Jennifer Chiba, the girlfriend of the late Elliott Smith, tells her story...
CMU reports: ELLIOT SMITH'S GIRLFRIEND SPEAKS OUT OVER MURDER ALLEGATIONS…
"A sinister cabal of superior writers."
Jennifer Chiba, the girlfriend of the late Elliott Smith, tells her story...
CMU reports: ELLIOT SMITH'S GIRLFRIEND SPEAKS OUT OVER MURDER ALLEGATIONS…
Article comments
26 - njc
lev six
first off-see ya-wouldn't want to be ya!
secondly -and less importantly - you are a cliche
finally - if you had any sense of smith, cobain, shit! howdy mo fo doody you'd just simply stop rattling on and let the rest of the world continue you on where the cliches left off a long long time ago
be well
rest in peace to all the sad souls in circulation
27 - njc
sorry-
one more thing
the slash marks"
defensive wounds?
how about our man elliot( elliott) was appareantly a "cutter"
that said
i do love his music
he is in his own sad and twisted way a very inspiring soul (still-to this day-right freekin now)
ciao
28 - Kristi
Either way, he's gone and he left all of us a gift. We should be more concerned with his gift as an artist than his death as a human being. We know nothing beyond the gift he was willing to share.
29 - Cole
I agree with kristi, lets just celebrate what he brought to this world, not get caught in the politics
30 - Pdog
In Richmond VA the Harvey family was murdered by random strangers. That could have happened to Elliott. It could have been a botched murder-suicide. In the news it was said that Charlie Rockett cut his own throat. That is nearly impossible to believe unless drugs were involved. Even though Elliott was clean for a year the psychological role of addiction could still have been a factor. If Elliott's girlfriend is lying she is a remarkable psychopath.
31 - Shnitzel
We all love and miss elliott, and if he could see us right now he'd probably be laughing his ass off with all the crazy ideas people get in their head. However eliott died, we should all celebrate the great music he gave us. =]
r.i.p STEVE (ELLIOTT) SMITH
"burning every bridge that I cross, to find some beautiful place to get lost" - Elliott Smith
32 - Glad and smiling
Who cares? His music was gay anyway
33 - Elliott's Mom (not Smith)
I think he wanted her to do it to him. And she loved him so she did. He was miserable.
34 - helas
From what I've read, Jennifer Chiba stated that she found Elliott standing up with a knife in his chest, which might possibly explain why she would pull it out - she thought there was a chance he might survive. As for the cuts on his arms/hands, think about it. That alone does not prove anything. We don't know if the cuts were 'fresh' or healed, which would make a big difference. One thing we do know for sure is that Elliott suffered through addictions and horrible depression for most of his life. While many close to him seemed to have felt he was making a recovery, it is very common for addiction and depression sufferers to have very intense relapses. Life without your previous crutches can be very hard, and very frightening, and without a strong support system, many fall down, and some never get back up.
35 - Ronan McGrath
I dont care if he killed himself or if Chiba killed him. I am sad that we will never get to hear him laugh on stage again, never hear his masterpiece...
R.I.P. Elliott Smith
36 - tonky
you can all read the official autopsy report at smokinggun.
the 'refusal to speak with detectives' is also mentioned in the police report.
37 - Baker
dude did you guys not listen to his music? he sounds so depressed i think he killed himself and it didnt suprise me, the last song he recorded was "King's Crossing" and thats a great song, but it shows his suicidal nature man, i know a kid who was in the same situation with depression and drugs and shit, and he killed himself, thats just what that shit does to you man, and come on if youre boyfriend or girlfriend just died youre not going to want to talk to some stranger about it
38 - cara
I don't know enough about this to say what I think definitively happened, but this does sound very much like a homicide situation. It's kind of popular knowledge that whenever someone has something stuck in them, whether it be something as simply as a piece of lead in your arm or, in this case, a knife in your chest, it's best to let a medical professional remove it. Especially in this situation, where, had she not pulled it out, then he actually may have had a better chance of surviving. Pulling an object out in such a fragile place of the body may have caused more bleeding and also damaged more arteries, blood vessels, tissues, etc. It looks like a homicide, to me, and that's only furthered by her refusal to speak to detectives. But then again, I wasn't there and I don't know what happened definitively. Either way, it's a tragedy that such a beautiful talent is gone. XO
39 - Hoptoit
Miss him terribly...
