Cathy Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | Catherine Evelyn Smith April 25, 1947 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | August 16, 2020 (aged 73) Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada |
| Occupation(s) | Rock groupie, backup singer |
| Criminal charge | Involuntary manslaughter of John Belushi (1982) Possession of 2 grams of cocaine (1991) |
| Criminal penalty | 15 months in prison (1982), 1 year of probation and a CDN$2000 fine (1991) |
Catherine Evelyn Smith (April 25, 1947 – August 16, 2020) was a Canadian backup singer, groupie, drug dealer, and legal secretary. Smith served 15 months in the California Institution for Women for injecting actor John Belushi with a fatal dose of heroin and cocaine in 1982.[1][2][3]
Smith had been paid for a front-page headline story in the Hollywood tabloid the National Enquirer,[4] where she stated she was the person who injected Belushi with a fatal drug overdose. Smith co-wrote the book Chasing the Dragon (1984)[5] which told her life story; its title alludes to Smith's heroin addiction. Smith appeared prominently in the Bob Woodward book Wired: The Short Life and Fast Times of John Belushi (1984) and was played by Patti D'Arbanville in the 1989 film adaptation.
- ^ "Gone 25 years, Belushi's impact still felt". TODAY.com.
- ^ "Citation for Hamilton, Ontario birthplace: Cathy Smith". Retrieved 2007-01-30.
- ^ Wheeler, Brad (26 August 2020). "Cathy Smith, who admitted to killing John Belushi, was a woman of mystery". The Globe and Mail.
- ^ "Belushi Case Judge Holds 2 Reporters in Contempt". The New York Times. June 12, 1985. Retrieved April 7, 2007.
- ^ "Book: "Chasing the Dragon"". Retrieved 2007-01-30.