CMU reports:

Police in LA say they are investigating the untimely death of folk-punk singer Elliott Smith, who seems to have died from a single stab wound on Tuesday. Although investigators are still to rule out foul play, all indications point to suicide. The coroner's office confirmed Smith was found by a female friend on Tuesday lunchtime. She took him to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead within the hour. A full coroner's examination is yet to be completed.

Film director Steve Hanft, who used two of Smith's tracks in his recent arthouse flick 'Southlander: Diary of a Desperate Musician' added: "Elliott Smith was an extraordinarily warm person and gifted musician. He had a very keen sense of humor and a kind heart, but he was also a complete bad ass....One of my fondest memories is seeing Elliott hanging with his girl and some friends, sitting down at the piano smiling, and playing his own wild version of a Rachmaninoff piece, which he called 'Punkrachmaninoff.' He was a misunderstood genius, and each time he sat down with his acoustic guitar and played a song it was better than the last."