40 - heythereimchristmas-y!
Um, ok?? What the hell is that about? LOL!! (above)
Anyway, Elliott Smith changed my life and it's hard to listen to other music because everything else sounds so fake or contrived. He was the Dylan of our generation.
I don't know who to believe anymore. Apparently 'white vans' were following him around before his death and there was apparently strange things happening to Elliott before his death that only a very small group know about. Cast of Characters: Label Reps, Manager, Jennifer, Dreamworks etc...
I read the other day that Kurt Cobain is the richest dead man alive! More than John Lennon and Elvis combined. It wouldn't surprise me his death was planned for future revenue.
Id hate this to be a fact, believe me..but he was a fucking genious, he will be missed in years to come.
I love you with all my heart,
Thanks for the memories and music
LL
41 - adams
i didn't read all these comments ... but for those that are accusing jen ... just stop. it's obvious it was a suicide, it's horrible and sad. leave it alone.
42 - cantmakeasound
[Edited]
I think people should not give their opinion without being informed about the facts, it is absolutely ridiculous to conclude about his death whereas the coroner and police were not able to close the case!! and no, his lyrics cannot bring an answer.
I had the privilege to meet him a couple of time, and the last time was about a month and half before his death.
I don't pretend to know what happened but I am absolutely not convinced it was a suicide, simply based on the facts: the method of suicide (very rare), TWO stab wounds, both fatal per se, the absence of hesitation marks, and the lacerations on his palms and under his right arm. The argument that Elliott was a cutter is just not valid, first of all because the coroner should have been able to make the difference between self-inflicted wounds and fresh lacerations, and also because the locations of these cuts do not make sense (under the right arm!!! and he was right handed). Then there is J. Chiba's behavior who removed the knife, did not cooperate with the police, and went abroad after it happened.
Again, I don't know what happened but nobody should draw any conclusion based on feelings or lyrics,... Read the facts!
43 - phillip western
wow....what horrible things written on this forum.
so much anger and vitriol.
a sensitive person, like he was, would probably find humanity extremely depressing and upsetting. this forum provides a good example of what makes life unbearable for some people.
44 - Drew
life is made up of catch-ups, we anger and pain over events that happen to us while trying to rationalize why they happend -- all after the fact.
The context of truth is much, much deeper than a who-dunnit case study. Where it lies exactly, I'm not sure. But the culmination of circumstances in his life, both ethereal and tangible, led up to this horrific end. Period. Fate drew it's ugly hand.
Remember, every mere turn we take in life, to the relationships we make, to the love we take and make, although unconcious as we are "in the act" of doing them, become, oh so significant in our act of death.
Analogy to tragedy is like Chinese medicine - the art of prevention is key to good health.
45 - SweetAdeline
I don't know how Chiba's personality is, but I doubt she wanted to kill him (why would she do that? She wouldn't get absolutely no profit of it, no money, no properties, no popularity...).
At the worst, she might have found Elliott trying to stab himself and tried to avoid it, but he finally managed to stick the knife into his chest (and that'd explain why he got all those lacerations in the arms, etc.);
AND ANYWAY
Do you think we should be suspicious of her because apparently she tried to remove the knife of his chest? Of course she could have touched it for other reasons, but if it was my boyfriend I'd have tried to take out the knife too, no matter what it may look like later. One could think that doing that could save his life -or be less painful.
If the police say they haven't found enough evidence for incriminating her, you should think this may be for some reason.
I still have doubts, but I think it was possible that he finally, and unexpectedly, got the courage to kill himself in a moment of despair, and his girlfriend arrived too late as she hadn't realized he was serious that time. In that case, nobody is to blame.
46 - Morgan
I think it strange that so many people have no problem with the idea of a human plunging a knife into his heart; pulling it out, and plunging it back through the heart (and making a new hole next to the other one at that.)
I'd like you to imagine (seriously) doing that to yourself - regardless if you were as depressed as he. Serioiusly ...imagine it.
