Shocking & Mysterious Deaths

A Persuasive/Research Investigation into shocking or mysterious murders, suicides or deaths.

Requirements: Must be mostly about the person’s death Some background info. is appropriate Must be 1500 words, typed, double-spaced MLA style (no title page) Works Cited must be on last page.

Format: Introduction (1 paragraph) Body A= Story of Death Body B= Society’s Reaction or Controversy Body C= You persuade audience: What is

the TRUTH? Conclusion (1 paragraph)

PresidentsAssassinated

Controversy

Cover-up

Government

High Profile

Were there two gunmen?

Assassinated

Controversy

Cover-up

Government

High Profile

Who were the real organizers?

John F. Kennedy

Abraham Lincoln

World LeadersAssassinated?

Fever?

Killed by his friend?

Most successful military leader of all time.

Conquered the world for Greece

Assassinated

Controversy

Killed by his friends

Stabbed to death by the Senate

Leader of the Roman Empire

Alexander the Great

Julius Cesar

World LeadersAssassinated?

Cancer?

Was it an impersonator who died??

Military Genius

Controversy

British Dictator

Murdered?

Malaria?

What happened to his head?Napoleon

Bonaparte Oliver Cromwell

Political FiguresLeader of the Teamsters Union

Mafia Connections

Was his body hidden in the New York Giants Stadium?

Running for President

Assassinated

Was in the Strawberry Festival Parade 2 days earlier.

Was the CIA involved?

Jimmy HoffaRobert

Kennedy

Civil Rights LeadersAssassinated

KKK Guilty?

Nation of Islam Guilty?

By any means necessary...

Assassinated

Racists?

Was the gov’t involved?

Malcolm XMartin Luther

King Jr.

Famous PeopleSuicide?

Accidental?

Who gets her money?

Who is her daughters daddy? Tragic Shock

Did he do something wrong?

What are his wife & daughter up to now?

Anna Nicole Smith

Steve Irwin

RappersWho started it?

Who is responsible?

Suge Knight

East/West?

Set up?

Is he really dead?

Sean Combs?

Biggie SmallsTupac

Message to their Music

Racial equality message in his music

Shot by his father

Cancer?

Murder?

Did Marijuana keep him alive longer?

Marvin Gaye

Bob Marley

Dead too Young!Nirvana Singer

Suicide?

Murder?

Courtney?

He was 24.

60s Singer

Overdose

Recording her last album.

She was 27.

Kurt CobainJanis Joplin

Dead too Young!The Crow

Son of Bruce Lee

Murder?

Chinese Mafia?

Bullets were supposed to be blanks!

He was 28.

A Knight’s Tale

The Joker

Suicide?

Accident?

He was 29.

Brandon Lee Heath Ledger

Dead too Young!La Bamba

Plane Crash with Buddy Holly.

Should the plane have taken off?

He was 17.

Murdered

Fan club president

Trusted friend

She was 23.Richie Valens

Selena

IconsActor

Car Crash

Was his movie cursed?

He was 24.

Murdered?

Suicide?

Did the gov’t kill her?

Was it the Kennedy family?

She was 35.James Dean Marilyn Monroe

MusiciansSinger

Plane Crash

Should the plane have taken off?

Song “Peggy Sue”

He was 23.

Heart Attack?

Overdose?

How many prescription drugs was he taking?

National Enquirer

He was 42.Buddy Holly

Elvis Presley

ComediansActor

Suicide?

Faking?

Goodbye Phonecalls

Drugs?

He was 22.

Accident?

Overdose?

Who gave him the speedball?

Murder?

He was 33.Freddie Prinze John Belushi

Sports & Super HeroesNASCAR

Crash

Changes to NASCAR Rules.

Going 150 mph into the wall.

He was 50.

Dale Earnhardt George

Reeves

Superman

Suicide?

Psycho Ex?

Mafia hit?

Why didn’t the guests at the party call the cops ‘til 30 min after the shot?

Early Teen HearthrobsBeatles

Killed by a fan

What is with the number 9?

What book is connected?

John Lennon Dennis Wilson

Beach Boys

Alcoholism

Suicide?

Accident?

Drowning

People said he wouldn’t die an old man.

MusiciansThe Doors

Suicide?

Heroin overdose?

Asthma?

Not really dead?

Jim Morrison

Jimi Hendrix

Sleeping Pill over dose?

Was he alive in the ambulance?

Suicide?

Accident?

RoyaltyCar Crash

Paparazzi?

Drunk Driver?

Conspiracy?

Would Seat Belt have saved her?

Why did the ambulance stop for 1 hr?

John F. Kennedy Jr.

Princess Diana

Pilot Error?

Weather?

Auto-Pilot Malfunction?

Kennedy Curse?

Rolling Stones

Suicide?

Accident?

Overdose?

Drowning?

Murdered by a builder?

Brian Jones Bruce Lee

Martial Artist

Aspirin?

Gangsters?

Fight?

Brain Swelling?

Marijuana?

Mama Cass Elliot

The Mamas & the Papas

Death by Ham Sandwich?

FBI?

Heart Attack?

Actress

Accident?

Murder?

Why so many bruises on her body?

Others on boat not talking

Natalie Wood Phil Hartman

Comedian

Murder/Suicide

Killed by wife

Kids in the house

Why?

Pat Tillman

NFL Player/Soldier

Friendly fire?

Cover up?

Headlines8 months Pregnant

Did her husband do it?

How did her body get into the ocean?

Laci Peterson

JonBenet Ramsey

Was it her parents?

How did they not hear anything?

Did the police ruin the investigation?

Headlines8 ½ months Pregnant

Why did the Manson Family want her dead?

Why did they write “Pig” on the front door in Sharon’s blood?

Sharon Tate Sid & Nancy

The Sex Pistols

Did he kill Nancy?

Did he want her to do it?

Murder/Suicide gone wrong?

Was it a drug deal gone wrong?

Research Guidelines:1. Sources:

-Primary vs. Secondary

- up-to-date? factual?- URL: .gov, .org, .edu, .com

2. skimming vs. reading

3. FORMAL: third person, no contractions