LOS ANGELES — 1984 · Murder
The Marvin Gaye case
On 1 April 1984, one day before what would have been his 45th birthday, musician Marvin Gaye was shot and killed by his father at his home in Los Angeles. The shooting followed a long period of tension within the family. Taking into account a diagnosis of a brain tumor and the circumstances of the case, the defendant was convicted at trial of a lesser offense in place of intentional homicide and received a six-year suspended sentence. The case brought domestic violence and mental-health issues into public debate in the United States.
- Date
- 1984
- Place
- West Adams, California, USA, Los Angeles, US
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- 34.0340, -118.3210 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 1984The killing took place (April 1)
- 1984The defendant was arrested
- 1984Court ruling: six-year suspended sentence (November)
Sources
- Court Records
- Contemporary Press Archive
Source grade C: no linked source yet; details rely on the general press archive. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
Related Cases
More cases from Los Angeles
More cases from the 1980s
Categories
🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.