Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley's cause of death confirmed by New Jersey coroner

The authoritative origin of decease for Ace Frehley, the guitarist who was a founding subordinate of hard-rock set Kiss, has been released, confirming details his household shared successful October.

The aesculapian examiner for New Jersey’s Morris County said successful a report, published by TMZ, that Frehley died of “blunt trauma injuries” to his caput suffered during a fall. His decease was ruled an accident. The study listed injuries including a encephalon bleed and fractures to his skull.

Frehley’s decease connected Oct. 16 was announced by his family, which said helium had precocious suffered a fall. “In his past moments, we were fortunate capable to person been capable to situation him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions arsenic helium near this earth,” the household said successful a connection astatine the time. Frehley was 74.

“We cherish each of his finest memories, his laughter, and observe his strengths and kindness that helium bestowed upon others,” the connection continued. “The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension.”

Frehley, known besides for his Spaceman change ego, died little than 2 weeks aft canceling the remainder of his 2025 unrecorded performances owed to undisclosed “onging aesculapian issues.” He was besides hospitalized successful precocious September aft suffering a “minor fall” successful his studio, his circuit manager John Ostrosky announced. Though the rocker was “fine,” doctors urged him to instrumentality clip from the roadworthy to recover, prompting him to cancel his quality astatine the Antelope Valley Fair.

The instrumentalist was among the archetypal members of Kiss, playing with the set for astir a decade, from 1973 — erstwhile helium formed the radical successful New York with Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Peter Criss — until 1982, erstwhile helium discontinue not agelong aft Criss left.

The band, which had its last amusement successful 2023, was known for flamboyant performances, and costumes and dense makeup. Despite his comparatively abbreviated tenure, Frehley proved instrumental successful creating the band’s stomping and glittery sound, arsenic heard successful songs similar “Detroit Rock City,” “Rock and Roll All Nite,” “Strutter” and “I Was Made for Lovin’ You.” He was portion of a reunion circuit with the set from 1996 to 2002.

“He was an indispensable and irreplaceable stone worker during immoderate of the astir formative foundational chapters of the set and its history,” the set said of Frehley pursuing quality of his death. “He is and volition ever beryllium a portion of KISS’s legacy. Our thoughts are with Jeanette, Monique and each those who loved him, including our fans astir the world.”

The 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee is survived by his wife, Jeanette; his daughter, Monique; his brother, Charles; his sister, Nancy; and respective nieces and nephews.

Times popular euphony professional Mikael Wood contributed to this report.