BREAKING: Slayer Guitarist Jeff Hanneman Dead At 49

News has come in overnight that Slayer guitarist and founding member Jeff Hanneman has passed away. The band released an official statement confirming Hanneman had suffered liver failure. He was aged 49.

Back in 2011, Hanneman suffered a spider bite which left him with necrotizing fasciitis and the condition took him out of the the band’s touring outfit. It’s not yet confirmed whether or not the liver failure was related to this condition, with no mention that he was in a hospital at the time of his death.

You can read the full statement below. Updates as they happen.

“Slayer is devastated to inform that their bandmate and brother, Jeff Hanneman, passed away at about 11AM this morning near his Southern California home. Hanneman was in an area hospital when he suffered liver failure. He is survived by his wife Kathy, his sister Kathy and his brothers Michael and Larry, and will be sorely missed.”

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