Stars From American Idol You Didn't Know Died

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The following includes discussions of suicide, addiction, and mental health.

"American Idol" is the American singing show that changed reality competition television forever when it first debuted in June 2002. Since then, the show has had 23 successful seasons and is officially returning for a 24th season to give more people the chance to become major superstars. Over the course of over 20 years, we have seen plenty of contestants come and go, some with incredible talent and others ... not so much. While some people don't have much success on the show, many singers do leave the competition fully prepared to enter the music industry and become huge stars like Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, and Carrie Underwood. 

Unfortunately, many people have faced terrible tragedies after their time on the singing show. Some contestants from earlier seasons of the music competition are no longer alive. Read on to learn about "American Idol" stars who have died.

Nikki McKibbin became a household name after appearing on the first season of Fox's "American Idol" back in 2002. She is famously known for being the third-place finalist behind Kelly Clarkson and runner-up Justin Guarini. In 2020, McKibbin died at the age of 42 after suffering from a brain aneurysm. Her husband, Craig Sadler, announced on Facebook that she was kept on life support to "give her final gift" as an organ donor. "Even at the end she is still giving," Sadler wrote. "She was so loved that I know thousands of you will be grieving with us."

After her time on "Idol," McKibbin released her debut rock album, "Unleashed," in 2007. In 2008, she appeared on the reality television show "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" to seek treatment for her alcohol and drug addiction. One year prior to her death, McKibbin spoke with People about her struggles with addiction and life after the competition. "I've battled substance abuse and I'm winning, but it's still a struggle every day," she said. "For a long time, I wasn't taking care of myself. I wasn't being the person I should be. I'm in a better place now."

Several "American Idol" alum, judges, celebrities, and fans of the show remembered the late singer on social media, including Guarini, Ryan Seacrest, and Paula Abdul. 

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Leah LaBelle was a Season 3 contestant on "American Idol" who competed against winner Fantasia Barrino and runner-up Diana DeGarmo in 2004. The 31-year-old R&B singer and her husband, former NBA player Rasual Butler, were both killed in a car crash in Studio City, California on January 31, 2018. At the time of the incident, 38-year-old Butler was driving above the speed limit before losing control of his Range Rover, hitting a parking meter and later crashing the vehicle into a concrete wall. According to Radar Online, both LaBelle and Butler were confirmed to have had drugs and alcohol in their system when the accident happened and were pronounced dead at the scene. 

After coming in 12th place during the season finale of the competition, LaBelle later signed a record deal with Epic Records, in a joint collaboration with Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Records and Pharrell's I Am Other label. During this time, her musical career took off as she released a five-track sampler, including the hit single "Sexify" that has over 1.7 million views on YouTube as of this publication.

"Idol" alum, judges, celebrities, and many of Butler's teammates came together to mourn the tragic death of the couple on social media, including basketball player Kevin Love and singer JoJo. 

"American Idol" alum Rickey Smith was known for his charismatic personality, warm smile, and incredibly strong vocals during his time on the singing show. He appeared during the second season back in January 2003 and ended up ranking in eighth place of the competition. In May 2016, Smith was killed in an Oklahoma car crash on Interstate 240 at 36 years old. According to NewsOK, Smith was pronounced dead at the scene after an alleged drunk driver going the wrong way crashed. The driver, identified as Gerardo Cerda Jr., was later taken into custody after members of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol smelled alcohol in his truck after the accident. 

Smith competed alongside Clay Aiken, Kimberley Locke, Kim Caldwell, and the winner of the season, Ruben Studdard. Studdard remembered his friend in a post on Instagram, saying, "You were the heart of our season and the true definition of a real friend ... I will miss you my Friend RIP Ricky Smith" (via the Kansas City Star). Studdard continued, "I'm sure you're in heaven singing [your] heart out!!!"

Plus-size model and former "American Idol" contestant Joanne Borgella appeared on Season 7 of the popular singing show in 2008. At 32 years old, Borgella passed away after a battle with endometrial cancer, and her family shared the news on her Facebook page on October 18, 2014. "With heavy hearts, we are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved Joanne," the family wrote (via CBS News). They continued, "Although our family is suffering with this great loss, we find comfort in the closeness Joanne shared with the Lord." 

Before the New York native sang her way to the top 24 female finalists on "Idol," Borgella appeared on and won "Mo'Nique's Fat Chance" in 2005, a reality show for plus-size models. After winning the competition, she went on to continue modeling professionally for major brands like Macy's, Nordstrom, and Ashley Stewart. She was also featured on MTV's "Made" and NUVOtv's "Curvy Girls." 

