‘Ronnie’: the Metallica song that allegedly inspired a murder
From pioneering thrash metal to having the worst snare sound ever recorded on ‘St. Anger’, Metallica has done a lot in their time. Whilst the aspects above are famous, the San Francisco band are also alleged to have a much darker claim to their name, given that one of their songs is said to have inspired a murder. Whilst many prominent acts, from The Beatles to Guns N’ Roses, have songs linked to real-life killings, the story of Metallica’s is one of the most disturbing and involves savagery, matricide and psychological illness.
The song in question is ‘Ronnie’, taken from the 1996 album Load. The story goes that in 2002, 28-year-old Ronald Pituch murdered his mother using a 9kg dumbbell. In the aftermath of the horrific slaying, it was reported that Pituch became enraged after his mother refused to buy a pack of cigarettes for him. Here, I must issue a trigger warning, as this is only the beginning of this bloody nightmare. Things are about to get very sickening.
After murdering his mother, Pituch then tied up his five-year-old niece and fled on his motorbike. Afterwards, he searched for his old high-school peer Nikki Roberts, whom he had been harassing for an extended period, as he genuinely believed she was his soulmate. Of course, this gives a clear display of the kind of mindset he had.
Whilst looking for Roberts, Pituch came across the 11-year-old Gregory Katsnelson, who was riding his bike en route to meet some friends. Pituch stabbed Gregory to death and disposed of his body in a nearby pond. He eventually turned himself in to the police at a local station.
In court, Pituch’s defence lawyer claimed he had a history of severe mental illness, including paranoid schizophrenia and manic depression. When giving his testimony, the killer said he saw demons on people’s faces and that Metallica’s 1996 piece ‘Ronnie’ had influenced his mental break.
It was later revealed that before his crimes, Pituch had stopped taking his medication and that during this period, his obsession with ‘Ronnie’ grew. He was quoted saying: “I was drinking, and I was out of it. That song was always in my head, too. There was just so much pressure building up… I caved.”
Ronald Pituch was sentenced to 50 years in jail for his murders in 2004.
