Paul Gray (#2) Found Dead In Iowa Hotel
According to the Des Moines Register
, Urbandale, Iowa police are investigating the death of SLIPKNOT's bass guitarist at a local hotel.
Paul Dedrick Gray, 38, of Johnston was found dead at approximately 10:50 a.m. today by an employee at TownePlace Suites (pictured below), 8800 Northpark Drive, police said.
There was no evidence of foul play, police said.
According to KCCI.com
, the Polk County Medical Examiner's Office is assisting in the death investigation and will perform an autopsy on Tuesday. Toxicology testing will be completed to determine if there were any contributing factors in the death of Gray, police said.
Witnesses reported that items from the hotel room were carried out of the hotel around 2 p.m.
We are still waiting for confirmation from the Band and/or its record label Roadrunner Records.
An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday. Toxicology tests will be done.
Gray was a founding member of Slipknot and one of only two members not born in Iowa. The band broke into the mainstream with a platinum-selling self-titled debut in 1999. Two follow-ups, 2002's "Iowa" and 2005's "Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses)" also went platinum. The band has been nominated for seven Grammy awards, winning in 2006 for best metal performance.
“It’s just a devastating loss for the Des Moines music scene and the world’s music scene,” said Matt Nyberg, who was dubbed “First Maggot” by Slipknot’s Shawn Crahan. Nyberg’s band Facecage is on Slipknot lead singer Corey Taylor’s Great Big Mouth Records. “He was always one of the nicest guys. You never heard anything negative from him."
