Things Found At Country Star Death Scenes

Dave "Stringbean" Akeman and the banjo he simply called "the five" were staples at the Grand Ole Opry, and the kind of person he was, was summed up by his "Hee Haw" co-star Buck Owens (via The Tennessean): "If you knew Stringbean, you had to love him." The industry was devastated when, on November 11, 1973, Stringbean and his wife, Estelle, were killed at their three-bedroom cabin in the woods north of Nashville.

Stringbean had plans to go hunting with fellow legend Grandpa Jones, and it was Jones who discovered their bodies when he went to pick up his friend for their trip. Stringbean had been killed inside the cabin, and Estelle lay in the front lawn, beside a hickory tree. Stringbean's banjo was still on the front porch, and inside the cabin, the radio was on: The killers had been listening to the Grand Ole Opry as they waited.

Cousins Doug and John Brown were ultimately arrested and convicted of the murders, and later confessed that they had been there intending on robbing the place. They had torn the cabin apart looking for money, and when they decided to wait, they hadn't expected Stringbean to come home armed. After killing him and then his wife, they searched the bodies and took off with about $250. They didn't find the $3,182 Stringbean had in an inside pocket of his overalls, or the $2,150 Estelle had in her undergarments.

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