Thelma Todd, an actress in the late 1920s and early 1930s, owned a café on the Roosevelt Highway (now the Pacific Coast Highway) where she lived with her boyfriend, Roland West. She was discovered dead in her car inside the garage, sparking speculation of suicide or an accidental death when locked out of her home.

Despite a broken nose and a high blood alcohol level, there were no signs of struggle, and her clean sandals raised doubts about her climbing stairs. Rumors circulated that West confessed on his deathbed to accidentally locking Todd in the garage. Todd’s cremation fueled suspicions of a cover-up by the corrupt District Attorney’s office. Some speculate involvement from her ex-husband or gang leader Charles “Lucky” Luciano, as Todd had recent confrontations with both before her death.

In 1983, Peter Ivers, host of New Wave Theater, was found bludgeoned to death in his downtown LA bed. The Los Angeles Police Department reopened the investigation after discovering new evidence. Friends, mourning at Ivers’s apartment, inadvertently tampered with evidence upon his death. Theories surrounding his murder vary, with suggestions of a robbery or involvement from New Wave Theater attendees. The case remains largely unsolved, with minimal progress made in uncovering the truth behind Peter Ivers’s death.

On June 4, 2009, David Carradine was discovered dead in his Bangkok hotel room while filming a movie. His body was found hanging in the closet with a rope around his neck, wrist, and genitals, indicating autoerotic asphyxiation. Following his death, ex-wives Gail Jensen and Marina Anderson revealed Carradine’s inclination towards self-bondage and “deviant sexual behavior.” Anderson later asserted she conducted her investigation, concluding that Carradine was murdered.

In 1996, rapper Tupac Shakur was fatally shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada, following a boxing match. A witness identified a Crips gang member, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, in the lobby, claiming Anderson attacked Shakur. Although speculation suggests gang involvement, no arrests were made due to a lack of sufficient evidence. Tupac Shakur, aged 25, succumbed to his injuries six days later in the hospital.

Rapper Christopher George Latore Wallace, widely known as The Notorious B.I.G., Biggie, or Biggie Smalls, played a prominent role in the East Coast hip-hop scene during a period marked by rivalry with the dominant West Coast scene, notably with his rival Tupac Shakur. Following Shakur’s death in 1996, Biggie expressed concerns about his own safety. Tragically, he was killed in 1997 after leaving the Soul Train Music Awards in LA. While sitting in an SUV, another car pulled up beside him and fatally shot him. Despite the high-profile nature of the case, no suspects were named in connection with his death. Biggie Smalls was 24 years old at the time of his tragic demise.

A Hollywood publicist, Ronni Chasen was a highly regarded figure in the movie industry, representing a diverse clientele that included filmmakers, producers, and composers. Notably, she orchestrated the Oscar campaign for “Driving Miss Daisy” and collaborated with actor Michael Douglas.

On the early morning of November 16, 2010, after attending the Hollywood premiere of “Burlesque,” Chasen’s Mercedes was shot at four times, and she was discovered slumped over in her car. The perplexing murder triggered a substantial police investigation, with some speculating it was a premeditated hit. Adding to the enigma, the lead suspect, Harold Martin Smith, reportedly committed suicide, leading to the closure of the case. The circumstances surrounding Ronni Chasen’s death remain shrouded in mystery.

Natalie Wood, born Natalia Zakharenko, achieved fame in films like “West Side Story” and “Rebel Without a Cause.” On November 28, 1981, during a break from filming “Brainstorm,” she, Christopher Walken, and husband Robert Wagner were on a boat trip to Catalina Island. An argument ensued about her relationship with Walken. The next morning, Wood’s body was found alongside a dinghy, and bruises were evident. Initially ruled an accident, suspicions lingered, focusing on Wagner. In 2011, he was declared not a suspect. In 2013, Wood’s death certificate was mysteriously amended, changing the cause to drowning from “undetermined factors.” The circumstances surrounding her tragic death remain a subject of speculation.

