Marvin Gaye was a renowned singer, songwriter, and record producer based in Los Angeles. He had several hits with his name including “Ain’t that peculiar”, “How Sweet It Is (to Be Loved by You)” and “I heard it through the Grapevine”. Moreover, he is considered as one of the top artists who contributed to the success of Motown Records.
The tragic end to his life came on April 1, 1984, when he was shot dead by his father Marvin Gay Sr, just a day before his 45th birthday. The incident took place at his house in the West Adams district of Los Angeles when an argument took place between the father and son which quickly escalated into a physical one. Marvin’s mother, Alberta Gay tried to calm down her son when suddenly Marvin Gay Sr took the revolver which Marvin Jr had given him as a gift and shot him three times in the chest.
Although the whole scenario seemed like a simple gunshot incident, there was a lot more revealed when the investigation was carried. Reports suggested that Marvin Gaye’s father was an abusive and alcoholic individual and was a strict father from an early age. Marvin Sr also used to forcefully teach biblical passages to his children and used to beat them if they couldn’t memorize.
After the gunshot incident, Marvin Sr was arrested on the charges of manslaughter and was given a six-year sentence and five years of probation. He later died in his California nursing home in 1988.
Marvin Gaye was a renowned singer, songwriter, and record producer based in Los Angeles. He had several hits with his name including “Ain’t that peculiar”, “How Sweet It Is (to Be Loved by You)” and “I heard it through the Grapevine”. Moreover, he is considered as one of the top artists who contributed to the success of Motown Records.
The tragic end to his life came on April 1, 1984, when he was shot dead by his father Marvin Gay Sr, just a day before his 45th birthday. The incident took place at his house in the West Adams district of Los Angeles when an argument took place between the father and son which quickly escalated into a physical one. Marvin’s mother, Alberta Gay tried to calm down her son when suddenly Marvin Gay Sr took the revolver which Marvin Jr had given him as a gift and shot him three times in the chest.
Although the whole scenario seemed like a simple gunshot incident, there was a lot more revealed when the investigation was carried. Reports suggested that Marvin Gaye’s father was an abusive and alcoholic individual and was a strict father from an early age. Marvin Sr also used to forcefully teach biblical passages to his children and used to beat them if they couldn’t memorize.
After the gunshot incident, Marvin Sr was arrested on the charges of manslaughter and was given a six-year sentence and five years of probation. He later died in his California nursing home in 1988.