Even after the Tupac verdict, five of the most mysterious celebrity deaths still spark conspiracy theories

Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.

Movie thrillers often feature deaths that leave fans on the edge of their seats – sometimes not knowing until the final curtain the truth behind the victim’s disappearance or murder.

However, real life cases of some of the world’s most famous names have left investigators and fans mystified as to how exactly they died – or even if they did indeed pass away but could still be alive somewhere, reports Hello!

From murdered rapper Tupac Shakur – whose case only just reached a verdict – to the long-missed Marilyn Monroe, keep reading to find out how five famous deaths still continue to feel unresolved to many.

Monroe stunned Hollywood with her movies before she died (Bettman Collection/Getty)

Marilyn Monroe (1962)

Long held as Hollywood’s most iconic actress, the star of Some Like It Hot (1959) and The Seven Year Itch (1955) was found dead at the age of 36 in her LA home. Her death was officially ruled as a ‘probable suicide’ due to an overdose of sedatives. However, inconsistencies in the timeline of her death, missing records in police files and her links to assassinated President John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert F. Kennedy have fuelled alternative theories as to how she may have died.

Some say the Mafia killed her to frame the Kennedy brothers, others that the CIA had her murdered because she knew too much about them or even that she kept a secret diary which included CIA operations to kill Cuban leader Fidel Castro. While a heavily redacted FBI file that was reissued in 2012 has been said to indicate her suicide could have been induced by those closest to her, a far less plausible theory suggests she was killed because she was willing to reveal classified UFO evidence she gleaned from JFK.

Some fans refuse to believe she died, instead arguing that she was held in a psychiatric hospital against her will and in his 1984 book Marilyn Monroe Alive, author John Alexander Baker claimed to have picked up a hitchhiker identifying herself by Monroe’s birthname, Norma Jeane, who knew details only the star could be aware of.

Wood drowned mysteriously (Photo by Screen Archives/Getty Images)

Natalie Wood (1981)

The tragic 43-year-old Academy Award-nominated actress drowned during a boating trip near the island of Santa Catalina. She was aboard a yacht with her husband Robert Wagner and co-star Christopher Walken, when one night she left the vessel - despite her well-known fear of dark water. The LA County Coroner's office recorded her cause of death as ‘accidental drowning’ however this was later changed to ‘drowning and other undetermined factors’, after new witness testimony was submitted.

This change in the cause of death sparked conspiracy theories surrounding her husband Wagner, who starred in the hit series Hart to Hart, and he was eventually named as a person of interest by police in 2018, reported CBS at the time.

Shakur was known for his activism (Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)

Tupac Shakur (1996)

Known as 2Pac, the acclaimed rapper was fatally shot in a drive-by in Las Vegas, while he was at the height of his fame. As he was leaving a Mike Tyson boxing match, a Cadillac pulled up beside his vehicle and a gunman opened fire. He died of his wounds six days later.

On August 31 this year Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis was found guilty for his role in orchestrating the shooting, and he is due to be sentenced next month. Davis is expected to appeal the verdict.

However, for nearly 30 years no-one was convicted of his killing, and various theories were shared about the mystery. One held that his death was faked and he moved to Cuba, and another unsubstantiated claim was made that he was killed before he could leave his record label.

At the time of his death there was speculation that his killing was down to rivalry between East Coast and West Coast rappers or even that he was taken out by the FBI because of his family connection to the radical Black Panther Party.

Rapper Notorious B.I.G. AKA Biggie Smalls was also killed in a drive-by shooting (Getty)

The Notorious B.I.G. (1997)

Only six months after the murder of Tupac Shakur, hip-hop fans were left reeling by the killing of The Notorious B.I.G. in a very similar drive-by shooting. His murder is still unsolved despite it being carried out outside a party with numerous witnesses present. Theories range from rival gang members to corrupt local police officers.

Other theories point to the two drive-by murders being connected – with B.I.G. being killed by LA Blood gang members in retaliation for the killing of 2Pac six months earlier, and another that he was killed by their rivals, the Crips over a financial dispute.

Reeves' death was ruled as suicide (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

George Reeves (1959)

The original TV Superman died from a gunshot wound to the head at a house party. He was upstairs while the party was being held downstairs, with the police ruling his death as a suicide. However, shortfalls in the investigation - including a failure to check his hands for powder burns or the gun for fingerprints – all led to a lack of confidence in the police version of events.

One theory held that Reeves was killed after his affair with a movie executive’s wife was exposed, another that witnesses at the party heard bizarre references to a shooting shortly before Reeves last went upstairs.

Police speculated he killed himself due to ‘depression’ brought on by being typecast as the Man of Steel, Superman.

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123 or contact Harmless by visiting their website https://harmless.org.uk.