Examining the mysterious death of Elliott Smith
The details surrounding Elliott Smith are far murkier than people think. More than once, I’ve brought up the subject with friends – some of whom are huge fans of his music – only for them to say: “He killed himself, didn’t he? Like Kurt Cobain”. Smith’s ambiguous relationship with fame and struggles with addiction have often seen him lumped together with the Nirvana frontman, but their stories have some important differences. That being said, they are – in the public consciousness at least – united by one key similarity: both their deaths remain unresolved.
Elliott Smith’s startling rise to fame followed years of relative anonymity, during which time he’d performed with a number of bands (including Stranger Than Fiction) in Portland. That’s not to say he didn’t experience success. His band Heatmiser signed to Virgin Records, for example. However, things really took off when he embarked on a solo career. After being encouraged by other artists, he signed to a major record label and released Roman Candle in 1994. Over the next few years, he cemented himself as one of the most revered singer-songwriters in America, thanks in part to his inclusion on the Good Will Hunting soundtrack.
Fame had an odd effect on Smith. He’d always loved writing and recording, but the stage was not his natural environment. During the making of his final album, he became increasingly paranoid. At the time, he struggled with alcohol and drug addiction and ate very little other than ice cream. By 2003, things were improving. He’d started a new noise project and talked of stepping into production, having got to grips with his girlfriend Jennifer Chiba’s iMac. Then, on October 1st, 2003, Smith died from two stab wounds to the chest. The details surrounding the stabbing are still the subject of a police investigation, so nothing is certain, though many believe they were self-inflicted. A supposed suicide note found later reads: “I’m so sorry—love, Elliott. God forgive me.” However, there are those who believe his death may have been manslaughter or perhaps even homicide.
Alyson Camus, who wrote her book A Question Mark about the circumstance surrounding Smith’s death and runs a website called Justice For Elliot Smith, has claimed that the pair had vicious fights on a regular basis. One source revealed that Chiba had threatened Smith with a knife the year before his death. On October 1st, 2003, Smith had been driving Chiba to therapy when they commenced one of their screaming matches. They returned home, at which point Chiba ran to the bathroom to take a shower. In one version of her story, she was in there for about five minutes when she heard a thud. Opening the bathroom door, she peered into the kitchen to see Elliot standing over the sink with a kitchen knife sticking out of his chest. She then tackled him, pulled out the knife and gave him CPR. After waiting an unspecified amount of time, she then called an ambulance.
It’s easy to see why so many remain doubtful about Smith’s death. Larry Crane, Smith’s producer, received a phone call from the singer-songwriter a week before his death, during which he explained that he was interested in recording a new album. Crane would later note that it seemed unlikely Smith would have intended to kill himself given that he’d managed to get clean and wanted to record new material. If you’d like to read more about the Smith case, visit Justice For Elliott Smith, where you will find testimonies, articles and a full autopsy report.
