Eric Michels (July 2, 1964 – August 17, 2018) was an American businessman and film actor. He was a human resources executive at the energy company SSE.[2]
Eric Michels | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 2, 1964 Portland, Maine, U.S. |
| Died | August 17, 2018 (aged 54) Chessington, England[1] |
| Cause of death | Murder by lethal drug overdose |
| Occupation(s) | Actor and businessman |
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Children | 3 |
Early life
editMichels was born in 1964, in the U.S. and moved to Britain in the 1980s.[3]
Career
editHis acting credits include playing Staff Sergeant James in World War Z (2013),[4] FBI Operative in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014),[5] and was a James Bond extra playing a cocktail party guest in Skyfall in 2012.[6]
Personal life
editMichels was married and had three children, but the marriage broke up in 2004 and he divorced in 2010.[7]
Murder
editMichels was found dead at his home in Chessington on August 18, 2018, by his daughter.[8] He had been murdered in the early hours of August 17 by Gerald Matovu,[9] having been targeted on Grindr.[10][11] Matovu had written a message to Michels' 14-year-old daughter saying "Hello hun im a little busy talk soon".[12] Matovu, who had previously been convicted of supplying GHB to the serial killer Stephen Port,[13] was found guilty of the murder in July 2019. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 31 years.[14]
Filmography
edit- Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014) as FBI Operative
- World War Z (2013) as Staff Sergeant James
- Skyfall (2012) as Cocktail Party Guest
- First the Bird Fell (2011) as Kenneth Taylor
References
edit- ^ "Eric Michels murder: Serial killer Stephen Port's drug dealer convicted". BBC News. July 15, 2019.
- ^ Kirk, Tristan (May 22, 2019). "Actor 'murdered with chemsex drug overdose'". London Evening Standard. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
- ^ Saunders, Emmeline (November 23, 2018). "Bond actor Eric Michels 'poisoned to death by date rape drug'". Daily Mirror. MGN Limited. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
- ^ Hamilton, Fiona (November 22, 2018). "Energy executive 'killed by club drug'". The Times. Times Newspapers Limited. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
- ^ Hanlon, Tim (May 21, 2019). "Skyfall actor 'murdered with chemsex drug' during plot 'to steal from gay men'". Daily Star. Express Newspapers. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
- ^ Morgenstern, Danny (November 26, 2015). Schuhmann, Tim (ed.). James Bond für Besserwisser. Translated by Richter, Dirk. epubli. p. 504. ISBN 9783737578370.
- ^ "Chemsex death trial: Gerald Matovu accused of killing Eric Michels". Surrey Comet. Newsquest. May 21, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
- ^ "Dead James Bond extra Eric Michels 'targeted on Grindr'". BBC News. May 22, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
- ^ Rodger, James (May 21, 2019). "James Bond actor Eric Michels killed by chemsex drug overdose after meeting fraudster, court told". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
- ^ Duffy, Nick (May 21, 2019). "James Bond actor Eric Michels 'murdered after being targeted by Grindr thief'". Pink News. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
- ^ "Eric Michels murder: Serial killer Stephen Port's drug dealer convicted". BBC News. July 15, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
- ^ Karim, Fariha (May 22, 2019). "Gerald Matovu: Grindr fraudster 'drugged and murdered James Bond extra'". The Times. Times Newspapers Limited. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
- ^ "Stephen Port's dealer admits supplying killer with drugs". BBC News. March 28, 2017.
- ^ PA Media (September 11, 2019). "Serial killer's drug dealer jailed for actor's murder". The Guardian. Guardian News & Media Limited. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
External links
edit- Eric Michels at IMDb