Elliot Smith (40)

Elliot Smith
1969-2003
Morose indie troubadour
Cause of Death: Suicide by stabbing

Enduring Mystery: Smith was transformed from cult miserablist into Joaquin Phoenix-endorsed doomed genius poet as details of his drug-addled final months emerged. Adding grist to the controversy mill, a Kurt-like murder theory circulates, based on medical examiner Lisa Scheinin's report that "possible defensive wounds" on his arms and hands "raise the possibility of homicide."
Life After Death: Smith's posthumous 2004 album From a Basement on the Hill hit the Billboard charts at No. 19, 80 places higher than his previous release, although super-harrowing tracks such as "Suicide Machine" were excised by Smith's complicated estate (father Gary, birth mother Bunny and Elliott's stepmother Marta).
In the Vault: A cache of twenty-two unreleased songs were leaked onto the Internet in fall 2005, fueling persistent rumors of another archive release, while Smith's contributions to the soundtrack for the film Thumbsucker maintain the illusion of an artist more prolific in death than in life. The inevitable tribute album, To: Elliott From: Portland, is slated for February 2006.