Nearly three decades after the death of Kurt Cobain, a new independent forensic review is questioning the long-standing conclusion that the Nirvana singer died by suicide.
Cobain was found dead on April 8, 1994, at his home in Seattle. He was 27 years old. The official cause of death, determined by the King County Medical Examiner and supported by the Seattle Police Department, was a self-inflicted shotgun wound. Toxicology reports and a handwritten note found at the scene were cited as part of the original investigation. That ruling has remained unchanged for nearly 32 years.
Now, a team of independent researchers led by forensic specialist Brian Burnett and analyst Michelle Wilkins argues that aspects of the case deserve renewed scrutiny. According to their review, certain autopsy findings and the positioning of the firearm raise questions about whether the scene may have been staged. They contend that elements of the physical evidence could be interpreted as inconsistent with a straightforward self-inflicted wound.
The group is urging Seattle authorities to reopen the case, calling for a fresh forensic analysis using modern investigative standards and technology not available in 1994. They argue that advancements in forensic pathology and crime scene reconstruction could provide greater clarity.
However, no official law enforcement agency has reversed or modified the original determination. The Seattle Police Department has previously reviewed the case multiple times over the years — including a 2014 re-examination of evidence — and has consistently upheld the ruling of suicide.
Cobain’s death, occurring at the height of Nirvana’s global fame, remains one of rock history’s most debated tragedies. The band’s breakthrough album Nevermind reshaped mainstream music in the early 1990s, and Cobain became an emblem of the grunge movement before his life was cut short.
While the new independent report does not represent an official legal finding, it adds another chapter to a case that has long fueled public discussion, documentaries, and online speculation. For now, the official record stands unchanged — but the debate surrounding Cobain’s death continues to resurface, nearly 32 years later.
