While defined by his musical genius, the Nirvana frontman’s life was punctuated by addiction, police encounters, and a struggle with fame.
1986: Before fame hit, an 19-year-old Cobain was arrested in his hometown of Aberdeen, Washington, for trespassing and creating a nuisance. He allegedly spray-painted “God is Gay” on an alley wall, though the official charge was wandering onto a roof while intoxicated. This arrest produced his now-iconic smiling mugshot.
1993: Police were called to his Seattle home after a domestic dispute with his wife, Courtney Love. Cobain was arrested for investigation of domestic assault, though the charges were later dropped. During the incident, police confiscated three guns from the residence.
Substance Abuse: Throughout the early 90s, Cobain battled a severe heroin addiction, leading to multiple interventions and stints in rehab centers in Los Angeles to avoid legal penalties and loss of custody of his daughter.
1994: Days after escaping a rehab facility in Los Angeles, he was found dead in his Seattle home from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, ending his turbulence with the world.