Kurt Cobain’s death declared a homicide by Seattle cop ordered to probe investigation: ‘Botched’

Kurt Cobain was found lifeless in a greenhouse next to his Seattle home, and within hours investigators declared his death a suicide.

Now, a retired Seattle Police captain has claimed the case was mishandled and staged to look like a suicide, claiming the physical evidence at the scene of the Nirvana frontman’s death was ‘inconclusive.’

Neil Low, who spent 50 years with the Seattle Police Department (SPD) and was asked by his chief to oversee the Cobain case in 2005, told the Daily Mail he believed investigators had failed. treating rock star’s death as potential murder.

Low described the SPD investigation as ‘incompetent’ and said: “I don’t accept that Kurt did this to himself.” However, Low did not work on the initial investigation and it was not conducted in his assigned area.

He cited what he called abnormalities in the blood evidence, the severity of the shotgun wound, and inconsistencies at the scene.

Low, who retired in 2018, discussed inconsistencies in the autopsy and SPD reports, including missing notes, omitted witness observations and conflicting details about the events leading up to Cobain’s death.

‘One thing about report writing is the human error factor: misheard, misunderstood, change of heart and details forgotten,’ Low said.

‘They have been led astray. ‘I may have fallen for it myself, but I now think it was murder and I think the case should be reopened.’

Cobain’s body was found in a greenhouse above the two-car garage of his Seattle home.

When asked what processes were carried out to determine whether Cobain’s death was a suicide before toxicology and autopsy were completed, SPD told the Daily Mail: ‘Kurt Cobain died by suicide in 1994. That continues to be the position of the Seattle Police Department.’

Cobain died on April 5, at the age of 27, from a shotgun wound to the head. Her body was found three days later by an electrician who was installing the home’s security lighting.

The King County Medical Examiner at the time ruled his death by a Remington Model 11 20-gauge shotgun a suicide because a suicide note was found on the gun’s handles and on a nearby potted plant.

This conclusion has been supported for more than three decades, despite repeated alternative theories about the rock star’s death, including a recent paper by a group of independent researchers arguing that the evidence points to foul play.

While Low’s comments echo some of those theories, they are unusual coming from a high-ranking law enforcement official and someone who initially said he accepted the decision to commit suicide. The former cop was the Southern District Commander at the time of Cobain’s death and was promoted to Captain nearly a decade later.

“I read the case and I can tell you what the evidence says because I did this for a living and it says it wasn’t suicide,” Low said.

The retired police captain was given full access to Cobain’s file and evidence collected at the scene of his death during a 2005 audit.

During a case audit, a police officer or internal investigator reviews the investigation thoroughly and objectively, checking whether procedures, evidence handling, and records comply with legal and department standards.

Medical records showed that the amount of heroin found in Cobain’s system was roughly three times the lethal dose. Pictured is the heroine kit found near Cobain’s body

The autopsy mentions a handwritten note in black ink found in Cobain’s pocket that referred to ammunition and a Remington shotgun

But the official SPD report from 1994 included only a receipt for the gun with the name of a friend, Dillon Carlson, on it.

The process is designed to ensure accountability, highlight training needs, and verify that the case can support a successful prosecution. However, the audit is not carried out with the aim of changing the actual decision of the case.

‘I think they went in with their minds made up. “This was a suicide,” Low said, adding that homicide units generally do not look into deaths considered suicides.

The senior police chief said the suicide story began at the scene, when SPD spokeswoman Vinette Tishi left shortly after Cobain’s body was discovered.

When reporters approached them for details, Tishi asked Coroner Dr. He was walking down the driveway with Donald Reay.

“It was clear that this man died from a shotgun wound to the head…And now there was a suicide note left inside the house,” Tishi said in a recorded interview.

Low argued that such findings should come from the coroner’s office rather than police spokespeople.

He added that investigators must adhere to strict standards and avoid drawing evidence-based conclusions without appropriate qualifications, such as characterizing a death as a suicide or labeling a note as a suicide note, because early assumptions shape the entire investigation.

Regarding the forensic details of the crime scene, Low noted photographs showing Cobain’s hands to be unusually clean; this finding was inconsistent with the self-inflicted shotgun wound.

‘The birdshot went into his skull and it really did a lot,’ Low said.

‘The cause of all the pellets was calculated, but the impact was so strong that not only a small but also a large fallout would have produced significant fallout.’

He suggested that additional photographs of the chest and hands could help clarify blood patterns and indicate whether the scene was altered after death.

Independent investigators also note that inconsistencies in police documents raise further questions.

Neil Low spent 50 years with the Seattle Police Department (SPD) and was asked by his chief to oversee the Cobain case in 2005. Low was photographed with his wife, Leslie Brinkman, at his retirement party in 2018.

The picture shows the receipt for the gun Cobain was holding at the scene of his death. Police discovered the receipt in his pocket

A 1994 SPD report described the driver of Gray Top Cabs as picking up a passenger from Cobain’s home who ‘did not match the residence’, suggesting that the person may not have been Cobain.

The report also stated that the driver and passenger were unable to find a store to purchase ammunition.

In 2014, SPD released a report claiming to contain previously unseen details of the case, but omitted the issue of passenger incompatibility and ammunition.

Other points of concern presented to the Daily Mail included inconsistencies in the autopsy and police documents.

The autopsy mentions a handwritten note in black ink found in Cobain’s pocket that referred to ammunition and a Remington shotgun.

A 1994 SPD report described a Gray Top Cabs driver picking up a passenger from Cobain’s home who “did not match the residence.” The report also stated that the driver and passenger were unable to find a store to purchase ammunition.

In 2014, SPD released a report claiming to contain previously unseen details of the case, but omitted the issue of passenger noncompliance and ammunition

But the official SPD report from 1994 included only a receipt for the gun with the name of a friend, Dillon Carlson, on it.

Independent investigator Michelle Wilkins, working with a team of forensic scientists, is reanalyzing the case.

He said the inconsistencies reinforced concerns about the integrity of the original investigation.

‘The original report clearly states that the occupant does not match the residence. “That alone suggests it may not be Kurt,” Wilkins said.

He also noted that Cobain, an experienced gun owner, likely knew where to buy ammunition, making the reported confusion unusual.

Low began questioning the case years after the death, after reviewing the investigation and watching documentaries that raised forensic questions.

His main concerns include samples of Cobain’s blood and the condition of his hands, as well as the severity of the shotgun wound.

The retired police captain expressed concerns about whether proper forensic procedures were followed, such as collecting DNA, scraping Cobain’s fingernails or adequately preserving the crime scene. The picture shows Cobain’s body found at the scene.

The former police chief believes authorities announced the suicide decision too early. Pictured is Cobain’s suicide note found at the scene.

‘Why the incident of hitting the face with a rifle?’ he asked. ‘He was not a violent person. I think you’ll find satisfaction in a less violent way.’

Medical records showed that the amount of heroin found in Cobain’s system was roughly three times the lethal dose.

For someone to inject that much, he said, assistance would likely be needed given the size of the amount involved.

Low criticized the police’s initial response, arguing that the scene was not evaluated as a possible murder.

He expressed concerns about whether proper forensic procedures were followed, such as collecting DNA, scraping Cobain’s fingernails, or adequately preserving the crime scene.

He said the situation was akin to ‘highlight tourism’, where too many staff were allowed inside, potentially contaminating evidence. An SPD report shows at least 12 officers entered and exited the room where Cobain’s body was found.