Drugs may have played a bigger part in the death of rock star Chris Cornell than previously thought.
According to “sources connected to the investigation” that spoke with TMZ, Cornell had fresh track marks on his arm when his body was discovered.
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If true, that could signify that the late Soundgarden and Audioslave singer was under the influence of intravenous drugs at the time of his suicide. There will be no confirmation until Cornell’s toxicology tests are back.
The sources say the marks were “obvious” when the body was discovered at the MGM Grand Hotel in Detroit.
Cornell was found unresponsive with a band around his neck in his bathroom on May 18. The medical examiner has ruled the cause of death as a suicide.
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The track marks could play into the larger narrative about Cornell’s last night alive.
According to his long-time tour manager Ted Keedick, Cornell appeared “high” and “f—ed up” during his last show.
“Chris was out of character from note one of the show,” Keedick said. “I’ve never heard or seen him that way before, at least if we did not cancel a show.”
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Cornell’s wife Vicky also thinks drugs could have contributed to her husband’s suicide. She spoke with him shortly before his unexpected death and thinks he was under the influence of Ativan, a medication used to treat anxiety. Some of the possible side effects of Ativan are thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself.
“When we spoke after the show, I noticed he was slurring his words; he was different,” Vicky Cornell said. “When he told me he may have taken an extra Ativan or two, I contacted security and asked that they check on him.”
