Andy Williams has passed away at 48. The former Every Time I Die guitarist later became a professional wrestler for All Elite Wrestling under the ring name The Butcher.
Williams suffered a medical emergency while competing at an independent wrestling event. He was taken to the hospital, where he later died.
AEW released a statement addressing his passing. The statement reflected on his career in both music and wrestling, as well as the respect he earned from his peers in both worlds.
“All Elite Wrestling is saddened to learn of the passing of Andy Williams, aka The Butcher,” the statement read. “A trailblazing musician with ETID and Atomic Rule, Williams made a successful transition into the world of professional wrestling and was incredibly respected by his peers both in and out of the ring.”
“Our condolences go out to Williams’ family, friends and fans,” the statement continued.
More details have since emerged surrounding the circumstances of his collapse and the immediate response at the event.
Williams went down near the end of a tag team match at Enjoy Wrestling’s Five-Year Anniversary event, held at Mr. Smalls Theater in Millvale, Pennsylvania. He was teaming with The Blade against TME when he suffered the medical emergency.
Medical staff on site responded immediately, performing CPR and using an AED in an effort to revive him. Despite those efforts, Williams did not survive. The show was stopped and cancelled following the incident. Attendees were sent home as emergency responders attended to him.
Dispatch audio suggests Williams may have hit his head on a ring post during the match, though this detail has not been confirmed as the official cause of death. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed his passing. The final cause of death remains pending as of this report.
