Dimebag Darrell Murder

Darrell Lance Abbott AKA ”Dimebag Darrell” the founding member of the heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan was murdered onstage on December 8 2004. Abbott was shot onstage while performing with Damageplan at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio by 25 year old former marine Nathan Gale. Minutes into the band’s set, Dimebag Darrell’s bodyguard exited the stage, at which moment Gale ran onto the stage from the wing and began shooting, hitting Dimebag’s torso and head eight times, killing him instantly. Gale then continued shooting, killing four others and wounding a further seven. Gale fired a total of fifteen shots, stopping to reload once and remaining silent throughout the shooting.

• Jeff “Mayhem” Thompson, the band’s head of security, was killed while engaging in hand-to-hand combat with Gale after chasing him onto the stage as he shot Dimebag.
• Audience member Nathan Bray was shot and killed while trying to perform CPR on Dimebag and Mayhem.
• Erin Halk, an Alrosa Villa employee, attempted to charge Gale when he ran out of bullets. However, Gale was able to reload faster than anticipated and killed Halk.
• Damageplan drum technician, John “Kat” Brooks, was shot three times as he attempted to get the gun away from Gale, but was overpowered and taken hostage in a headlock position.

• Tour manager Chris Paluska and Damageplan singer Pat Lachman was also shot and injured.

Seven police officers came in the front entrance, and Officer James D. Niggemeyer came in through the back door, behind the stage. Gale only saw the officers in front of the stage; he never saw Officer Niggemeyer, who shot Gale in the face and killed him. Gale was found to have had 35 rounds of ammunition remaining.

Early theories of motive suggested that Gale might have turned to violence in response to the breakup of Pantera, or the public dispute between Dimebag and Pantera singer Phil Anselmo, but these were later ruled out by investigators. Another theory was that Gale believed Dimebag had stolen a song that he had written.

Gale had in fact been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2003 and apparently believed that the band could read his mind, and that they were “stealing” his thoughts and laughing at him.

Dimebag was buried with Eddie Van Halen’s black and yellow-striped Charvel electric guitar. Edward Van Halen originally agreed to make Darrell a copy of the guitar, but upon hearing of Abbott’s death, offered to place the actual guitar in his casket. Dimebag was buried in a KISS Kasket. Kiss frontman Gene Simmons said, “There were a limited number made and I sent mine to the family of ‘Dimebag’ Darrell. He requested in his will to be buried in a Kiss Kasket.”