Mike Starr Loses Addiction Battle

Mike Starr, 44, founding bassist of Alice In Chains, was found dead earlier this week in Salt Lake City. No official cause of death has been issued, but the musician’s long struggle with addiction was well documented. His most recent arrest was just last month, when he was in a car pulled over for a routine traffic violation. At the wheel was Travis Meeks of the rock band Days of the New. Meeks was issued a citation for driving on a suspended license and then released, but Starr was arrested for illegal possession of prescription medications oxymorphone and alprazolam, used for treating anxiety and panic attacks. There was also an outstanding warrant for Starr’s arrest for failure to appear following a 2003 drug arrest.  

Starr left the Seattle-based band Alice in Chains in 1993. In 2010, he faced his demons by appearing on VH1's Celebrity Rehab followed by a stint on Sober House. During those shows he discussed his heroin addiction and blamed his drug abuse for getting kicked out of the band. Alice In Chains lead singer Layne Staley died of a drug overdose in 2002.

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