LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) – The family of a KISS guitar technician who died October 17, 2021, while quarantining after contracting COVID-19 during the band’s End of the Road world tour is suing for wrongful death, according to a new lawsuit reported by TMZ and Rolling Stone.
Catherine Stueber, whose husband, Francis Stueber, served as guitar tech for frontman Paul Stanley for nearly 20 years and several family members filed a lawsuit claiming negligence and wrongful death. They seek damages from members Stanley, guitarist Gene Simmons, their manager Doc McGhee, the tour’s promoter Live Nation (LN) and the hotel chain Marriott International.
Rolling Stone, who obtained a copy of the lawsuit, alleges that “the failure to enforce or have adequate COVID-19 policies or procedures caused a COVID-19 outbreak amongst band members and tour personnel.”
The lawsuit states, “As a direct and proximate result of the dangerous condition created by Defendants, Decedent suffered fatal injuries, and Plaintiffs suffered damages, including, but not limited to funeral and burial expenses, the permanent deprivation of the loving companionship, affection solace, society, comfort, assistance, services and financial contributions, and moral support of Decedent in an amount according to proof at trial.”
TMZ reports that Steuber contracted COVID-19 from Stanley in August 2021 while on a tour stop in Detroit and was “abandoned” at the Four Points Hotel By Sheraton to quarantine as part of the KISS protocol. Steuber contacted McGhee as he became sicker, with McGhee promising to arrange for medical personnel to check on him, and failed to do so. The lawsuit also alleges that COVID continued to spread due to loose safety policies while on tour, and by the time McGhee got a tour member to check on Steuber, he was already deceased. It was only 2 days after testing positive for the virus.
Upon learning of his death, the band’s singer and guitarist took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share his condolences.
My dear friend, buddy and guitar tech for 20 years, Fran Stueber, died yesterday suddenly of COVID-19. Both on and offstage I depended on him for so much. My family loved him as did I. He was so proud of his wife and 3 boys as they were of him. I’m numb. pic.twitter.com/RvwUGpFt0X
— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) October 17, 2021
The lawsuit comes nearly two years after crew members claimed Stueber’s death was caused by a lack of safety measures and lax COVID protocols during the tour.
“Every day during the shows, we weren’t tested. And there are so many unknowns,” a roadie told Rolling Stone. “Did we super spread this? Did we spread this thing from city to city? It’s horrible that Fran passed, and it’s horrible if this is our protocol just for us to tour. Is this going to be the normal, to stick someone in a hotel and if somebody dies, ‘Oh, well, off to the next guy?’ ”
CelebrityAccess has reached out to representatives of the band for comment. As of press time, a response has yet to be received.
