Brian Jones, founder of the Rolling Stones, died on July 3, 1969, at the age of 27, after drowning in the pool at his home, Cotchford Farm, in East Sussex.
He had been kicked out of the band less than a month earlier due to his serious drug and alcohol problems. That night, he was at home with his girlfriend Anna Wohlin, Janet Lawson, and the builder Frank Thorogood. There was a small gathering with alcohol and hash cakes. Jones consumed various substances, and around midnight he was found floating unconscious at the bottom of the pool. They were unable to revive him.
The autopsy ruled the cause of death as drowning under the influence of alcohol and drugs, with severe damage to the liver and heart. The official verdict was “death by misadventure.”
Although it is considered an accident, conspiracy theories persist pointing to Thorogood, who allegedly argued with him over money that night and is said to have confessed to the crime before dying. His girlfriend always claimed that Jones still had a pulse when she pulled him out of the water. The police reviewed the case years later without reopening it.
Two days later, the Rolling Stones held a tribute concert in Hyde Park in front of 250,000 people.