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Magician Found Dead At The Magic Castle After Committing Suicide
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a call from the Magic Castle around 7:25 p.m. They arrived to find a man dead.
The Magic Castle has been a stalwart of the Hollywood entertainment scene since it opened in 1963. The Victorian-style manse on Franklin Ave. hosts members and guests for a rotating list of magicians and performances.
"The Academy of Magic Arts (AMA) and the Magic Castle mourn the passing of celebrated magician and AMA family member, Daryl [Easton]," a release, posted to the club's Facebook page, notes. "Daryl, who was performing at the Magic Castle this week, was found dead on the club’s premises on the evening of Friday, Feb. 24, and his death has been ruled a suicide by the Los Angeles Police Department. ...The magic community mourns the loss of one of our most beloved and talented performers and the AMA’s deepest regrets and heart-felt sympathy go out to Daryl’s family."
According to TMZ, the body of magician Daryl Easton was found in a closet on the premises. An employee found Easton's body with a bag over his head and wearing only underwear. It appears Easton had hanged himself.
“There was a line kind of out the door of people waiting outside, and they were turned away,” Kelsey Peterjohn, a guest at the club Friday night, said of the scene, notes the Los Angeles Times. She described the congestion caused by police cars, a fire truck, and an ambulance.
Samantha Acampora, a fellow Magic Castle guest on Friday night, added, “No one seemed panicked, really, but I saw lots of security and managers whispering to each other, and they were walking around all over the place.”
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