Kiss Guitarist Ace Frehley Dies at 74 — What to Know About What Happened

Although Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley left the band in 1982, one year short of his 10-year anniversary with the rockers, he is still remembered fondly by fans as a founding member. So when he died on Oct. 16, 2025, per Newsweek, it was a shock to the fans who had followed Kiss for literal decades, even after Ace left. But what was Ace Frehley's cause of death?

He was 74 years old at the time of his death. In Kiss, Ace was known as The Spaceman. He left the band in 1982, but he later rejoined the group in 1996 for a few years. According to Ultimate Classic Rock, however, Ace left again after the band's 2001 "Farewell Tour." After that, Ace tried again to have a solo career, and he continued to make music until his 2025 death.

When the news of Ace's death was released to the public on his official Instagram account, the statement from his family mentioned a fall he had prior to his death. They wrote, "Frehley passed away peacefully surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey, following a recent fall at his home."

Later, TMZ reported that Ace suffered a brain bleed, though that has not been confirmed as a cause of death.

Per the outlet, Ace was hospitalized after his fall and put on life support. Ace's family has not confirmed these details and did not share as much in the statement made on Ace's Instagram. However, if the former Kiss guitarist's fall was serious, with his advanced age, it makes sense if it triggered something worse, which led to his death.

Days before Ace's death, on Oct. 6, his Instagram was updated to let fans know that "due to some ongoing medical issues," Ace canceled the rest of the tour he had been on at the time. This was likely related to the fall he had and his potential hospitalization that followed before Ace died. However, at this time, no official word has been released about his cause of death.

Ace went back to Kiss more than once after he left the band, and he was one of the founding members. He was also the first founding member of the band to die. In 2024, Ace spoke with Ultimate Classic Rock and shared what prompted his move to a solo career. He said that, at one point, he wanted to work less than his bandmates and enjoy the life he was building for himself, including spending time with his daughter.

But his actual departure was the result of more than just that need.

"With the success of the '78 solo record when we all went our own way, I just realized eventually that it was time to move on," Ace told the outlet. "I wanted to be my own boss and not have people tell me what to do. That was the icing on the cake, the success of the solo record."

Ace is survived by his wife Jeanette Trerotola and his daughter, Monique Frehley.