American Idol participant Doug Kiker has passed away due to an unintentional overdose, as confirmed by the Denver Medical Examiner on Thursday (April 17).
The determined cause of death was cited as the synergistic effects of fentanyl, methadone, and amphetamines, in addition to recent usage of cocaine, People has reported. (TMZ was the first to report this news.)
Kiker’s life ended last month at the age of 32. His sister, Angela Evans, announced the tragic news on Facebook on March 13, expressing, “It is with profound sadness that we share the news of my brother Douglas Kiker’s passing. He was immensely loved and will be missed by countless people! [You’re] now singing with the Angels, Bubba. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers during this challenging period.”
Another relative, Donna Kiker Carrillos-Ramirez, also shared about Doug’s passing on Facebook. “Today I received the call that nobody wants to get,” she wrote. “We lost a remarkable individual today. He had the brightest smile and brought joy to everyone around him. Douglas Kiker, you will always be in our hearts. Soar high. Say hi to grandma for me.”
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The Mobile, Alabama, native competed in the 18th season of American Idol in 2020, earning the moniker “The Singing Garbage Man” because of his job as a sanitation worker. His audition moved former judge Katy Perry to tears when he performed Rascal Flatts’ “Bless the Broken Road.” Although he was eliminated in the subsequent round after singing Marvin Gaye’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” Doug was invited back later to virtually perform “Bless the Broken Road” again alongside the country group.
In 2021, Kiker faced arrests and charges related to third-degree domestic violence. The following year, an independent film titled Garbage Man premiered on Vimeo, featuring him in a fictionalized rendition of himself as a bouncer at a venue hosting a singing contest. Kiker is survived by two daughters, whose images he occasionally shared on Instagram. In his bio on the app, he identified as “just a regular guy trying to make it who found passion in music!!!!!!”
- Source: NEWHD MEDIA
