Jeff Hanneman, Guitarist for Slayer, Dies at 49

Jeff Hanneman, one of the cofounders of the rock band Slayer, died yesterday, May 2, 2013, the band announced on its website. He was 49 years old.

A statement posted on the website reads: "Slayer is devastated to inform that their bandmate and brother, Jeff Hanneman, passed away at about 11 am this morning near his Southern California hom. Hanneman was in an area hospital when he suffered liver failure. He is survived by his wife Kathy, his sister Kathy and his brothers Michael and Larry, and will be sorely missed."

Hanneman and fellow guitarist Kerry King founded the band in 1981 along with fellow guitarist Kerry King.

It was only Wednesday that the band gave an update on the musician's health following a long struggle from a spider bite last year. "It's been about a year since he got out of the hospital, and since then, he had to learn to walk again, he's had several painful skin grafts, he's been in rehab doing exercises to regain the strength in his arm."

In addition, the letter revealed that although Hanneman hoped to join his bandmates in the near future, he needed to "take more time to continue his rehab" for now.

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