Lloyd Avery II was a promising actor who appeared in some of the most iconic films of the 1990s, such as Boyz n the Hood and Poetic Justice. However, his life took a tragic turn when he got involved in gang violence and ended up killing two people in 1999. He was sentenced to life in prison, where he met his own demise in 2005. What led him to this path of crime and destruction? How did he die in prison? Here is the story of Lloyd Avery II’s cause of death and the events that led up to it.
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Early Life and Career
Lloyd Avery II was born on June 21, 1969, in Los Angeles, California. He grew up in a well-off family in View Park, where he attended Beverly Hills High School. He was good at sports, especially water polo and baseball, and had a talent for music. He was also known as a class clown who liked to crack jokes and make people laugh.
However, he also had a rebellious streak and a penchant for trouble. He often got into fights, carried a fake ID, and stole studio equipment from a guitar store. He was arrested several times for minor offenses, but he seemed to enjoy the thrill of breaking the law. According to one of his friends, Brent Rollins, he had an “incessant needling to provoke a reaction” from others.
His father, Lloyd Avery Sr., wanted him to follow his footsteps and run the family business, but Lloyd Jr. had other aspirations. He wanted to pursue a career in music and acting, despite his father’s disapproval. He got his first big break when he landed a role in John Singleton’s debut film Boyz n the Hood (1991), which was a huge commercial and critical success. He played one of the Bloods who killed Ricky Baker (Morris Chestnut), a high school football star, in one of the most memorable scenes of the film.
Singleton was impressed by Lloyd’s performance and cast him again in his next film Poetic Justice (1993), starring Janet Jackson and Tupac Shakur. Lloyd also appeared in other films such as Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996), The Breaks (1999), Lockdown (2000), and Shot (2001). He seemed to have a bright future ahead of him in Hollywood.
Double Homicide and Imprisonment
However, behind the scenes, Lloyd was getting deeper into the gang culture of Los Angeles. He became affiliated with the Crips, one of the most notorious street gangs in the city. He started wearing blue bandanas, flashing gang signs, and carrying guns. He also developed a drug addiction that affected his behavior and judgment.
On July 1, 1999, Lloyd committed a horrific crime that changed his life forever. He shot and killed two random people who were sitting in their car at a red light in Inglewood. The victims were Henry Smith Jr., 25, and Terri Myles, 19. They had no connection to Lloyd or any gang activity. They were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Lloyd was arrested shortly after the shooting and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, claiming that he was under the influence of drugs and did not know what he was doing. However, the jury did not buy his defense and found him guilty on both counts. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
He was sent to Pelican Bay State Prison, one of the most secure and violent prisons in California. There, he faced constant threats from other inmates, especially from rival gang members. He also converted to Islam and changed his name to Ali Abdul Karim.
Death in Prison
Lloyd’s life came to an end on September 4, 2005, when he was killed by his cellmate Kevin Roby. Roby was a white supremacist who practiced Satanism and had a history of mental illness and violence. He had previously killed another inmate in 2002 by stabbing him 67 times.
According to the autopsy report by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Lloyd’s cause of death was blood aspiration, with physical force trauma as a contributing factor. Roby had brutally beaten and strangled Lloyd as part of a Satanic ritual “intended as a warning to God”. Roby then carved a pentagram on Lloyd’s chest and wrote “666” on his forehead with blood.
Roby was charged with first-degree murder for killing Lloyd, but he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. He claimed that he was possessed by demons and that God told him to kill Lloyd. However, he was found competent to stand trial and convicted of the crime. He was sentenced to death and is currently on death row at San Quentin State Prison.
Legacy and Impact
Lloyd Avery II’s death was a tragic end to a promising career and a troubled life. He was only 36 years old when he died. He left behind his parents, his brother, his two daughters, and his friends who remembered him as a talented and charismatic person who made a mistake that cost him everything.
His death also raised questions about the prison system and the mental health care of inmates. How did Roby manage to kill two people in prison despite being diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder? Why was Lloyd placed in the same cell with a known killer who had a conflicting ideology? What could have been done to prevent this tragedy from happening?
Lloyd Avery II’s death also highlighted the dangers of gang involvement and drug abuse. He was a victim of his own choices and circumstances that led him to a path of violence and destruction. He was also a victim of a senseless act of hatred and cruelty that took his life away.
Lloyd Avery II’s death was a shocking and sad event that shocked the world of entertainment and beyond. He was a talented actor who had a lot of potential, but he also had a lot of demons that he could not overcome. He will always be remembered for his roles in some of the most iconic films of the 1990s, but he will also be remembered for his tragic fate that cut his life short.
