The FBI (the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation) has released the files of Kurt Cobain Nirvana frontman , to the public for the first time. According to Rolling Stone , the 10-page file contains letters from two individuals whose names have been redacted. The incident led the FBI to investigate Cobain's 1994 death as a murder rather than a suicide.
“I believe a great injustice may have been committed in the case of Kurt Cobain,” says a September 2003 article. “I am writing in the hope of your help in pressing for a re-examination of Mr. Cobain’s death. Millions of fans around the world would like to see the inconsistencies surrounding his death clarified once and for all. It is sad to think that an injustice of this nature could be allowed in the United States.”.
Included in the file are the FBI's responses to the letters. "We appreciate your concern that Mr. Cobain was the victim of a homicide," each response reads.
"However, most homicide investigations generally fall within the jurisdiction of state or local authorities." The FBI explains that for an investigation to be initiated, specific facts must be present indicating a violation of federal laws, thus placing the case within the agency's jurisdiction.
Also included in the file is a fax that Cosgrove/Meurer Productions sent to the FBI in January 1997. CMP is the company that produces the documentary series “Unsolved Mysteries,” which aired an episode about Cobain in February 1997.
The letter states: “At least one investigator, Tom Grant, a Los Angeles private investigator and former LA County sheriff’s deputy, is convinced that the official decision of suicide was a hasty judgment.”
Terry Meurer, co-founder of CMP, told Rolling Stone: “We contacted the FBI to get several stories and tried to get information about them. That was typical communication.”.
You can find Kurt Cobain's complete file on the FBI website.
The artist died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound not long after taking a large dose of heroin, which could have been fatal on its own. Kurt began using heroin to alleviate the chronic stomach pain he had suffered throughout his life.
Nirvana was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 10, 2014, five days after the 20th anniversary of Cobain's death.
