Former Murderdolls drummer Ben Graves has died.
The news was confirmed by his fiancée Lydia, who reports that he had been battling cancer for the last 11 months.
She says in a statement: “This is incredibly hard for me to write this, but I know it is necessary because Ben has so many friends and fans.
“Most of you don’t know that Ben has been battling cancer for the last 11 months. It was his decision to keep his health very quiet. Ben passed away today, May 9, from complications due to his cancer.
“His diagnosis was grim but he fought a long and hard battle to try and beat it and overcome the odds. Some battles can’t be won no matter how hard you try.
“Please respect me, his family and close friends while we grieve. Even though we knew it was eventually coming, the complication was sudden and very unexpected.
"It’s devastating to lose someone you love more than yourself. My heart is broken, my heart died with him.”
His former Murderdolls bandmate Wednesday 13 paid tribute to Graves, saying: “I will forever cherish the memories with you. Touring all over the world for the first time, living our dream and constantly quoting The Terminator and Commando movies.
“Love ya buddy, there will never be another Ghoul. See ya on the other side.”
Lydia reports that he’ll be taken home to Massachusetts and a memorial for his friends in Los Angeles will be held in the future, with details to follow in due course.