"American Idol" finalist Michael Johns was 35 years old when he died from an enlarged heart and fatty liver in 2014. TMZ originally reported that the Australian singer died from a blood clot in his ankle after injuring his leg. It was later confirmed that the cause of death was dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition that "inhibited the flow of blood to his body and caused his heart to enlarge." The fatty liver could have been the result of excessive alcohol usage. He is survived by his wife, Stacey Vuduris.

Johns made it far on "American Idol," finishing in eighth place. After his time on the popular music show, he released his full-length debut album, "Hold Back My Heart," in 2009, which features the hit single "Heart on My Sleeve." He later released the 2012 EP "Love & Sex" and the single "Day Breaks Sun" in 2014. The iconic producer David Foster thought highly of Johns, who performed on his PBS special "Hit Man: David Foster and Friends."

In an interview with USA Today at the Idols Live tour in 2008, Johns discussed his love for performing and being in the spotlight. "I will say, being a celebrity doesn't suck," he shared. "I don't know how long I'll be a celebrity. Might as well enjoy."

Alexis Cohen, the 25-year-old singer known as "Glitter Girl" on "American Idol," was killed in a hit-and-run in Seaside Heights, New Jersey in July 2009. Driver Daniel Bark was arrested on multiple charges, including leaving the scene of an accident. Autopsy results indicated that the Allentown, Pennsylvania native suffered from multiple head, chest, and abdominal injuries after the collision. 

Cohen auditioned for the Fox show during Season 7 and Season 8, and was well-known for her spunky, defiant attitude and for clashing with judge Simon Cowell. After performing her cover of Grace Slick's "Somebody to Love" during her audition in 2007, Cowell wasn't pleased with her performance and said she seemed "possessed" (via ABC News). After the judges told her no and suggested that the competition was not the best fit for her, Cohen left the audition, called Cowell "egotistical," and flipped off the camera. When she arrived back at "Idol" to audition for Season 8 for redemption, she was again unsuccessful.  

Paula Goodspeed, the "American Idol" contestant who was an obsessive fan of Paula Abdul, was found dead in her car near the TV judge's home in an apparent suicide by overdose in November 2008. Goodspeed, 30, was parked near Abdul's home in Los Angeles. Abdul was filming an "American Idol" special when Goodspeed's body was found. Days before her death, Goodspeed had reportedly sent Abdul flowers to her home with a note that read, "Hope you're doing great. Here's my new cell number," and was signed, "Love, J.T." (via People), presumably an attempt to impersonate Abdul's boyfriend at the time, J.T. Torregiani, and get the singer to call her. 

Goodspeed left judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Abdul speechless with her disastrous audition, performing Tina Turner's "Proud Mary" during Season 5. At her audition, she stepped out in an all-pink outfit and mouth full of braces. Cowell said he didn't know how someone could sing with "that much metal" in her mouth. She did not make it to Hollywood.

In an interview with Access Hollywood in December 2008, Abdul opened up about how deeply affected she was by Goodspeed's suicide. "I went through a very rough time of feeling like she wanted my attention so much ... I shed a lot of tears. It was tumultuous, for me," Abdul said.  

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"American Idol" alum and former "All New Mickey Mouse Club" member Marque "Tate" Lynche died from "acute and chronic alcoholism" on December 6, 2016, according to the medical examiner's office (via People). He was found dead in his Harlem apartment at 34 years old. After the R&B singer's father, Marque Sr. had died in 2014, he was allegedly struggling with his mental health and battling depression. Lynche had also lost his mother, Michelle, in 2004 to pancreatic cancer. A few months before the singer's death, TMZ reported that Lynche had been arrested for punching an NYPD police officer in the face after being confronted for jumping a turnstile and charged with assault in August 2015. He died before the case went to trial. 

Between 1993 and 1995, Lynch worked as a Mousketeer alongside Britney Spears, Ryan Gosling, Justin Timberlake, and Christina Aguilera. Lynche later appeared on Season 3 of "American Idol" in 2004 and made it to the semi-finals alongside Jennifer Hudson, but was later eliminated before reaching the Top 12.

Haley Smith, a former contestant on "American Idol," died at 26 years old in a motorcycle crash in Millinocket, Maine in September 2019. According to TMZ, police said that the crash was caused by failing to make a sharp turn on a residential road that quickly became a highway and that she was pronounced dead at the scene. Mike Smith, her father, shared his suspicions that a deer may have been the cause of the incident.

Smith auditioned for "Idol" in Colorado during Season 11 back in 2012 when she was 18 years old. During her audition, she performed the song "Tell Me Something Good" by Rufus and Chaka Khan. The judges at the time — Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, and Steven Tyler — were seemingly impressed with her performance. Tyler told the singer that he "loved [her] voice" and that she was "right out of [his] era." Although she made it to Hollywood after her audition, she did not make it further than the first round of the competition. 

