L4LM writer Bob Wilson sat down with Tom Grant, the private investigator hired by Courtney Love to locate her husband, Kurt Cobain, on April 3rd, 1994. Grant is featured in the new documentary, Soaked in Bleach, which re-examines the evidence surrounding Cobain’s mysterious death.

Directed by Benjamin Statler (and co-written with Richard Middleton and Donnie Eichler), the film presents re-enactments of events, archival footage, interviews with some of those involved, and tape recordings made by Tom Grant as the case progressed. The tapes contain such statements as Love admitting that she and Cobain were in the process of seeking a divorce, and manager Rosemary Carroll voicing her concerns about Love’s possible involvement in Cobain’s demise. Carroll also produced handwriting samples of Love copying the writing style of Cobain, which produces doubt over the legitimacy of the ‘suicide note’ the musician left behind.  The note reads as a farewell to the music business, not farewell to life itself.  To the naked eye, the end of the note certainly seems to have been added on after the initial writing was completed.  

If Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love divorced, a prenuptial agreement would leave her with little of Cobain’s accumulated wealth. Initially, Love seemed destined to be the star that would shine brightest, and the agreement was to shield her future earnings. Fate came replete with a simple twist, and it would be Kurt’s earnings with Nirvana that had the potential to reach as high as a billion dollars. The documentary produces expert witnesses such as former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper, and former president of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Dr. Cyril Wecht. Both men state plainly for posterity that there are sufficient questions of substance to re-open the case. Former NYPD Det. Vernon J. Geberth has written the highly respected textbook, Practical Homicide Investigation.  Det. Geberth also opines that the initial investigation merits the case being opened again in the film, and questions the methods employed in the case by the Seattle Police Department. These three opinions are from experts holding great respect and accomplishment in their respective fields, and have to be seriously considered.  

Cobain died from a shotgun blast to the mouth, with three times a lethal dose of morphine in his bloodstream after injecting heroin. There is great doubt if such an immense dose would allow the victim to even pull a trigger before passing out. Grant was candid in his responses to questions, and measured in his replies. Grant comes across as quite seasoned, yet fair.  The investigator’s gentle demeanor seems buttressed with a mental toughness that the unwise might overlook. That does not seem to be a healthy tactic to take for anyone with something to conceal, as Soaked in Bleach demonstrates.

L4LM: Can you describe your background to give us an idea of your experience?  

Grant: I am a retired private investigator and former detective with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

L4LM: As you took on the case, what was your point of view?  

Grant: All I have ever done in this case is to tell the truth, and all I care about now is the information getting out to the public.

L4LM: What do you know about Courtney Love’s reaction to Soaked in Bleach?

Grant: All that we know about are the press releases, and the legal threats made to the theaters that screened the film. The majority of those theaters ignored legal threats and went ahead with their planned screening of the film. Courtney keeps shooting herself in the foot over this over these past 21 years. There will be no lawsuits or arrests for anything regarding my investigation. The threats are all ‘smoke and mirrors’. If that happened, Courtney would be wide open to being deposed, and that would open her up to a wider area of questions.  

L4LM: What is it about such a proceeding that Love would find objectionable? 

Grant: A deposition is as powerful as testimony given on the witness stand. You can potentially be charged with perjury in a deposition proceeding.

L4LM: How did you come to meet the director of the film?

Grant: Ben Statler simply sent me an email years ago saying that he supported my work. We got to know one another over time, and eventually it resulted in Soaked in Bleach being released.  

L4LM: What would you like to see the impact of the film accomplish besides presenting the facts in the case?  

Grant: I would like to see Kurt’s death changed from a suicide to undetermined. Then we can move on from there.

L4LM: The movie has had an impact among many Nirvana fans. Is the word getting out elsewhere?

Grant: Many countries have not seen the film yet, such as Australia and France. Many people there are begging to see it, and are writing to us about it being released in their countries. The advantage of it being released in stages is that the initial impact is repeated in new places that have a strong interest. In a way, it is like the slow dripping of the ‘Chinese water torture’. Due to constant refreshed media coverage, the slow release strategy also keeps the material fresh in the minds of the people for a far longer period of time.

L4LM: Dr. Wecht is certainly a respected pathologist, and somewhat of a legend in his field. What comes to your mind about his participation in Soaked in Bleach? 

Grant: Dr. Wecht has said that he has never seen anything like this case before in his long career.  Hopefully such sentiments expressed by experts will help to create a point of momentum where the call to re-open the case cannot be denied.

L4LM: The film is certainly one all Nirvana fans, and concerned citizens should be sure to see.  L4LM highly recommends the work to our readers.  Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.

Grant: You are most welcome.  It has been my pleasure.  

Soaked in Bleach (Montani Productions, 2015), screens on Vimeo ‘On Demand’, and can be seen in select theaters across America.  Come as you are to see it, an you may not walk with the same thoughts on these events.  Soaked in Bleach is a powerful documentary that requests the audience to weigh the evidence, and then decide for yourself.  Bound to continue to cause controversy, Soaked in Bleach is an important film in the history of rock and roll. It may be largely responsible for re-opening this important set of events for a second look in the near future.

by: Bob Wilson

You can read Bob Wilson’s original article with the alleged suicide note here, and Tom Grant’s full case study manual can be read here. Soaked in Bleach is also available for streaming now on Vimeo!