Is any publicity really good publicity?

There's nothing trivial about death, but when it involves a celebrity the circumstances will eventually find their way into a trivia question in one form or another - and that's what I'm here for.

Here's a list of 30 celebrities that have been involved in the death of someone else - some are cold blooded killers, others were simply involved in tragic accidents with no wrong-doing on their part, and some we'll never know what really happened.

Phil Spector

6 years after being accused of shooting a woman in the face, Spector was finally found guilty and is currently serving 19 years to life.

Pat Hare

Influential rockabilly and blues guitarist released the single "I'm Gonna Murder My Baby" and then murdered his girlfriend. Really. He died in prison.

Keith Moon

Accidentally ran over and killed his driver and bodyguard when he was trying to get away from a mob after leaving a pub. Ruled an accident and Keith was cleared of all charges.

Matthew Broderick

He was driving with actress Jennifer Grey when their car drifted into the opposing lane of traffic and struck an oncoming car, killing the 2 women passengers. Broderick was charged with "causing death by dangerous driving" but was only found guilty of careless driving and fined $175.

Sid Vicious

Sex Pistols bassist was charged with murdering his girlfriend by stabbing her. He was never brought to trial because he died a few months later of a drug overdose while out on bail.

Rebecca Gayheart

TV and film star ran over and killed a 9 year old boy.  Gayheart pleaded no contest to vehicular manslaughter and got 3 years probation and a $2,800 fine.

Brandy Norwood
She was involved in a multiple car accident in which a woman died after being struck by the car Brandy was driving. Brandy was not charged with any crime.

Snoop Dogg

Snoop was accused of driving the car while his bodyguard shot and killed a gang member. Both were charged with murder, but Johnnie Cochran got them acquitted.

O.J. Simpson

Charged with murdering his wife and her friend. Found innocent in a court of law. The verdict was one of the most watched events in the history of television.

John Landis

Movie Director was charged with involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of actor Vic Morrow and 2 children while filming the movie The Twilight Zone. Acquitted after 9 month trial.

John Huston

The famous director ran over a woman and killed her. He was not charged with any crime.

Vince Neil

Motley Crue singer had a blood alcohol level of 0.17 when he drove into oncoming traffic and killed a passenger in his car, the drummer for the rock band Hanoi Rocks. Charged with vehicular manslaughter, Neil served 15 days in jail.

Howard Hughes

He ran over a guy and killed him. A witness said Hughes was driving fast and erratic. A couple days later the witness changed his story and the billionaire was not charged with any wrong doing.

Robert Blake

The Baretta star's wife was shot and Blake was charged with murder, solicitation of murder, and conspiracy to commit murder. He was found not guilty.

Felicia Pearson

The Wire actress was convicted of second degree murder and served 6.5 years in prison.

Lead Belly

The legendary blues singer served 7 years after murdering a relative in a fight over a woman.

Charles S. Dutton

Convicted of manslaughter when he was 17, he spend 7 years in prison.

Gig Young

The Academy Award winning actor was found dead with his new wife. It is assumed he shot her and then killed himself.

Lane Garrison

The Prison Break actor was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter and drunken driving in the death of a 17 year old boy. He served about 3 years in prison.

Johnny Lewis

The Sons of Anarchy actor was found dead along with an elderly woman in a home in L.A. It was assumed that Lewis killed the woman and then died accidentally in a fall.

Amy Locane

The TV and film actress killed a 60 year old woman as she was turning into her driveway. Locanes' blood alcohol level was 3 times the legal limit at the time of the accident. She was convicted of  vehicular homicide and assault by auto and sentenced to 3 years.

Fatty Arbuckle

In one of the greatest scandals in Hollywood history, the silent film star and comedian was accused of raping an aspiring actress at a party which caused injuries that ultimately lead to her death. He was finally found innocent after 3 trials, but his life and career were ruined.

Fay DeWitt

The television actress and comedienne killed her recently divorced husband with a letter opener in 1965, allegedly in self-defense. I was unable to find additional info on whether or not there was a trial.

Lillo Brancato Jr.

The Bronx Tale actor was charged with 2nd degree murder in the killing of a police officer during a burglary. His partner was found guilty of the murder and given life for the shooting, and Lillo was found guilty of burglary and sentenced to 10 years.

Jim Gordon

One of the most important sessions drummers in the 60's and 70's, and member of the super group Derek & The Dominos, Jim was a diagnosed schizophrenic who killed his mother because of the voices in his head. He was sentenced to 16 years to life and is still incarcerated.

Varg Vikernes

Norwegian rock musician who was found guilty of murdering another musician and burning down several churches. He served 15 years in prison.

Joe Meek

He produced The Tornedos "Telstar" - the first single by a British group to reach No. 1 on the U.S. charts and then 5 years later killed his landlady and himself with a shotgun (a shotgun he stole from the Tornedos' bass player).

Spade Cooley

Spade was a popular band leader and swing musician who beat his wife to death and then claimed she died when she slipped in the shower. He was sentenced to life and died in prison.

Don Drummond

He was a founding member of The Skatallites and a household name in Jamaica. He was convicted of killing his girlfriend and was sentenced to life in an asylum for the criminally insane.

Rick Stevens

Tower of Power singer convicted of a double murder in a drug deal gone bad. I think he's still in prison.

Additionally, if you dig deep into Sports, Politics and Rap Music you'll find plenty more stories including (but certainly not limited to)...

Big Lurch

Jayson Williams

John Wilkes Booth

Don King

William S. Burroughs

J.R. Smith

Ted Kennedy

Aaron Burr
Laura Bush
C-Murder