Linkin Park rocker Chester Bennington has taken his own life following the death of his good friend Chris Cornell.
The singer's body was discovered at a Palos Verdes, California residence on Thursday (20Jul17) morning and sources tell TMZ Bennington had hanged himself. He was 41.
Chester's tragic death occurs just over two months after Soundgarden star Cornell was found dead in a Detroit, Michigan hotel room on 18 May (17), with coroners later ruling his demise a suicide by hanging.
Bennington was close to Cornell and even sang Leonard Cohen's ballad Hallelujah at the Black Hole Sun hitmaker's funeral, which took place at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles on 26 May (17).
Shortly after Chris' passing, the grieving father-of-six wrote a touching note to his late friend on Twitter and Instagram, moving many fans to tears.
“I dreamt about the Beatles last night," read the letter. "I woke up with (Beatles song) ‘Rocky Raccoon’ playing in my head and a concerned look on my wife’s face. She told me my friend has just passed away. Thoughts of you flooded my mind and I wept. I’m still weeping, with sadness, as well as gratitude for having shared some very special moments with you and your beautiful family.”
He went on to call Chris one of his largest inspirations before closing out the note with gratitude: "I just watched a video of you singing ‘A day in the life’ by the Beatles and thought of my dream. I’d like to think you were saying goodbye in your own way."
He added, "I can’t imagine a world without you in it. I pray you find peace in the next life. I send my love to your wife and children, friends and family. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life.”
Ironically, Chester replaced Scott Weiland as the lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots in 2013, just two years before Weiland died of an accidental drug overdose on his tour bus in December, 2015.
