A cause of death has been announced following the death of Ace Frehley, the original guitarist and a founding member of the legendary rock band Kiss.
On Oct. 16, Frehley’s family announced that the iconic rocker had died at 74 after suffering a fall in his Morristown, N.J., home. A report from the Morris County Medical Examiner, obtained by PEOPLE, confirms that Frehley died of blunt trauma injuries. The manner of his death was ruled an accident.
Entertainment Weekly has reached out to the Medical Examiner’s office for additional information.
Frehley’s family announced his death last month in a statement shared with EW, which read, “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.”
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The family’s statement continued, “We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace’s memory will continue to live on forever!”
Frehley is survived by his wife Jeanette, his daughter Monique, his brother Charles, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Frehley’s death came a month after the musician’s team told fans that he’d suffered a “minor” fall in the studio. The September incident prompted him to cancel his then-upcoming shows in Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio.
“He is fine, but against his wishes, his doctor insists that he refrain from travel at this time,” read the note. “Ace looks forward to continuing on his tour and finishing work on his next album, Origins Vol. [3].”
The musician subsequently canceled the rest of his 2025 tour dates “due to ongoing medical issues.”
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Known for his “Spaceman” (or “Space Ace”) persona and makeup, Frehley co-founded Kiss in 1973 alongside bassist Gene Simmons, rhythm guitarist Paul Stanley, and drummer Peter Criss. Together they settled on the name Kiss and soon evolved their act to include lively pyrotechnics, elaborate outfits, and the now-legendary black-and-white makeup aesthetic that they are widely known for.
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Frehley penned several songs including “Cold Gin,” “Parasite,” and “Getaway,” for their albums and contributed vocals on tracks such as “Save Your Love” and “Hard Times.” He ultimately played on Kiss’ first nine albums before he left the band in 1982. After departing, he formed his own group called Frehley’s Comet and enjoyed a successful solo career that began in 1978 with a platinum-selling self-titled debut. Decades later, he would release 2014’s Space Invader, the success of which made him the only Kiss member to crack the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 albums chart with a solo record.
Frehley returned to Kiss for the group’s 1998 reunion album, Psycho Circus, then left again in 2002. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.