Peter Tosh was one of the most influential reggae musicians of all time. Along with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer, he was a founding member of the Wailers, a band that popularized reggae music worldwide. He was also a vocal advocate for Rastafari, human rights, and social justice. He was known for his biting lyrics and radical disposition that earned him the nickname “Stepping Razor”.
However, his life was cut short on September 11, 1987, when he was brutally killed by gunmen who invaded his home in Kingston, Jamaica. What led to this tragic event and who were the perpetrators? Here is a brief overview of the Peter Tosh cause of death.
The Home Invasion
On the night of September 11, 1987, Peter Tosh was entertaining some friends at his home on Barbican Road in Kingston. Among them were his common-law wife Marlene Brown, whom he called his “Empress”, well-known broadcaster and disc jockey Jeff Dixon, also known as Free I, and another man named Wilton Brown.
According to Marlene Brown’s testimony in court, three armed men entered the house around 8:30 p.m. and demanded money from the occupants. One of them was Dennis Lobban, also known as “Leppo”, a former acquaintance of Tosh who had recently been released from prison. Tosh had befriended Lobban and even provided him with food, clothes, and a new bed. Lobban had also become familiar with Tosh’s trained dogs, which did not attack him when he entered the house.
However, Lobban and his accomplices were not satisfied with the amount of money they found in the house, which was about $200. They proceeded to rob everyone of their valuables, including jewelry, watches, and passports. They also took Tosh’s guitar shaped like an M-16 rifle, which was a symbol of his anti-establishment stance.
The Shootings
After robbing the house, Lobban and his cronies decided to shoot everyone in the house. They started with Wilton Brown, who was shot in the head and died instantly. Then they turned to Free I, who was also shot in the head and killed. Marlene Brown was shot in the head as well, but miraculously survived. She pretended to be dead and lay on the floor until the gunmen left.
Tosh was the last one to be shot. He reportedly tried to reason with Lobban and asked him why he was doing this. Lobban replied that he had come to kill him because he had cursed him. He then shot Tosh twice in the head, killing him on the spot.
The other two survivors were Michael Robinson and Santa Davis, who were visitors at the house. They managed to escape by hiding under a bed and in a bathroom respectively.
The Aftermath
The police arrived at the scene shortly after the shootings and found four bodies and two wounded persons. They also recovered some of the stolen items from a nearby gully where the gunmen had thrown them.
Lobban was arrested two days later at a roadblock in Kingston. He confessed to his involvement in the crime and implicated two other men named James Fraser and Lebert Coke. However, Fraser and Coke were never apprehended and their whereabouts remain unknown.
Lobban was tried for murder in 1988 and sentenced to death by hanging. However, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 1992 after Jamaica abolished capital punishment. He is still serving his sentence at St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre.
The Peter Tosh cause of death shocked the world and left a void in the reggae music scene. His fans and admirers mourned his loss and celebrated his legacy. His music continues to inspire generations of listeners who appreciate his message of peace, love, and justice.
