New forensic findings have once again reignited controversy surrounding the cause of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain’s death.
The Nirvana legend was found dead at her Seattle residence on April 5, 1994, at age 27.
New forensic findings have challenged the long-standing ruling that Kurt Cobain’s death was the result of suicide, and investigators asked Seattle officials to reopen the case nearly three decades later.
Kurt Cobain’s death was officially ruled a suicide by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office, rather than a homicide, by a shotgun, the 20-gauge Remington Model 11.
Now, in the latest forensic findings, a forensic expert, Brian Burnett, and investigator Michelle Wilkins alleged that some elements of the autopsy and crime scene point to pressing questions.
Burnett is credited with re-examining disputed cases, including the death of Marine Col. James Sabow, who joined Wilkins’ review inquiry in late 2025.
According to Wilkins, “necrosis of the brain and liver occurs in an overdose. It does not occur in a firearm death.”
The duo also questioned the physical mechanics of the scene, including whether Cobain would have been able to fire the ‘shotgun’ if he were in the commonly described compromised state.
Some other concerns raised in the independent review include blood patterns, hand placement, the disposition of drug paraphernalia and how receipts and ammunition were arranged at the scene.
In a more chilling finding, investigators have alleged that the crime scene was staged to look like a suicide, while casting doubt on the originality of the note discovered at the property.
According to investigator Michelle Wilkins, Burnett stated, “This is a homicide. We have to do something about this.”
However, a spokesperson for the Medical Examiner’s Office said, “The King County Medical Examiner’s Office worked with the local law enforcement agency, performed a full autopsy and followed all of their procedures to determine the manner of death as a suicide,” as reported by The diary.
The spokesperson revealed that while his department is ready to reopen the case if new evidence emerges, his office “hasn’t seen anything to date.”
They added: Our office is always open to revising its conclusions if new evidence comes to light, but our previous determination of death stands.”
