Cause of Ronnie Montrose’s Death Still Under Investigation

In a strange turn of events, Brisbane, Calif. police are reportedly investigating the circumstances surrounding the passing of legendary guitarist Ronnie Montrose.

According to Classic Rock magazine, immediately after his passing on March 3 of this year it was widely believed that Montrose, who had performed with Sammy Hagar and Edgar Winter among others, had passed away as the result of a battle with prostate cancer. However, now some questions as to his fate have apparently arisen.

Speculation surrounding the death of Montrose began to grow after a rather carefully worded statement was posted on his official website soon after his passing. The post makes no direct mention that his death was tied to his battle with prostate cancer, instead explaining:

“A few months ago, we held a surprise party for Ronnie Montrose’s 64th birthday. He gave an impromptu speech, and told us that after a long life, filled with joy and hardship, he didn’t take any of our love for granted.

He passed today. He’d battled cancer, and staved off old age for long enough. And true to form, he chose his own exit the way he chose his own life. We miss him already, but we’re glad to have shared with him while we could.”

This would seem to possibly indicate some Montrose chose some form of suicide. Asked about the circumstances surrounding the investigation, Jeannette Maldonado of the Brisbane Police said that because the coroner’s report was still pending, the case was still under investigation, making the report unavailable for release.