According to TMZ, Chester Bennington bought his new home just two months before he committed suicide there. The LINKIN PARK frontman paid $2.4 million for the Palos Verdes Estates home back in June. The five-bedroom, four-bathroom house is in an affluent part of Los Angeles County on the edge of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, surrounded mostly by cliffs and other quiet neighborhoods that are nearly as wealthy. According to Curbed Los Angeles, it has one of the lowest crime rates in the low-crime South Bay and had just five "serious, violent crimes" in 2014, four of which involved acquaintances. Neighbors told Daily Breeze that Bennington, 41, had moved into the two-story, 3,956-square-foot house in the 2800 block of Via Victoria about seven weeks ago. Property records show the home sold on May 26. Dave Myers, who lives across the street, told Daily Breeze that Bennington "seemed to be a real personable, nice guy." Just the weekend before Chester's death, he said, the singer suggested their families get together for dinner. Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified Superintendent Don Austin confirmed Bennington had children in the school system. "I've been receiving calls and texts from people expressing their sadness for the loss of someone who, anyone who knows him would describe as a great guy, and our interactions together were the same," Austin said. "It was very clear that being a dad was more important to him than anything else. Our thoughts are with his family." Robin Fontenot, a dog walker in Palos Verdes Estates, visited Bennington's home Thursday afternoon to pay her respects to a resident she described to Daily Breeze as generous both to his family and the community. "It's sad. It's really sad," said Fontenot, who ran into Bennington around town at a local gym and shopping center. She said her daughter went to school with Bennington's son at Ridgecrest Intermediate School. "He was really involved with his kids from what I understand," she said. "He gave back a lot. He really gave back a lot." Bennington was found dead in his home by one of his employees shortly before 9:00 a.m. last Thursday. A Los Angeles County coroner confirmed that the cause of death was "suicide by hanging." A half-full bottle of alcohol was found in the room, but it was reportedly not near the body. LINKIN PARK canceled plans for a North American tour and the band's future at the moment remains unclear, while fans and musicians worldwide reacted to the death of the singer. Bennington had been candid about mental health battles in numerous interviews over the years, saying he grappled with depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and substance abuse. LINKIN PARK released its seventh studio album, "One More Light", in May. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
Continue reading...
Continue reading...
