With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
R&B Singer Vesta Williams Found Dead in Her El Segundo Hotel Room
R&B Singer Vesta Williams was found dead in her hotel room in her El Segundo Hotel room last night. Initial reports suggest that she might have overdosed on prescription pills.
Williams was found in her room at Homestead Studio near LAX around 6:15 p.m. surrounded by empty prescription drug bottles, according to TMZ. Her death is being treated as an accident or suicide. Toxicology reports typically take about 6 weeks.
Williams, 53, rose to fame in the 1980s with hits like "Sweet Sweet Love," "Once Bitten Twice Shy" and "Congratulations." Williams also appeared on the sitcom "Sister Sister" several times in the late 1990s, playing a best friend to Jackée Harry's character. Her career declined through the 1990s, the Times said, and she gained weight. Her website notes that she had lost 100 pounds recently in an attempt to make a comeback.
Here's Williams' Once Bitten, Twice Shy in all its shoulder-padded 1980's glory:
Sponsored message
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