The inquest into the fatal stabbing of Johnny Stompanato, a bodyguard linked to Mickey Cohen, a notorious figure in LA’s Jewish mafia, became a televised spectacle. Stompanato’s girlfriend, actress Lana Turner, and Cohen testified in a courtroom filled with 120 journalists. An unidentified man disrupted proceedings, claiming Stompanato was loved by both Turner and her daughter.

Contrary to his public image, Stompanato was a bodyguard with ties to Cohen, rumored to be a blackmailer and an alleged abusive boyfriend to Turner. Turner’s daughter, Cheryl Crane, was deemed guilty of justifiable homicide for stabbing Stompanato during an attack at Turner’s home. Despite this verdict, rumors persisted that Turner had committed the murder and framed her 14-year-old daughter for the crime.

Following the Superman series, George Reeves faced difficulty securing roles and encountered financial troubles due to his extravagant Hollywood lifestyle. On June 16, 1959, between 1:30 and 2:00 a.m., Reeves allegedly shot himself in the head in the upstairs bedroom of his Los Angeles home. At the time, he was with his fiancée Leonore Lemmon and friends William Bliss, Robert Condon, and Carol Van Ronkel, who were downstairs partying. A single gunshot was heard, prompting Bliss to find Reeves’s lifeless body.

Police reports indicated Reeves was depressed over his career struggles. Lemmon and studio executive Eddie Mannix were considered suspects, but no one was ever arrested for murder in connection with George Reeves’s death.

On July 20, 1973, a month before the release of “Enter the Dragon,” Bruce Lee died mysteriously after meeting with producer Raymond Chow and taking an Equagesic for a headache at actress Betty Ting Pei’s home. The autopsy attributed his death to a brain edema caused by hypersensitivity to the muscle relaxant in the drug. While conspiracy theories abound, suggesting murder by the triads, a prior “Dim Mak” strike, or a family curse, the official cause remains drug-related.

The intrigue surrounding the Lee family persisted when, on March 31, 1993, Bruce Lee’s son, Brandon Lee, accidentally died during the filming of “The Crow” due to a live round mistakenly fired during a scene thought to have only blanks.

In the 1920s, actress Virginia Rappe died of peritonitis after a party with Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle at the St. Francis Hotel. Arbuckle faced murder charges, with speculation about the cause ranging from assault to the use of a foreign object. Arbuckle claimed he found Rappe vomiting and assumed she was drunk. Despite his return to LA, Rappe’s condition worsened, and she died in a hospital known for performing abortions. After three trials and intense media scrutiny, Arbuckle was found not guilty, and the jury issued an apology.

“Acquittal is not enough for Roscoe Arbuckle. We feel that a great injustice has been done him. We feel also that is was our only plain duty to give him this exoneration. There was not the slightest proof adduced to connect him in any way with the commission of a crime.He was manly throughout the case and told a straightforward story on the witness stand, which we all believed.The happening at the hotel was an unfortunate affair for which Arbuckle, so the evidence shows, was in no way responsible.We wish him success and hope that the American people will take the judgement of fourteen men and women who have sat listening for thirty-one days to the evidence that Roscoe Arbuckle is entirely innocent and free from all blame.”

The murder of Nance posed a perplexing mystery with no witnesses or suspects. He succumbed to a subdural hematoma from blunt-force trauma on December 30, 1996. Prior to his death, Nance claimed two young Hispanic men had assaulted him outside a Winchell’s Doughnuts at 5 a.m. Allegedly, this confrontation resulted from Nance advising them to change their appearance and find employment.

Police confirmed a blow to Nance’s head, but the Winchell’s owner had no recollection of the altercation, and Nance provided no additional details about his assailants. Some theories suggest that, with a high blood alcohol level of .24, Nance might have become intoxicated, suffered a head injury, and fabricated the story.

