Photo: Press
The funeral of the late Chris Cornell will take place this Friday (May 26) at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Forever Cemetery in a private ceremony.
The Soundgarden singer was found dead early last Thursday (May 18) in his hotel room at the MGM Grand in Detroit. Earlier that evening he’d played a gig with Soundgarden. He committed suicide by hanging himself.
Kirk Pasich, the Cornell family attorney, said that the singer’s body was being flown from Detroit. He added that Cornell’s family was hoping to organize a public memorial that would allow fans to pay their respects.
"The family is thinking about a (public) memorial for fans, but is coping now with their loss and the funeral service," a source close to the family told CNN. Pasich confirmed to Variety that plans for public memorials will be announced "when that’s been decided."
Toxicology tests are underway to determine the levels of drugs in his system, specifically Ativan. Ativan is a brand name for lorazepam, a prescription drug used to treat anxiety. It is thought that Cornell may have accidentally double dosed before his death. It is understood that Ativan overdoses can cause suicidal thoughts.
His widow, Vicky, said in statement: “When we spoke after the show, I noticed he was slurring his words; he was different. When he told me he may have taken an extra Ativan or two, I contacted security and asked that they check on him.
“What happened is inexplicable and I am hopeful that further medical reports will provide additional details. I know that he loved our children and he would not hurt them by intentionally taking his own life."
The Hollywood Forever Cemetery is the final resting place of a number of musicians including Johnny Ramone, Dee Dee Ramone, Kim Fowley and Nelson Riddle among others.
