NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Entertainment

Heidi Klum's Aussie ex Martin Kirsten found Chris Cornell dead after giving him two Ativan pills

news.com.au
21 May, 2017 03:00 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Chris Cornell of Soundgarden. Photo / Getty

Chris Cornell of Soundgarden. Photo / Getty

Heidi Klum's Australian ex, Martin Kirsten, gave Chris Cornell two pills before his death, according to a police report.

The Detroit News obtained a police report which states that Kirsten gave Cornell two Ativan pills to combat anxiety after he came to his hotel room to fix his computer following his concert in Detroit on Wednesday night.

Heidi Klum and Martin Kristen. Photo / Getty
Heidi Klum and Martin Kristen. Photo / Getty

The former Soundgarden front man had a prescription for the tablets.

However, just 45 minutes later Cornell's wife Vicky called Kirsten in a panic, asking the bodyguard to check on Cornell because "he did not sound like he [was] okay".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Kirsten tried to get hotel management to open the door but they refused to because he was not registered to the room.

Heidi Klum and Martin Kristen. Photo / Getty
Heidi Klum and Martin Kristen. Photo / Getty

So he kicked in the singer's hotel room door and found him dead on the bathroom floor.

Paramedics tried to resuscitate Cornell but at 1:30am, Cornell was officially pronounced dead by a doctor who was brought to the scene.

Ativan has been said to give users suicidal thoughts if taken in a high dosage.
Cornell's family has disputed the medical examiners call that he deliberately took his own life.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"The family believes that if Chris took his life, he did not know what he was doing, and that drugs or other substances may have affected his actions," the family's lawyer Kirk Pasich said in a statement.

Chris Cornell and Vicky Cornell. Photo / Getty
Chris Cornell and Vicky Cornell. Photo / Getty

"Without the results of toxicology tests, we do not know what was going on with Chris - or if any substances contributed to his demise. Chris, a recovering addict, had a prescription for Ativan and may have taken more Ativan than recommended dosages. The family believes that if Chris took his life, he did not know what he was doing, and that drugs or other substances may have affected his actions."

Kirsten was Heidi Klum's bodyguard before things turned romantic for the pair, who then dated for 18 months.

Chris Cornell and Vicky with their kids. Photo / Getty
Chris Cornell and Vicky with their kids. Photo / Getty

Klum's ex husband Seal infamously threw shade at Kirsten when the pair got together, not long after Klum ended her marriage.

Discover more

Entertainment

Tributes flow for grunge icon

18 May 07:50 PM
Entertainment

How Chris Cornell soared above the gloom

18 May 09:10 PM
Entertainment

How Chris Cornell changed my life

18 May 11:00 PM
Entertainment

Chris Cornell's top 5 vocal tracks

20 May 12:00 AM

"While I didn't expect anything better from him [the bodyguard], I would of thought that Heidi would have shown a little more class and at least waited until we separated first before deciding to fornicate with the help, as it were," he said.

Where to get help

• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• Youthline: 0800 376 633
• Kidsline: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
• Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
• Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7)
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Entertainment

Opinion

F1 movie review: Can Brad Pitt save his own film from plot holes?

24 Jun 04:00 AM
Entertainment

Bruce Willis' family shares touching moments amid health battle

24 Jun 01:44 AM
Entertainment

'28 Years Later': Ralph Fiennes stars in new Danny Boyle horror film

23 Jun 08:25 AM

Inside Leigh Hart’s bonkers quest to hand-deliver a SnackaChangi chip to every Kiwi

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
Trump declares Israel-Iran ceasefire 'now in effect'; Netanyahu confirms
World

Trump declares Israel-Iran ceasefire 'now in effect'; Netanyahu confirms

24 Jun 06:25 AM
GPs able to diagnose and medically treat ADHD from 2026
New Zealand

GPs able to diagnose and medically treat ADHD from 2026

24 Jun 06:12 AM
What it’s like travelling NZ in a luxury motorhome
Travel

What it’s like travelling NZ in a luxury motorhome

24 Jun 06:00 AM
Warm up with Greek Rice and Roasted Chicken
Viva - Food & Drink

Warm up with Greek Rice and Roasted Chicken

24 Jun 06:00 AM
'Disturbing and disgusting': Gang member raped teen while she was ill
Crime

'Disturbing and disgusting': Gang member raped teen while she was ill

24 Jun 06:00 AM

Latest from Entertainment

F1 movie review: Can Brad Pitt save his own film from plot holes?

F1 movie review: Can Brad Pitt save his own film from plot holes?

24 Jun 04:00 AM

OPINION: There's enough for old-school and new-school fans alike.

Bruce Willis' family shares touching moments amid health battle

Bruce Willis' family shares touching moments amid health battle

24 Jun 01:44 AM
'28 Years Later': Ralph Fiennes stars in new Danny Boyle horror film

'28 Years Later': Ralph Fiennes stars in new Danny Boyle horror film

23 Jun 08:25 AM
Johnny Depp has ‘empty-nest syndrome’

Johnny Depp has ‘empty-nest syndrome’

23 Jun 08:24 AM
Why wallpaper works wonders
sponsored

Why wallpaper works wonders

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search