Ace Frehley, the original guitarist of KISS, passed away at the age of 74 due to blunt trauma injuries to the head following a fall, the Morris County Medical Examiner has confirmed. The manner of death was officially ruled an accident, according to a report obtained by People on Monday, November 10.
Frehley, whose birth name was Paul Daniel Frehley, died peacefully at his home in Morristown, New Jersey, on October 16. He had suffered a second fall nearly two weeks prior, which caused a brain bleed and left him on life support. His family made the difficult decision to remove him from the ventilator.
The rock legend was laid to rest on October 22 at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York, near where he grew up and close to his parents’ resting place, honoring his wishes. A private memorial was held the day before, on October 21, at Sinatra Memorial Home in Yonkers, New York.
SiriusXM host Eddie Trunk, who attended both the private memorial and burial, noted that the services included a small circle of family and close friends, including Frehley’s fellow original KISS members Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Peter Criss.
The October 21 service in Yonkers drew around 75 attendees, mostly musicians who had collaborated with Frehley over the years, according to Tampa Bay Music News. Trunk shared in an Instagram video that the gathering honored Frehley’s life in a way that reflected his personal connection to his hometown and his musical legacy.
Frehley played on some of KISS’s most legendary albums, including Kiss (1974), Destroyer (1976), Love Gun (1977), and Dynasty (1979), writing and performing classics like “Shock Me,” “Rocket Ride,” and “Talk to Me.” His 1978 self-titled solo album, featuring the hit single “New York Groove,” remains a fan favorite.
After leaving KISS in the early 1980s, Frehley continued a successful solo career with FREHLEY’S COMET and released a string of acclaimed albums, including Anomaly (2009) and 10,000 Volts (2024). He reunited with KISS for their 1996 reunion tour, thrilling fans worldwide and reaffirming his place as one of rock’s most influential guitarists.
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