Millions of people around the world would consider themselves fans of certain celebrities – whether it be a singer whose music they particularly like, or a Hollywood actor whose back catalogue contains some of their favourite flicks.
And while the vast majority enjoy their idol’s work from afar, some are lucky enough to meet their favourites.
Sadly, as proven a number of times, not everyone treats the celebrity they meet with respect, and in extreme cases the encounter ends in murder.
That was the case for singer Christina Grimmie, who would have turned 27 today (March 12), but was killed by a fan in 2016.
As Daily Star remembers the talent taken too soon, we look back at other shining stars murdered by so-called fans.
Christina Grimmie
Christina Grimmie was shot dead by a fan as she went to hug him (Image: Getty Images North America)
Christina Grimmie died on June 10, 2016 at the age of 22 after being shot by a crazed fan.
The singer had been performing in Orlando, Florida and invited fans on social media.
After the performance, the Voice star signed autographs inside the venue, however tragedy soon struck.
Poor Christina opened her arms to give a fan – Kevin James Loibl – a hug, but the 27-year-old shot her.
Christina’s brother tackled Loibl and they scuffled for a while, before the shooter broke free and shot himself dead.
Christina Grimmie’s murderer had attempted to make himself attractive to her through weight loss and other procedures (Image: Redferns via Getty Images)
The promising songstress was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center in critical condition with four gunshot wounds, but was pronounced dead shortly after.
An autopsy revealed she had been shot once in the head and twice in her chest.
Twisted Loibl had armed himself with two handguns, extra ammunition and a large hunting knife, which he got into the venue with as there were no metal detectors, and guests were not frisked.
Police later said that Loibl had shown an “unhealthy and unrealistic infatuation” with Christina and had attempted to make himself more attractive to her, losing weight, having eye surgery and hair plugs implanted.
Loibl’s close friend knew of his obsession with Christina, as did his co-workers, who said he would become “angry and defensive” when asked about it.
Gianni Versace
The fashion icon’s murder was dramatised in the series American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace (Image: Leonardo Cendamo)
Fashion mastermind Gianni Versace was killed on July 15, 1997 at the age of 50.
The Italian designer, who founded the fashion house Versace in his name, was shot on July 15, 1997 at point blank range on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion after he’d been on a morning walk.
Usually, an assistant would have gone to collect his papers, but on that day, Gianni took the walk himself.
He was pronounced dead at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
The icon was killed by Andrew Cunanan, who had already killed four other men – Jeffrey Trail, David Madson, Lee Miglin and William Reese.
Gianni founded the fashion house Versace (Image: Leonardo Cendamo)
The murderer bragged about a close “friendship” with Giannai, and was obsessed with the star – however Cunanan was actually having delusions of grandeur and often lied about meeting famous people.
Cunanan killed himself eight days after the murder on July 23, when he was 27.
In this case, though, the FBI do believe that the victim and perpetrator had met previously while in San Francisco, though the extent of their relationship was unknown – though Gianni’s family deny they met.
The television series American Crime Story takes a dramatised look at the killing in its second season, The Assassination of Gianni Versace.
John Lennon
John Lennon was killed by a fan who decided he was a ‘phoney’ (Image: Getty Images)
Beatles legend John Lennon was killed on December 8, 1980 at the age of 40.
On the day in question, John signed a copy of Double Fantasy for a fan – Mark David Chapman – before heading to a recording session at the Record Plant in New York.
Afterwards, he and wife Yoko Ono returned to their Manhattan home in a limousine.
But when they entered the building, the fan from earlier in the day shot John twice in the back and twice in the shoulder at a close range.
The Liverpudlian singer was rushed to the Roosevelt Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
John Lennon’s killer is scheduled for parole in August 2022 (Image: Getty Images)
Mark David Chapman, 25 at the time, 65, went on to claim that he had been angered by Lennon’s remark about The Beatles being “more popular than Jesus”.
He also decided that John was a “phoney”, saying his lyric “imagine no possessions” did not match up to the lavish lifestyle he lived, according to the book John Lennon: One Day at a Time.
Chapman had previously gone to New York intent on killing John, but changed his mind and went home that time.
He was sentenced to 20 years to life and last year was refused parole as “it would be incompatible with the welfare of society”.
The killer is scheduled for his 12th parole hearing in August of 2022.
Selena
Selena was murdered by the head of her fan club (Image: Getty Images)
Mexican-American singer Selena Quintanilla, known professionally as Selena, was killed on March 31, 1995 at the age of 23.
She was killed by Yolanda Saldivar, the president of Selena’s San Antonio fan club, before becoming the manager of her boutiques in early 1994, and then her registered agent.
Before long, the boutiques began to suffer as the number of staff dwindled, as, according to former staff members, Yolanda would fire people she did not like.
Employees eventually told Selena’s father Abraham Quintanilla Jr about her behaviour, and he told his daughter to “be careful” of the woman.
By 1995, more people had spoken out about Yolanda, including Selena’s fashion designer Martin Gomez, her cousin Debra Ramirez and some clients.
