Whenever someone suffers a strange death, the police are involved. Their aim, of course, is to establish the facts and bring the guilty party (if there is one) to justice.
This is not always an easy task, however, and the sad truth is that many suspicious death cases go unsolved. Shrouded in mystery, these cases often take on a myth-like status.
In the case of celebrity deaths, this effect is magnified with all the public interest and conspiracy theorists.
Check out this gallery to learn about some mysterious celebrity deaths that police were never able to explain.
In January 1947 aspiring actress Elizabeth Short was found brutally murdered in a vacant Los Angeles parking lot. There was no evidence to be found on the scene.
To this day the case, which is known as the 'Black Dahlia' case, remains unsolved, although there have been many theories, allegations, and leads over the years.
After 'Hogan's Heroes' star Bob Crane was found brutally murdered at his apartment in 1978, there were many sordid revelations about his life.
It was never revealed, however, who actually killed him. Many thought it was his longtime friend John Carpenter, but there was never sufficient evidence to convict.
When Johnny Stompanato was stabbed in 1958, there was no question that it was murder. What is up for debate, however, is who actually did the deed.
Some believe it was his film star girlfriend, Lana Turner, while others believe it was her 14-year old daughter, Cheryl Crane. Only Crane is still alive and she will not talk.
In 1921 silent film actress Virginia Rappe died of internal injuries sustained at a Prohibition party. According to her friend, she said it was Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle who caused her injuries.
Arbuckle was charged with her murder and tried three times, but none of the trials ever ended in a conviction. Instead he died from a heart attack at age 46.
In 1935 actress Thelma Todd died of carbon monoxide poisoning. She was found slumped over the wheel of her car. It was never revealed whether her death was accidental or not.
There were some who believed Todd had been killed: when she was found, her car engine wasn't running and her throat showed signs of trauma, as if a pipe had been forced into her mouth.
When Marilyn Monroe was found dead after a barbiturate overdose in 1962, her death was ruled a 'probable suicide.' No certain cause was ever revealed.
Conspiracy theorists maintain that her death was less likely a suicide than a murder carried out to prevent her from discussing extramarital affairs with the Kennedy brothers.
In 1981 actress Natalie Wood drowned while on a boating trip with her husband. She was found floating face down in the water, and at first her death was ruled accidental.
Later, however, bruises were found on her body, which led law enforcement to consider foul play. Her husband Robert Wagner was the prime suspect, but there was never an arrest.
Hip-hop star Tupac Shakur died in 1996 after a drive-by shooting that occurred while he was leaving a boxing event. To this day, the exact events of his death are unknown.
There were many theories about who in the New York City criminal underworld may have been responsible for Tupac's death, but ultimately no arrest was ever made.
In 1959 'Superman' actor George Reeves died of a gunshot wound to the head. His death was ruled a suicide, but many actually suspected foul play.
Foul play was suspected largely because the shooting occurred during a social visit between Reeves and three of his friends, including his fiancée.
The daughter of Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, Bobbi Kristina Brown, died in 2015. She had spent six months in a hospice after being found face down and unconscious in her bathtub.
The autopsy determined that the 22-year old had died from a fatal combination of multiple drugs and immersion in water. It was never ruled intentional or accidental, however.
The lead singer of The Cranberries, Dolores O'Riordan, died unexpectedly in a hotel room at age 46. She had been recording music at the time.
The singer's death has not been treated as suspicious, but it has been classified as 'unexplained.' Until today the coroner still has not ruled on the cause of death.
Christopher Wallace, better known as Notorious B.I.G., AKA Biggie Smalls was shot dead six months after Tupac Shakur. He was leaving a party in Los Angeles at the time.
The rap legend died just an hour after he was shot. He was 24 years old at the time, and his murder still remains unsolved.
Actor David Carradine, who starred in both 'Kill Bill' movies, was found naked and hanging in the closet of his Bangkok hotel room in 2009.
The autopsy determined the cause of Carradine's death was asphyxiation. The suicide option was ruled out, but the possibility of accidental death was left open.
In 1997 'Eraserhead' actor Jack Nance turned up at a coffee shop with a black eye, telling his friends that he had "told off some kid" and "got what he deserved."
The next day he was found dead on the floor of his apartment. Authorities determined that he had suffered a blow to the head and had been fighting with two men at a donut shop the day before.
Shortly after silent film director William Desmond Taylor was found dead with a bullet in his back in 1922, a love note from a young actress was found in his home.
The actress, whose name was Mary Miles Minter, later admitted to having been in the director's home on the night he was killed. The case was never solved, however.
Sources: (Reader's Digest) (USA Today)
See also: Celebrities who have suffered strokes
The unexplained deaths of famous celebrities
These famous deaths are still shrouded in mystery
CELEBRITY Murder
Whenever someone suffers a strange death, the police are involved. Their aim, of course, is to establish the facts and bring the guilty party (if there is one) to justice.
This is not always an easy task, however, and the sad truth is that many suspicious death cases go unsolved. Shrouded in mystery, these cases often take on a myth-like status.
In the case of celebrity deaths, this effect is magnified with all the public interest and conspiracy theorists.
Check out this gallery to learn about some mysterious celebrity deaths that police were never able to explain.