ALICE IN CHAINS SINGER DEAD

ALICE IN CHAINS singer LAYNE STALEY has been found dead in his SEATTLE home.

Staley, who was 34, was discovered at his apartment in the University district on Friday evening (April 19), and had his body positively identified by the King County Medical Examiner on Saturday (April 20). A cause of death has not been announced.

According to the Reuters news service, police were called after a friend contacted them, concerned that he had not seen Staley in a number of weeks. It is possible that Staley could have been dead for up to two weeks before being found.

A police spokesperson said that the likely cause of death is either natural causes or a drug overdose. However, there will be no police investigation as there is no evidence of foul play.

Alongside Nirvana and Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains were at the forefront of the mid-'90s grunge scene out of Seattle.

Staley was a founding member of the group with guitarist Jerry Cantrell, and had a well documented battle with drugs throughout his career.