KISS are being sued by the widow of late longtime guitar tech Francis “Fran” Stueber, who died after contracting COVID while the band was on tour in 2021.
Catherine Stueber, along with several members of her family, are claiming both negligence and wrongful death against KISS, naming founding members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, longtime manager Doc McGhee, KISS’ “End of the Road Tour” promoter Live Nation, and hotel chain Marriott International as defendants.
The suit, obtained by Rolling Stone, states, “As a direct and proximate result of the dangerous condition created by Defendants, Decedent suffered fatal injuries and Plaintiffs suffered damages, including, but not limited to funeral and burial expenses, the permanent deprivation of the love companionship, affection solace, society, comfort, assistance, services and financial contributions, and moral support of Decedent in an amount according to proof at trial.”
Fran Stueber died from the virus just days after being quarantined in a Detroit hotel room while KISS were on the road as part of their first leg of post-COVID tour dates. The lawsuit asserts that “the failure to enforce or have adequate COVID-19 policies or procedures caused a COVID-19 outbreak amongst band members and tour personnel” and that Stueber was “abandoned in Detroit” at the Four Points Hotel by Sheraton to quarantine after he tested positive.
The suit alleges that Stueber reached out to McGhee as his condition worsened, and McGhee told Stueber that he would send medical personnel to check in on him. Instead, he allegedly sent another tour crew member, who couldn’t reach Stueber by the time he got to his hotel room. Per the suit, the crew member then called police, who entered Stueber’s hotel room and found him unresponsive, having died after being quarantined for two days.
As previously reported, numerous crew members (speaking on condition of anonymity) detailed the lack of COVID protocols enforced on the tour at time, possibly leading to Stueber’s sudden passing. Stanley and Simmons would also eventually test positive for the virus, leading to postponed concerts.