If Chiba was taking a shower, it is entirely possible that someone came in the house and stabbed him. People do that sort of thing to celebrities; look at George Harrison for example.
It's also possible that she did it; but there is no proof. I can't form a clear opinion on that one.
It's possible, but it's a pretty nasty charge.
47 - smell the coffee
something is very fishy...
considering the direction of the stabs were atypical to those generally seen in cases of self inflicted stab wounds. also, there was no hesitation wound, inconsistent with that generally seen in those kinda cases.
Most importantly, I have read that Chiba stated that they were having an argument.
And what happens again and again when couples fight?...
C'mon people...
They very often physically HURT EACH OTHER!
I think given the facts of the case she most likely stabbed him and then covered her tracks and
the reason the police took no action is they know
they HAVE TO PROVE IT, or have better than a 50% chance of proving it. This is very difficult given that the probable murderer is the only witness and the physical evidence is inconclusive at best.
People keep stressing that he sang about suicide and was depressed BUT at least he was dealing with those feelings in his music and -with medication.
She most likely stabbed him, or, in the .03% chance that the laws of physics and typical human relationships were suspended and he did do it,
then she drove him, or partly drove him to do it, as it happened while they were fighting.
48 - dan
I love Elliott just as much as anyone in here , but I think some people's love for Elliott blinds them to the fact that he did kill himself. If you ever read the book Elliott Smith and the Big Nothing you would know how uncomfortable he was in his own skin . He was obviously abusing drugs and alcohol because they helped cover up something deeper that he didn't want to deal with or think about. When a person abuses drugs and alcohol for much of their life that feeling of restlessness remains even after a person has been sober for a year.
It has also been noted he was taking perscription drugs at the time of his death. I am not sure what he was taking exactly, but there is proof that some Antidepressant drugs can actually cause a person to be more suicidal.
On top of that it is right there in his music. In many songs he sings about how depressed he is and suicide. As far as the defense wounds goes,like others have already mentioned he was a cutter. Even if those wounds were fresh, who's to say that he didn't slice his arms to start off with , but that didn't bring him relief or peace he was looking for so instead he decided to end all the pain in his life once and for all, something cutting couldn't do.
49 - Bridgetown
Does anyone know what happened to him?, no probably not. I think it's of course likely that she killed him but let us note that she is from Brooklyn not portland. Lay off, Portland is a place of magic.
50 - Braxton
I just got introduced to this guy's music by my wife. She told me that he stabbed himself in the chest and I was interested and started researching online. The story of the thing sounded fishy to me so when I googled "elliott smith homicide" I was brought to this page. After researching I'm convinced it was homicide.
The main reason I don't believe it was suicide is that I can't imagine this guy stabbing himself twice in the heart. Maybe once, but after the sheer pain and reality of the stab wound set in, I can't fathom anyone being able to pull the knife out and stab themselves again with full strength. Maybe if he was on some serious drugs, but according to the autopsy he was sober.
What about the note? If I had to guess I would say that the guy probably talked about suicide all the time, and wrote the note but couldn't go through with it. His girlfriend probably got sick of him always talking about it and never going through with it and finally just did it herself. Either that or he convinced her to do it.
But this is probably bull too. We are all just playing the online edition of "Clue" here. No one knows what really happened except Jennifer Chiba.
Whatever happened, it's a shame the guy died so young. It seems to be a pretty commonplace tale. A young tortured genius artist,with the gift of being able to express the darkness, grief, and melancholy inside themselves and turn it into something beautiful...eventually succumbing to those same dark feelings once their art no longer provides relief.
I am glad I found out about this guy's music and look forward to listening to much more in the future.
P.S. All the bickering, insulting, name-calling, and petty arguments on this page reflect the same callow, bitter, ugly world that leads people like Elliott into the depths of depression.
51 - Bella
After reading the official autopsy report on the Smoking Gun, I'm not inclined to make a decision either way. I believe it could've really gone either way. I can understand what Smith was going though, dealing with depression and heroin addiction myself. So knowing what that's like, then add on top of that the rest of the trauma and pain he experienced in his life, it could make perfect sense to have killed himself. Being in that amount of emotional and physcological pain can bring someone to do obscure things.