She was said to be borderline obsessive by The Dallas Morning News reporters, who interviewed her in 1995.
Quintanilla Jr began getting phone calls from fans who said they’d paid for membership to the Selena fan club but had not received anything in return.
It was discovered that Yolanda had embezzled more than $30,000 in forged cheques from the fan club and also Selena’s boutiques.
Selena did not want to end their friendship, despite her father banning Yolanda from seeing her.
Yolanda delayed giving the Quintanillas bank statements and financial records that Selena needed for tax reasons, saying she’d been physically and sexually assaulted in Mexico.
On March 31, 1995 Selena and Abraham took Yolanda to a clinic to have her examined, but no gynecological examination took place as a nurse suggested one be done at another location.
After, Selena and Yolanda met in a motel room, where she again demanded the statements.
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But Yolanda pulled out a gun and shot or once on her right shoulder while Selena attempt to run away, severing an artery.
Selena ran towards the motel lobby, leaving a trail of blood longer than 100 metres in her wake.
Yolanda had been running after her calling her a “b****” before attempting to leave in her pickup truck.
Luckily, Selena had managed to name Yolanda and the room number in which the incident took place before she collapsed.
The singer was dead on arrival at Corpus Christi Memorial Hospital, however doctors attempted to revive her.
Sadly, she was pronounced dead from blood loss and cardiac arrest after 50 minutes of surgery.
Yolanda had an almost nine-and-a-half-hour standoff with police and the FBI before surrendering.
Now aged 60, she is serving a life sentence and will be eligible for parole in March 2025.
Rebecca Schaeffer
Rebecca Schaeffer was killed by a fan who was enraged after she appeared on-screen in bed with another actor (Image: Getty Images)
Rebecca Schaeffer was killed on July 18, 1989 aged just 21.
The model and actress was best known for her role as Patricia “Patti” Russell in the comedy series My Sister Sam.
She was tragically murdered by obsessed fan Robert John Bardo, a 19-year-old who had been stalking her for three years.
Bardo wrote a number of letters to Rebecca and she responded to one of them.
He had attempted to meet her on the set of My Sister Sam in 1987 but Warner Bros security sent him packing.
Not long after that the subject of his obsessions changed to Debbie Gibson, Madonna and Tiffany Darwish.
But after watching Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills, in which Rebecca appears in bed with an actor, Bardo became very angry.
He made the decision that Rebecca should be punished as she had become “another Hollywood w****”.
After paying a private detective $250, Bardo got Rebecca’s home address in West Hollywood, and he acquired a handgun with the help of his brother.
Robert Pardo was sentenced to life in prison without parole (Image: Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
He travelled to Los Angeles and asked neighbours if Rebecca really lived around there, before ringing the doorbell.
At the time, the tragic actress was expecting a script to be delivered for The Godfather Part III so answered the door.
He showed her the letter she’d previously sent her but she asked him not to return to her house again.
After that, Bardo went to a nearby diner but then went back to her home, where she answered the door again and he shot her in the chest at point blank range.
The young talent was pronounced dead 30 minutes after she arrived at Cedars-Sinai Medial Center.
Marcia Clark, who was the lead prosecutor in the OJ Simpson trial, led the case against Bardo.
He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Darrell ‘Dimebag’ Abbott
Rocker Dimebag Darrell was the target of a nightclub shooting which also saw other victims (Image: Getty Images)
Darrell Abbott, known by his stage name Dimebag Darrell, was killed on December 8, 2004, aged 38.
He was the co-founder of heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan.
On the day of his murder, he had been performing at a nightclub in Columbus, Ohio with Damageplan, where a fan, Nathan Gale, 25, rushed on-stage and shot Dimebag a number of times with a gun.
The band’s security Jeffrey “Mayhem” Thompson tackled Gale, but he was fatally shot in the struggle which followed.
Another fan, Nathan Bray, was killed while trying to help Dimebag and Mayhem, while nightclub employee Erin Halk was murdered while trying to disarm Gale as he was reloading.
Three more people were wounded before police entered the club and shot Gale in the head, killing him.
Dimebag was pronounced dead at the scene.
Gale listened to Pantera while trying to prepare for football games, to get his head in the game.
He had been obsessed with them even after they split in 2003.
Gale, who had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, claimed to have written a number of songs, but when a friend noted the lyrics were Pantera’s, Gale said he was going to sue the band for stealing his lyrics.
Dimebag was the co-founder of heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan (Image: Getty Images)
He also claimed that some members of the band were trying to steal his identity.
In the months leading to the shooting, a friend said he distanced himself from Gale as he had started talking to himself and an imaginary dog.
After the shooting, there were reports that Gale had shouted “You broke up Pantera” or “This is for breaking up Pantera”, however this was never confirmed by other attendees at the nightclub.
An interview with Pantera’s Phil Anselmo was also listed as a possible motive, as he had said Dimebag “deserves to be beaten severely”.
However police found no evidence that the shooting was motivated by Pantera’s split or the feud between the two members.
The police officer who shot and killed Gale was cleared of any wrongdoing and praised for his actions, even by Gale’s own mother.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
