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It's been several weeks since legendary KISS guitarist Ace Frehley passed away (on Thursday, October 16, 2025), at the age of 74. The cause of death has now been revealed as blunt trauma to the head due to a fall, according to the Morris County, New Jersey Medical Examiner's report. The fall resulted in a fracture to the back of his skull, a subdural hematoma, and a stroke. His death was ruled an accident.
Frehley was placed on life support following the fall, which occurred in a studio and led to a brain bleed. Despite undergoing a procedure to address the hematoma, he did not recover, and his family made the difficult decision to turn off the ventilator.
Ace Frehley was a founding member of KISS, joining the band in 1973 alongside Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Peter Criss. He played with the band until 1982, when he left due to substance abuse issues and creative differences. Frehley rejoined KISS for their farewell tour in 1996 and continued his solo career after departing the band again in 2002.
His family expressed their devastation and heartbreak, stating, "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."
The Morris County Medical Examiner's office is conducting a toxicology screening as part of the investigation into Frehley's death. The findings are expected to be finalized in the coming weeks. Frehley is the first original member of KISS to pass away.