Michael Jackson, who was accused by Evan's son of abuse

Evan Chandler commits suicide

Wednesday, 18 November 2009

The father of a boy who accused Michael Jackson of sexual abuse has committed suicide.

Evan Chandler - whose son Jordy was 13 when he claimed in 1993 the pop star had molested him - was discovered in bed holding a firearm with a gun shot wound to the head. He was 65

The former Beverly Hills dentist was found by a concierge at his waterfront Jersey City apartment in New Jersey on November 5 after he failed to keep a doctors appointment.

News of his death only emerged yesterday (17.11.09).

It comes just five months after his son's alleged abuser Michael Jackson died at his Los Angeles home from acute Propofol intoxication.

A police source said: "We have ruled it as suicide because he was found with a gun held to his body. He had a single bullet wound to the side of his head.

"There was no note but officers did find medication in keeping with a serious medical condition."

Dad-of-four Chandler's claim that Jackson had abused his son triggered the singer's fall from grace in the early 90s.

A 13-month police probe followed including a raid on Jackson's Neverland Ranch, in California.

The case never reached court after Jordy was given a $22 million settlement and signed a contract agreeing never to talk about the allegations.

After the public furore following the allegations, divorcee Evan underwent a series of bizarre cosmetic surgery operations, just as Michael did.

Jordy - now 29 and living in Long Island, New York, under an assumed name - had fallen out with his father.

He took out a restraining order against him in 1996 claiming his dad had attacked him with a dumbbell weight.

In the same year, Evan filed a $60 million lawsuit against Michael and his then-wife Lisa Marie Presley for talking about the case - allegedly breaching the confidentiality contract.

The officer in charge of the suicide probe, former Santa Barbara County Sheriff Jim Thomas, said yesterday: "Everybody in this whole saga was touched tragically."