I could see where Jennifer could've done it, possibly as a mistake. Maybe she did it during the heat of the argument, not meaning to, but by then it was too late. As far as her removing the knife, people generally don't think very cleary and panic in the midst of an emergency situation.
So I'm personally not going to point any fingers. It's done and over with. There's no point to blame anyone at this point. I believe we should let his memory go in peace and be grateful for the time that we were blessed by such a beautiful soul. But all good things must come to an end, his was just too soon.
In the end, the best we can do is honor him by continuing to enjoy his beautiful, transcendent music and to remember him in a positive light. Elliott Smith was a unique spirit and by far one in million. I will continue to explore his music and be grateful that a friend turned me on to it. We all miss him, but the one good thing is that he is no longer in any kind of pain. He is free. R.I.P., our sweet Elliott.
52 - Samuel Winters
"How can you explain the "defensive wounds" ? Smith was a man, not so slim and weak, and if you suppose the girl had attacked him, how can you imagine that he'd been unable to stop her ? Total nonsense."
Your best bet would be to ask the forensics expert with the pertinent education and experience who reached that conclusion. While I do not KNOW that he killed himself, that's certainly something to consider.
53 - Mark
I'm an MD from PDX and have been thinking about this for years. He may have been a cutter. But the pattern of knife wounds on both palms and his upper R arm writes itself as "defensive". Two smooth penetrations of the chest wall in the absence of hesitation marks is suspicious if not damning. If this was a suicide, it was a technical first. It broke my heart. What a fragile china doll.
54 - serendipity
Mark, thank you for your input.
I have been thinking about this for 6 years too, and I have gathered quite a few things, If you visit this place again and would like to talk about it, just let me know. I will check this again.
55 - christian brother
Serendipity, I have also been thinking of this for years,And i would like to hear what you have come up with....
56 - serendipity
Christian brother, I hope you'll come back here
First of al there are the forensic facts as previously described. If he really killed himself this is a weird statistics case (rare form of suicide, no hesitation wounds, stabbing through the clothes, two stabbing wounds both fatal, possible defensive wounds), then there is the strange behavior of his girlfriend: she was out of the country for a long time after it happened, she went to London, to Canada, Africa... her refusal to talk to the police has been reported in many articles.
And that was her who pointed the post-it note/suicide note to the police, a little weird too (or very convenient?).
This note is still kept by the police, even the family was not allowed to see it. I don't know if they were able to determine if it was Elliott's writing for sure.
I also know J. Chiba said to someone there were two wounds. It was before the autopsy, I wonder how she knew that even if she removed the knife as she said... with all the blood? she even said to a person she thought Elliott was joking around with a fake knife. But she said many different stories before settling down with what is now reported.
There are some rumors she called someone before calling 911, I was never able to verify this, but I heard it from two sources.
She went to Elliott's studio in the valley in the middle of the night, just two days after it happened. This does not mean anything but it is weird again. She was seen taking stuff with two guys in a jeep.
She and another person were way too "happy" to say Elliott was a cutter to explain the possible defensive wounds. First of all the wounds he had (under his right arm, and he was right-handed, and on his left palm) are not consistent with self harm. Secondly, in the spin article, J Chiba and Peringer said he was cutting himself and had "tremendous wounds on his left arm"; it was in September, and he died in October. There is no trace of these wounds in the autopsy report.
She was also very "happy" to give to the police some pages of Elliott's personal journal, to show how depressed he was. I don't deny Elliott's problems but it is way to easy to say it was a suicide and ignore all the inconsistencies.
She was also very inconsistent when talking about Elliott, she said to the police he was depressed but said to Larry Crane "I don't understand, he was so healthy"
Also I talked to the detective who is in charge of the case. He cannot talk about it of course (because it is still an open case, not a cold case) but he said to me they were not investigating the case as a suicide, whatever it means after 6 years of what it seems to be a very inactive investigation.
At the end, Elliott and J Chiba were in the middle of a fight, they were fighting a lot, their relationship was described by Sean Organ (records) as a Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen thing. He said this before Elliott's death and it is very unsettling when we know the story of Sid and Nancy.
