Chester Bennington was found dead of an apparent suicide on Thursday morning according to a spokesman for the LA County Coroner. Bennington was 41. Police in Palos Verdes Estates, in Los Angeles County told TMZ that the singer’s body had been discovered just before 9:00 a.m.
Bennington was born and raised in Phoenix. He had a troubled childhood that included sexual abuse at the hands of an older male friend and being bullied and beaten up frequently at school. The experience drove him to begin using alcohol and drugs, which led to addiction that he struggled with well into adulthood.
Bennington was best known for his work with Linkin Park. Linkin Park’s 2000 debut release, Hybrid Theory, was an immediate hit. It reached Number Two on the Billboard charts and has been certified diamond by the RIAA with sales of more than 10 million copies. Every subsequent Linkin Park release debuted at #1 on Billboard charts with the exception of their 2014 release, The Hunting Party, which debuted at #3.
https://youtu.be/VAatQ1w8Qjc
Bennington also fronted Stone Temple Pilots between 2013 and 2015, Dead by Sunday and Kings of Chaos.
Bennington was married and had six children from two marriages.
If you or someone you care about is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans.
