself caught in a rip current and struggled to get back on the boat.  

© Getty Images

Naya tragically died in 2021

Luke Perry

Luke Perry was adored for his roles on the iconic 90s TV show Beverly Hills, 90210, but the star tragically died aged 52 in 2019. The actor suffered an ischemic stroke at his home in Sherman Oaks in Los Angeles on February 27 and was taken to the hospital. He later suffered another stroke which prompted his family to remove him from life support and he died on March 4 at the Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank.

© Diane Freed

Luke Perry suffered a stroke at home

Carrie Fisher

Star Wars legend Carrie Fisher was traveling on a commercial flight from London to Los Angeles when she had a medical emergency on board. According to a passenger on board, Carrie stopped breathing, which prompted another passenger to perform CPR on Fisher before paramedics arrived at the scene. The star was then taken to the hospital and put on a ventilator for four days before she died aged 60. The cause of death was cited on a certificate as "cardiac arrest" but an exact cause of death could not be ruled.

What's more, in a heartbreaking turn of events, Carrie's mother, Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds, had a stroke at her son Todd's home the day after Carrie was declared dead. Debbie was rushed to hospital but died later that day aged 84.

© Dimitrios Kambouris

Carrie Fisher died in 2016

Paul Walker

The world was shocked and saddened when news reports broke that actor Paul Walker had been involved in a car accident in California. The actor, 40, was a passenger in a Porsche withh his friend and financial adviser Roger Rodas driving between 80 and 90 mph in a 45 mph zone in Santa Clarita when the car crashed into a concrete lamppost and caught fire. Both Paul and Roger died as a result of their extensive injuries.

© Christopher Polk

Paul Walker died in a car accident in 2013

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