'Death by Fame: Life Imitates Art,' a documentary on Investigation Discovery, chronicles Lloyd Avery's ascension to jail after killing two people in July 1999, and interviews various co-stars and acquaintances to reveal the true Lloyd to the viewers.
Lloyd Avery, who was he?
Lloyd Fernandez Avery II was born to Lloyd Avery Sr. and Linda Avery on June 21, 1969 in Los Angeles County, California. Lloyd studied at Beverly Hills High School, excelling in water polo and baseball. His peers described him as the sometimes shy but the class clown who cracked funny jokes during lectures.
Lloyd was known to be more an attention-getter than an aspiring criminal. He was spooked when he left a UCLA gathering with his friends in Westwood in 1968. He was captured by a patrol car after being discovered carrying a fake ID.
Despite his father's prohibitions, Lloyd Sr. wanted his kid to pursue a musical career. According to rumors, he was arrested in June 1990 for stealing studio equipment from a Guitar Center.
Brent Rollins, the architect and graphic designer who created the logo for 'Boyz N the Hood,' recalled how Lloyd developed an inherent tendency of "probing insecurities, sarcasm, pushing buttons, and incessant needling to enrage a reaction."
Lloyd had his first major role with his friend John Singleton, who directed the latter's first feature film, 'Boyz N the Hood,' which received multiple nominations at the 64th Academy Awards. "That moment of him out the window holding the pistol is iconic."
Lloyd Avery's Victims: Who Were They?
Keith Davis recounted an incident when he was shopping with Lloyd at the Slauson Swap Meet when a few gang members came up. 'They asked him (Lloyd) if he was a Blood, and it clicked, 'Yeah, I'm a Blood now.' It was surprising since Lloyd knew about street gang conflicts, and his younger brother, Che, was locked up for years due to his involvement with them.
Lloyd's friends described how fame engulfed his head, resulting in him burning old friendships, including John Singleton. As he became more involved with gang activities, he began harassing directors and other cast members, as well as carrying firearms.
A shootout in the Santa Barba Plaza of the Jungle was reported on July 1, 1999 by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). Annette Lewis and Percy Branch were said to be arguing over something before grabbing a pistol. Annette was shot at least five times in the back, while Percy was wounded in the upper abdomen and right thigh.
The police collected some shell casings from the scene, which were traced back to be fired from the same weapon used in two shootings months earlier in the same neighborhood. On March 29, 1999, the assailant was spotted firing from a black Cadilac, according to the show.
Lloyd Avery's Death: What Was His Death?
Lloyd was not released after committing the murders, but signed up for a new documentary titled 'Lockdown,' which began filming less than two weeks after the killings. He was later dismissed after getting into several physical altercations with colleagues and was nearly arrested after being mistaken as a prisoner breaking out of prison. He returned to Los Angeles and directed a film titled 'Shot,' which his director claims Lloyd had repeatedly threatened to murder him and his family.
Lloyd was found and charged with two counts of murder in the Privileged offices on December 8, 1999. Sean Spraker, his former roommate, confessed to the cops. He was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted and sentenced to Pelican Bay in March 2001.
Lloyd shared his jail cell with Kevin Roby, a convicted rapist and murderer, in August 2005. According to a later interview, Lloyd attempted to persuade him to convert to Christianity, resulting in several fights. The 36-year-old died on September 4, 2005, by his devil-worshipping cellmate, and his body was discovered 38 hours later.