57 - old friend
I'm sorry that this investigation was not properly handled, and after so many years, it's unlikely that it will ever be solved. I knew Elliot pretty well, and met the girl in question only once. When I met her, she made up a false story concerning an old girlfriend of his, that happened to be at one of his Brooklyn shows a few months before he died. I attended the show with the old girlfriend, and afterward Miss Chiba refused to allow her backstage, accusing her of violently hitting her for no reason. This blatantly false story spurned an insane scene, and I felt terrible for Elliot for being caught in the middle of such nonsense. If she could lie about something so seemingly insignificant, there is good cause to believe that she lied regarding the circumstances of his death. There are just too many holes in her story. Her brazen attempt to sue his family for a portion of his estate only supports her questionable motives. It's pretty difficult to stab yourself in the heart. It's not a normal way to kill oneself. He wasn't on any illegal drugs at the time, and I knew him to be pretty sane and rational when he wasn't using. I only met Jennifer the one time, and she proved to be untrustworthy immediately. I will assert that I am certain that she was capable of lying, and I wish that she had been questioned more thoroughly. It seems to me that she got away with murder. Elliot was not always stable, he certainly did not seem suicidal the last time I saw him, only months before his untimely demise. If she didn't do it, she knows what did happen (the shower story just doesn't add up), and she is hiding something significant. I would attest to this at any time, as would the people who were present during her false allegations toward the girl that seemingly threatened her alpha position.
58 - old friend
After reading through some more of these comments, I would like to add a few afterthoughts on the subject. When I say I knew Elliot, I am not tossing the word "knew" around lightly. I knew him before he became famous, but only saw him about once every year or two after 1998. He was an intensely private person, and I think that most of his friends have guarded and respected his privacy to the extant that it's no longer helpful to him in wake of this dysfunctional investigation. If more people had come forward after his death with public statements negating claims of suicide, perhaps the police would have had a little more to work with than the seemingly scant information they seem to have gathered from the few people in his inner circle. Elliot had burned a few bridges with some of his best friends, others didn't know what to think, or what to do, and nobody was really prepared to go out on a limb to fight the reports. I think we were primarily too hurt and confused. He wasn't close to his family, who ironically became his main beneficiaries, and they certainly didn't have a clue as to what was really going on in his life.
When I spoke to him shortly before his death, he was doing really well, and was happier than I'd seen him in years, and exhibited absolutely no signs that he was on the verge of killing himself. His history may have been rife with depression and drug use, yet we talked about the prescription drugs he was taking, comparing notes as I am no stranger to anti-depressants myself, and he proudly related to me that he was doing better than ever. He claimed to have found prescriptions that were working well for him, and he was happy with his decision to sober up. Aside from illegal drugs, he also shunned alcohol, and was staying away from spirits and beer. From all appearances, he was striving to maintain a substance free lifestyle, in order to work diligently on new music. It is my opinion that he would not have offed himself in the middle of an upcoming project unless he'd magically morphed into an entirely different person from the one I had ever known.
I think anybody that was in touch with him around this time would say the same thing. His fame had naturally distanced a lot of people from him; at times he may have seemed inaccurately unapproachable, but in reality, he was always obliging to people from his past, while being quite shy and even uncomfortable with his elevated status. His friends were scattered around the country, and he didn't have a large support network in LA, so there weren't enough people to speak out against the claims of suicide when it happened so unexpectedly that October. Everyone was too stunned to act. I hope it's not too late, should the investigation ever be opened up and pursued in the future.
He was an amazing artist. There is no question about that, but I remember him mostly as an amazing friend, full of compassion, love, and as gentle as a any of his ballads. He is greatly missed.
59 - serendipity
Thank you x 1000 for talking so openly about your friend and what you think.
I wish more people had talked, I don't understand this silence since I know some people know stuff and are not talking.
May be it is not too late, the detective who is in charge is Det. P.J. Morris (Northeast division in LA), he said to me the case was still open.
From the report, I know that the knife that was collected by the police almost did not have any blood: it says "1/8 inch of dried blood" how is it possible after two deep stab wounds? My guess is that the knife was cleaned up and I don't understand why this was not enough to investigate more.
I talked to Elliott late August, after a show, and yes he was doing well as you are saying.
