‘Sons of Anarchy’: 4 Alums Who Have Died Tragically

Sons of Anarchy aired its final episode close to a decade ago in 2014, but even a ways removed from the series fans find themselves going back to the rich world of the FX drama series for more adventures and tragedies surrounding SAMCRO. And those tragedies the world within Kurt Sutter’s series don’t end at the Charming limit. The cast have seen a number of deaths and loss over the years that have shaken fans and saddened their co-stars.

Keep scrolling to read more about four of the Sons of Anarchy actors who have suffered tragic deaths at an early age.

Johnny Lewis

One of the most dramatic and tragic deaths of a former Sons of Anarchy actor was that of Johnny Lewis, who died at the age of 28 in September 2012 in what police suspect as an incident of both accidental death and murder. Lewis, who played Kip “Half-Sack” Epps in Sons of Anarchy, became a fan favorite on the show as a prospect of the Sons M.C., and left after two seasons after expressing the storylines were becoming too violent for him, according to LA Magazine.

Problems with the law

He soon found himself in trouble with the law, being charged with trespassing, burglary, and assault with a deadly weapon in 2012 after being involved in a violent altercation with two men in which he attacked them with a glass bottle. While Lewis claimed he had acted in self-defense, he was ultimately jailed for his involvement in the fight, where LA Magazine reports he was housed in the psychiatric ward.

Struggling with suicidal tendencies, Lewis was arrested twice more in the days before his death, once for assaulting a man outside of a yogurt shop and another time for trying to break into a woman’s apartment.

Underlying problems

Family and friends of Lewis told the magazine that in the year before he began acting violent, the actor had suffered head trauma in a motorcycle accident. While he refused to undergo testing that would ultimately lead to a possible diagnosis, those closest to Lewis immediately before his death believed he suffered from mental health issues, as well as substance abuse problems. Specifically, those closest to Lewis reportedly pushed him to seek help when it came to his alcohol and marijuana consumption.

His death

Days after Lewis was released from jail in 2012, police where called to the Los Feliz neighborhood near Hollywood, where the young actor was found dead in a driveway after falling off of the roof of a building and hitting his head, according to PEOPLE. Inside, police found Lewis’ 81-year-old landlord, Catherine Davis, as well as her cat had been beaten to death. 

An autopsy report eventually revealed that Lewis did not have alcohol or drugs in his system at the time, and police did not search for additional suspects after hearing neighbor testimony of his erratic behavior in the day.

Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter wrote on his website at the time, “It was a tragic end for an extremely talented guy, who unfortunately had lost his way. I wish I could say that I was shocked by the events last night, but I was not. I am deeply sorry that an innocent life had to be thrown into his destructive path.”

Alan O’Neill

Another Sons of Anarchy actor to pass in a tragic was was Alan O’Neill, who appeared in Seasons 6 and 7 of the FX show as Hugh, a gun runner and former True IRA member working along with SAMCRO. O’Neill died on June 7, 2018 at the age of 47 after what was believed to be a cardiac incident due to a history of heart problems. He was found by his girlfriend in the hallway of her Los Angeles apartment, TMZ reported at the time.

The Irish-American actor began his acting career in 1997 in the TV movie, Ballyseedy, and went on to star in a number of shows and shorts such as Undercovers, Fair City, Tim and Eric’s Bedtime Stories and Urge.

Timothy Murphy, who played Galen O’Shay on Sons, offered his condolences on Twitter shortly after the news broke, writing, “My good friend Alan O’Neill died today….. we worked together on The Sons Of Anarchy… my condolences to his family.”

Paul John Vasquez

Actor Paul John Vasquez, who played Angel Ganz in two episodes of the FX biker drama’s fourth season, also died in 2018, passing away at the age of 48 on Sept. 24 at his father’s home in San Jose, California, of what is believed to have been a heart attack. His father reportedly found him and called the paramedics, but first responders were unable to revive him, according to TMZ.

Vasquez’s other credits include ER, CSI: NY, NYPD Blue, Justified, How I Met Your Mother, Simon & Simon, 21 Jump Street, Private Eye and Freddy’s Nightmares.

Dimitri Diatchenko

Dimitri Diatchenko, who made waves on Sons of Anarchy as the head Russian in Season 4, died suddenly at just 52 on April 21, 2020, his agent Roger Paul told Deadline. While autopsy reports have not been released at this time, Paul said his death could be related to an electric shock he received while working days earlier or possibly a heart attack. 

The San Francisco native also appeared on shows such as How I Met Your Mother, Bones and Criminal Minds, as well as films such as Get Smart and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Additionally, he earned critical praise for his performance in Chernobyl Diaries.