Kurt Cobain was found dead in his home back in April 1994, with the iconic Nirvana singer and songwriter having tragically taken his own life at the age of just 27

The tragic details of Nirvana legend Kurt Cobain’s autopsy were only revealed last year, some 29 years after the iconic singer-songwriter tragically took his own life at just 27.

At the start of April 1994, Kurt was found dead in his Lake Washington Boulevard home outside Seattle, Washington, having shot himself while alone.

His body was discovered three days later by electrician Gary Smith, who initially thought the star was sleeping. However, he soon realised the grim reality when he noticed a small amount of blood coming from Kurt’s ear.

The coroner’s report confirmed that Kurt had been dead for several days, with his official date of death established as 5 April, 1994.

Beside Kurt’s body was a heartbreaking suicide note addressed to his imaginary childhood friend Boddah. In it, he wrote: “I don’t have the passion anymore, and so remember, it’s better to burn out than to fade away,” referencing a lyric from Neil Young’s song My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue).

He also urged his wife, Hole lead vocalist Courtney Love, to “please keep going” for their daughter Frances – who married Riley Hawk back in October 2023.

The note ended with a poignant declaration of love, written in all caps: “I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU!”

Despite the evidence, some fans refuse to believe Kurt’s death was a suicide, sparking numerous conspiracy theories suggesting the rock star was actually murdered.

In 2014, two decades after Kurt’s tragic end, Seattle Police Detective Mike Ciesynski was tasked with revisiting the evidence related to the case as part of the cold case unit.

Here’s what he discovered….

A heartbreaking past

Kurt’s suicide wasn’t his first attempt at ending his own life. In March 1994, the star overdosed on a mix of Champagne and Rohypnol, and was discovered by wife Courtney the following morning while in Rome for medical treatment.

He was immediately rushed to hospital for treatment, and discharged five days later.

Later that same month, Courtney reached out to the police to inform them that Kurt was suicidal and had locked himself in a room with a gun – but when they arrived, he insisted he had only locked himself in there to avoid his wife.

However, police seized four guns, 25 boxes of ammunition, and a bottle of pills from the rock star.

His distraught wife arranged an intervention to tackle his drug use, eventually convincing Kurt to detox at the Exodus Recovery Centre in LA.

The 27 year old saw his daughter Frances for the last time during visitation hours, but the next night he escaped over a six-foot fence and flew back home to Seattle.

Undeveloped film

Detective Clesynski found some camera film that had never been developed, containing photos of the original 1994 crime scene.

Allegedly, it was scene sergeant Don Cameron who decided not to develop it at the time, instead ensuring it was safely stored away in the records room safe.