I wish Valerie would say what she knows about Chiba
60 - serendipity
you may be interested to look at this group: Justice for Elliott Smith
Thanks!
61 - christian brother
old friend Thanks for talking to us,Serendipity is right more people should start talking This cannot just end here....
62 - QueenB
It was suicide.
63 - serendipity
QueenB, you will need to say more than this to prove it!
And I know way too much about this story to let it go
64 - pissed
no matter how depressed an artist is... they will never off them selves in the middle of a project. he was on a musical mission. Wake up people... this man was killed. and the post it note - how stupid do you think we are? the way i see it (and i'm obviously not alone on this) Jennifer Chiba is so guilty it's scary. don't give up on this LAPD!
65 - Spencer Glenn
Based on what I have read on Elliott (Elliott Smith and Big Nothing, police reports regarding his death) I have to say it could be taken either way. We might never know what really happened due to the fact that his body was cremated... She probably couldn't have killed him though because she was probably wet from the shower. Think about it, how exactly would a wet person have the total balance to stab someone twice and then write a suicide note? All without getting water everywhere? Also it would be a little freaky to see your significant other with a knife in their chest, I wouldn't blame anyone for pulling it out. Also his time of death was accurate in my opinion. In the end, no one knows what was said in the argument, and no one officially knows how he died...
66 - serendipity
No one knows how he died?
One person knows.
Regarding the shower she was supposedly taking, I find interesting that the version changes in the police report: there is no mention of her taking a shower in the report, she just said she locked herself in the bathroom. Who takes a shower in the middle of a terrible fight when your partner says he wants to kill himself anyway?
67 - paul
It is widely believed that Kurt Cobain was murdered and it was not in fact a suicide (it was believed that he was way too high to function enough to kill himself). As for Smith? Who knows.
I think it's just safe to say that bit*hes are crazy.
68 - Christian brother
So has anybody seen the film searching for elliott smith yet, and is there somewhere online we can watch it?
69 - M.R.N.
My four favorite Elliott songs have inspired and motivated me in a way no other artist has. It's sad that his case (most likely) will go unsolved. To my knowledge it's still open. The best thing would be for the L.A.P.D. to conclude Elliott's case and release their findings.>>>>CLOSURE
70 - Alex
Did you not listen to From A Basement On A Hill...That whole CD was a suicide note in disguise.
71 - Heather
"When I spoke to him shortly before his death, he was doing really well, and was happier than I'd seen him in years, and exhibited absolutely no signs that he was on the verge of killing himself."
That is actually a very strong indicator of potential suicide... Look into suicide warning signs.
I appreciate your comment :]. I just wanted to point that out...
Personally I think it was suicide... but I'm open to more info...
72 - Emily
"Personal attacks are NOT allowed."
I wish people would stop being so nasty and appreciate that a legend died. Who cares how?
73 - Magnus
The fact is you guys are just all fans and feel a sense of loss concerning this subject so that's why it's easy for you to throw the blame elsewhere. Elliott was a very depressed and suicidal guy, his music says it all. I have very little to no suspicion towards Chiba.
74 - serendipity
Those who have no suspicion about what happened either don't know anything about the case or don't care enough.
And no Basement on the Hill is not a suicide note, listen carefully.
According to Gil Reyes (another guy who has no suspicion) who made the documentary Searching for Elliott, Chiba will do a Q&A after the projection of the documentary at a film festival in LA:
"Hi Everyone, just picked up an HONORABLE MENTION AWARD at the LOS ANGELES NEW WAVE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. Our film will screen In Downtown L.A. between May 5th - 8th. Exact times, theatres and ticket info coming soon. JENNIFER CHIBA is also expected for a Q & A session. I know it's hard without a set date, but for now, we'd really appreciate an early tally of possible attendees so festival organizers can make room. Please let us know here. Thanks so much."
75 - sipp12
Elliott's music and playing was simple but so complex and mysterious, much like that of Nick Drake who died of an apparant medication overdose after suffering greatly with depression in much the same way. They likewise both delved deaply into confessional song writing themes. I am just sorry to read such tragic stories and to think of how much we all lost when they both died. I can only feel compassion.