Georgia singer and "American Idol" Season 19 runner-up Willie Spence died on October 11, 2022, at 23 years old after a car accident in Tennessee. Spence went viral online back in 2017 for covering Rihanna's "Diamonds" in a school classroom, and eventually performed the same song for his "Idol" audition in 2021. 

The singer was allegedly driving home to Atlanta from Tennessee when the accident took place, and he crashed into a semi-truck that was parked on the side of the road. Many fans know and loved Spence for his iconic voice, singing hits such as "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke and Ray Charles' "Georgia on My Mind" on the show. Hours before he passed, Spence shared an Instagram reel of him covering the Christian band Selah's "You Are My Hiding Place."

On social media, many friends and family members remembered the late singer, including the official "American Idol" Facebook account, for the wonderful person he was and his true talent. "We are devastated about the passing of our beloved American Idol family member, Willie Spence," the show wrote. "He was a true talent who lit up every room he entered and will be deeply missed. We send our condolences to his loved ones." Over the course of his career, Spence released a six-song EP titled "The Voice" in 2021, including the single "Forever More."

"American Idol" alum Mandisa died in April 2024 at her home in Tennessee, following complications related to class III obesity. The Grammy-winning gospel singer, who rose to fame on Season 5 of the show, was 47. Her passing prompted an outpouring of tributes from the music community, including from judge Paula Abdul, who recalled her stint on the show rather emotionally: "Her warmth and unwavering kindness towards everyone, even in the face of harsh criticism, was truly unmatched" (via People). 

Mandisa first grabbed audience attention in 2006, where her rich, soulful voice earned her a spot in the top 10 of "American Idol." While she didn't clinch the coveted title, she went on to create a legacy – winning a Grammy for her 2013 album, "Overcomer," and becoming a notable name in the Christian music scene — that immortalized her place in the music world even after her passing. 

"Out of the Dark," the final album she released before her death, shared its name with a memoir Mandisa wrote that dealt with her personal struggles with depression and mental health — subjects she became known for speaking candidly about in public. "I sank into a deep pit of depression," she told People about how the passing of a close friend dramatically changed her life and set in motion a chain reaction that led her to form a difficult relationship with food and have suicidal thoughts. "You're battling shame, and you don't want to leave the house." 

It didn't take long for C.J. Harris to earn a loyal following once he stepped onto the "American Idol" stage in 2014. Widely beloved by fans for both his music chops and likeable presence, he stood out distinctly in Season 13, even though he didn't make it past the top six. So when he died in January 2023 from a heart attack in his hometown of Alabama, the outpouring of grief was immense. Harris' fellow contestants led the tributes, with season winner Caleb Johnson writing on X: "Absolutely tragic ... you were taken from us way to soon." 

Born into a family that enjoyed music, Harris' interests were ignited early and he began strumming on a three-stringed guitar passed down to him by his grandfather, he told The Hollywood Reporter. He went on to experiment with music and play at bars, eventually auditioning for a string of talent shows — from "The X-Factor" to "The Voice," and even "American Idol" in 2010. His break came four years later. 

Harris rode the high of fame for a while after the show ended, touring with his fellow contestants and performing on the prestigious Grand Ole Opry stage. His career peaks alternated with some lows in his life — such as his arrest in 2016 during a drug bust in Alabama. He managed to bounce back from the incident, however, and released his debut single "In Love" in 2019. More new music was apparently in the pipeline before his death. 

Doug Kiker's success on "American Idol" was something to reckon with, despite its tragic ending. Known as the Singing Garbage Man — for his day job as a sanitation worker in Alabama — Kiker won hearts from the get-go with a soulful rendition of "Bless the Broken Road" during the Season 18 auditions. Not only did his performance move judge Katy Perry to tears, it also amassed over 200 million views online. Though he was eliminated, he marked a memorable return during the season finale — collaborating with Rascal Flatts on their song that had first launched him to stardom. 

That he had never sung professionally before the ABC show remained a point of awe among fans, who continued to follow his success beyond television. Building on the momentum of his "American Idol" fame, he continued to impress with his covers of classics like "Ain't No Sunshine," "Fly Me to the Moon," and more on social media. But the road wasn't always smooth for the father of two, who was arrested in a domestic violence case in 2021. 

In the days before his death, Kiker's health had reportedly declined and he had been found in a poor state on the streets of Denver. After a passerby raised the alarm, the singer was hospitalized but could not survive. He died in March 2025 at the age of 32. While a cause of death wasn't immediately released, TMZ eventually confirmed that it was a drug overdose that had killed Kiker.