A cause of death has been determined for Kiss guitarist and cofounder Ace Frehley.
According to an autopsy report obtained by TMZ on Monday, November 10, Frehley suffered from a stroke and subdural hematoma caused by a fracture to the back of his skull. His death was ruled an accident.
Us Weekly confirmed Frehley’s death on October 16. He was 74.
“We are completely devastated and heartbroken. In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth,” Frehley’s family said in a statement to Us at the time. “We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others.”
The statement concluded: “The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible achievements, Ace’s memory will continue to live on forever!”
Frehley’s family added that he died peacefully surrounded by relatives in Morristown, New Jersey, after recently suffering a fall at his home.
Meanwhile, Frehley’s manager, John Ostrosky, told Us, “Since 1976, Space Ace has been my Superman. His kindness, caring and inclination to mentor was at the forefront until the very end. His influence will live with me forever.”
In the weeks leading up to his death, Frehley was hospitalized after a fall, leading him to cancel a September concert as he recovered. The following month, he canceled the remainder of his tour dates for the year, citing “ongoing medical issues.”
Frehley cofounded Kiss with Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Peter Criss in 1973. While Frehley left the rock band in 1982 due to creative differences, starting his own group called Frehley’s Comet and pursuing a solo career, he reunited with Kiss for a reunion tour in 1996. Kiss retired from touring in 2023 but had plans to reunite at fan club Kiss Army’s 50th anniversary in November.
After news of Frehley’s death, his former Kiss bandmates Simmons, 76, and Stanley, 73, shared a joint statement with The Hollywood Reporter.
Thank You!
You have successfully subscribed.
“I am devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley. He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history,” the two said at the time. “He is and will always be a part of Kiss’ legacy. My thoughts are with [his estranged wife] Jeanette, [daughter] Monique and all of those who loved him, including our fans around the world.”
Simmons also expressed his grief in a social media post at the time, writing via X, “Our hearts are broken. Ace has passed on. No one can touch Ace’s legacy. I know he loved the fans. He told me many times. Sadder still, Ace didn’t live long enough to be honored at the Kennedy [Center] Honors event in [December]. Ace was the eternal rock soldier. Long may his legacy live on!”
Frehley is survived by his estranged wife, Jeanette Trerotola, and the pair’s daughter, Monique, 45.
