| Killing of Marvin Gaye | |
|---|---|
| Location | Arlington Heights, Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 34°2′16″N 118°18′49″W / 34.03778°N 118.31361°W |
| Date | April 1, 1984 12:38 pm (approx time) (Pacific Time Zone (UTC-8)) |
Attack type | Murder by shooting |
| Weapon | .38 Special |
| Victim | Marvin Gaye |
| Perpetrator | Marvin Gay Sr. |
On April 1, 1984, American musician Marvin Gaye, who gained worldwide fame for his work with Motown Records, was shot and killed on the day before his 45th birthday by his father, Marvin Gay Sr., at their house in the Western Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.[1][2] Gaye was shot twice following an altercation with his father, after he intervened in an argument between his parents. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the California Hospital Medical Center. His father later pleaded no contest to a charge of voluntary manslaughter.
Gaye's filicide inspired several musical tributes over the years, including recollections of the incidents leading to his death. He was given a burial plot at Forest Lawn Cemetery, but was later cremated; his ashes were spread around the Pacific Ocean.