Dead Kennedys issue statement on D.H. Peligro’s cause of death

Dead Kennedys have responded to the cause of death report regarding the passing of the band’s longtime drummer, D.H. Peligro.

According to the Autopsy report that has been obtained by the Los Angeles Times and TMZ, D.H. Peligro, real name Darren Eric Henley, died of “combined effects of fentanyl and heroin.” The report also revealed that the drummer was suffering from non-small cell lung cancer as well as mentioning a history of drug and alcohol abuse.

The punk pioneers took to their official Facebook page to share a statement about Peligro’s passing. “DH Peligro had his battles. What these articles leave out is that he was battling cancer and the chemo and radiation treatments did not get it all, his health was failing,” they shared.

They contineud: “When the police on the scene called East Bay Ray (guitarist, real name Raymond John Pepperell), they told him it looked liked he died from a fall in the bathroom, and said that’s usually caused by a stroke or an accidental trip. Ray told the officer about DH’s cancer and his failing health. Now we know more was involved.”

They ended their statement with a sendoff:”Peace brother, you will always be in our hearts. Rest in Power.”

According to the Los Angeles Times, Peligro’s landlord conducted a welfare check on the drummer and found him unresponsive in the bathroom of his Los Angeles home. He also had a “repeated history of lung cancer,” but it was unknown if he was seeking treatment at the time of his death, the report said.

Peligro passed last year aged 63 in his home on October 28. At the time, Dead Kennedys revealed that the drummer had died “from trauma to the head caused by an accidental fall” at his home in Los Angeles.

Peligro joined Dead Kennedys in 1981, replacing founding drummer Ted (real name Bruce Slesinger).

After the band broke up in 1986, Peligro briefly joined Red Hot Chili Peppers as replacement for Jack Irons, though was fired less than a year later due to drug and alcohol-related issues.

The drummer also took part in the Dead Kennedys reunion of 2001, and carried on drumming for them up until his death, bar a one-year break from 2008-2009. He also had a brief solo career.

Among those to pay tribute were Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and previous Dead Kennedy’s frontman Jello Biafra.