Silent film director William Desmond Taylor was found shot in the back at his home on February 2, 1922. Initially claimed to have died of natural causes, further investigation revealed homicide. Suspects included Taylor’s butlers, one of whom vanished with his money, and the disapproving mother of young actress Mary Miles Minter. Incriminating evidence, such as Minter’s belongings, was found at Taylor’s apartment. Despite suspicions and insinuations from Minter, no arrests were made in the unsolved case.

On August 31, 1997, Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris. Initially attributed to the driver’s intoxication, persistent conspiracy theories suggest various causes, from paparazzi interference to alleged plots by MI6 or the Royal Family. The official 2008 verdict of “unlawful killing” failed to dispel doubts. In 2013, new evidence led to fresh investigations, including claims of an MI6-backed plot involving the British military. Witnesses mentioned a flash of light before the crash. Despite ongoing scrutiny, the circumstances of Princess Diana’s death remain a subject of controversy.

Jimi Hendrix’s 1970 death, initially ruled as choking on vomit while intoxicated, remains controversial. Former manager James “Tappy” Wright alleged that Hendrix’s manager, Mike Jeffrey, orchestrated the death for a life insurance payout. Dr. John Bannister, involved in reviving Hendrix, expressed suspicions about an extraordinary amount of wine in his system. Monika Dannemann, Hendrix’s girlfriend, committed suicide without fully revealing her side. Despite various claims, the official cause remains asphyxia from vomit inhalation, leaving the circumstances of Hendrix’s death a subject of ongoing debate.

In 2002, Jam Master Jay, a member of the group Run-DMC, was in a Queens recording studio when a man in black embraced him and then pulled out a .40 caliber handgun. Jay uttered, “Oh, s**t,” before a shot hit his leg, followed by a fatal shot to his head. The assailants, reportedly affiliated with drug lord Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff, fled the scene. Some speculate the motive was a decade-old unpaid drug debt. Despite suspicions, no arrests were made in connection to Jam Master Jay’s murder.

Anna Nicole Smith’s untimely death in 2007 was surrounded by drama. Her behavior on a reality show became increasingly bizarre, and in late 2006, her son died of an overdose. Smith herself passed away six months later, under the influence of a similar drug cocktail. The lingering mystery revolves around whether Smith took her own life or if she was prescribed the dangerous cocktail. The circumstances of her death continue to raise questions and speculation.

Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortenson, was found dead in her Brentwood home on August 4, 1962, officially ruled a probable suicide. Speculation persists about possible murder due to her connections with John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy. In 2014, private detective Fred Otash’s notes suggested Monroe had been sexually involved with both brothers and felt used. Otash claimed to have overheard an intense argument and Bobby attempting to quiet her down with a pillow. However, no tapes or additional information about the incident were found. Despite ongoing rumors, the circumstances of Monroe’s death remain mysterious with no definitive answers.

Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia, was found bisected in a vacant lot with deep facial gashes and signs of torture. Lack of blood at the scene suggested she was killed elsewhere. The press extensively covered the gruesome murder of the attractive victim. The suspect pool included Short’s former dates and medical students. Dr. Walter Bayley, a nearby resident, became a suspect due to rumors of violence and blackmail. The killer followed the case in the papers, adding to the mystery. Despite ongoing interest, the 1947 murder remains unsolved, with theories emerging over the years, including one involving a police officer’s son in 2016.

Christa Helm met a gruesome end on February 12, 1977, when she was bludgeoned and stabbed to death outside her agent’s West Hollywood home. The motive behind her murder remains elusive, with theories revolving around Helm’s rumored sex diary and recordings of her encounters with influential figures in Hollywood. Despite the belief that these materials may have led to her demise, the alleged diary was never found.

Helm’s extensive list of sexual partners also raised the possibility of jealousy as a motive for her murder. Police interviewed her friends and associates, but the absence of physical evidence and the elusive diary hindered their investigation, leaving the case with no promising leads. Helm’s murder remains unsolved, shrouded in mystery and speculation.