But unlike the invincible hero he portrayed, George was mortal and, at 45 years old, just three days before he was to be wed to fiancée Lenore Lemmon, he was killed by a single gunshot wound to the head. His death has been the subject of endless speculation because, though police have always considered his demise a suicide, there are a number of puzzling factors. On the evening of his death, George was entertaining his fiancée and a few friends in his lavish Hollywood home when he reportedly felt tired and went upstairs by himself to his bedroom. After about 30 minutes, the guests heard a gunshot and George was found dead, sprawled nude on his bed with a bullet hole in his right temple. The death was ruled a suicide because the houseguests could provide no other explanation, and there was no sign of an intruder or forced entry. However, no suicide note was found and, when George was lifted from the bed by authorities, the bullet’s shell casing was found to be under him. Furthermore, the gun was found on the floor between his feet, and no fingerprints were found on it.
