Cause of Death Released for Kellie Picker’s Husband Kyle Jacobs

Nashville songwriter Kyle Jacobs, the husband of country music star Kellie Pickler, died from suicide in February. Jacobs’ official cause of death was made public on Tuesday. The musician, who wrote hits performed by Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, Kelly Clarkson, Trace Adkins and more, was 49.

After an analysis on Feb. 19, the day after Jacobs’ death, the Davidson County Medical Examiner found Jacobs died by an “intraoral gunshot wound,” reports Taste of Country. The toxicology report found he had no drugs in his system at the time of his death. “Adult white male with a history of pseudoseizures, gastrointestinal bleeding, elevated liver enzymes, and chronic alcohol use suffered a self-inflicted shotgun wound,” the autopsy reads.

Nashville police previously told TMZ that Pickler and her assistant found Jacobs deceased. He took his own life in an upstairs bedroom of their home. Pickler was asleep at the time but woke up shortly before his death. When she could not find Jacobs immediately, she began looking for him. The singer and her assistant found a bedroom door closed. They called 911 when they couldn’t open it.

“Mr. Jacobs’ wife, Kellie Pickler, reported that she awoke a short time earlier, did not see her husband, and began looking for him,” police said in a statement in February. “After she and her personal assistant were unable to open the door to the upstairs bedroom/office, the assistant telephoned 911.”

Pickler and Jacobs married in 2011 and were the focus of the CMT reality series I Love Kellie Pickler. Jacobs was born in Bloomington, Minnesota, and co-wrote Brooks’ 2007 smash hit “More Than a Memory.” He also co-wrote Kimberly Locke’s 2004 hit “8th Wonder of the World.” Jacobs’ final Twitter post celebrated his collaborator Lee Brice’s latest album, Hey World, being certified platinum by the RIAA.

Pickler, 36, rose to fame when she competed on American Idol in 2006. Some of her biggest hits include “Red High Heels,” “I Wonder,” “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful,” “Best Days of Your Life,” and “Someone Somewhere Tonight.” She competed on Dancing With the Stars in 2013 with Derek Hough, winning the Mirror Ball Trophy. Pickler co-hosted the talk show Pickler & Ben with Ben Aaron, filmed in Nashville, from 2017 to 2019. She also worked as the on-air host for SiriusXM’s The Highway but left when her contract was fulfilled earlier this year. 

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The previous Lifeline phone number (1-800-273-8255) will always remain available.