Ace Frehley, right, performing with Gene Simmons during a 1978 KISS concert in New Haven, Connecticut.

By Joe Lombardi From Daily Voice

The cause of death has been revealed for Ace Frehley, the co-founder of the iconic rock band KISS.

The guitarist family announced his death in Morristown, New Jersey, in a statement early Thursday evening, Oct. 16.“We are completely devastated and heartbroken," the statement reads. "In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth. 

"We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. 

"The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace’s memory will continue to live on forever!”

On Monday, Nov. 10, People reported that Frehley died from blunt head trauma sustained in a fall, according to documents from the Morris County Medical Examiner.

At the time of his death, TMZ reported Frehley had been on a ventilator “for some time,” after a fall in his studio left him with a brain bleed, and the outlook was grim.

Frehley, 74, was born Paul Daniel “Ace” Frehley and rose to fame as the band’s original lead guitarist, occasional lead vocalist, and a founding member. He invented the persona of The Spaceman (also known as Space Ace) and helped shape KISS from its start in 1973.

Ace Frehley

Ace Frehley

Wikipedia/Craig

He grew up in the Bedford Park section of the Bronx in New York City. He got the nickname “Ace” in high school from friends who said he was “a real ace” for his ability to get dates.

He auditioned for Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Peter Criss after seeing a Village Voice ad in late 1972, joined within weeks, and by January 1973 the band had the name KISS. 

Frehley designed the double-lightning-bolt KISS logo and later penned fan favorites, recording his first lead vocal on “Shock Me” in 1977. 

He left the band in 1982, rejoined for the 1996 reunion, and departed again in 2002. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 as a member of KISS.

Outside KISS, he scored success with his 1978 platinum solo debut and with Frehley’s Comet in the late 1980s. He has continued to record and tour, including the 2024 album 10,000 Volts and the 2025 release of Origins Vol. 3.