As I Lay Dying vocalist Tim Lambesis has found himself under renewed public scrutiny following the disturbing home surveillance footage of him that began leaking online this past fall. The infamous metalcore singer was shown to have been in a highly agitated state during several interactions and conversations with his then wife in those initial clips.
Then, in footage leaked in January of this year, he was also seen to have been physically menacing and abusive towards his dog on two separate occasions. In the initial clips that surfaced last November, Lambesis was caught on camera having heated exchanges with his wife at the time, with his mental state becoming concerningly unstable to the point where he would loudly repeat himself while also subsequently hitting himself multiple times.
In the wake of that footage coming to light, Lambesis described his actions as “anxiety filled reactions and defenses.” He would also go on to claim that he had been physically assaulted and mentally abused by his wife over a period of three years that persisted prior to the footage leaking. He further went on to claim that he had filed for divorce against his wife and had been moving towards getting authorities involved in a domestic violence investigation against her in the days ahead of the footage leaking.
His wife for her part, would later go on to fire back at Tim, disputing his claims over the various allegations, at one point describing him as an “abusive, cheating, narcissist.” However, it is the above-mentioned interactions with the dog that have stirred the most recent round of public concern.
This Care2 petition has been launched in response to the footage, with intentions to gather enough public interest to have a complaint put forth to the local authorities in the state of California, where Lambesis resides. As of press time, 68,650 supporters have signed up for the petition, which has a goal of 70,000 supporters. The following was offered via the campaign on the aforementioned site:
‘The lead singer for a metalcore band served a prison sentence from 2014 to 2016 for hiring a hitman to kill his wife, from whom he was estranged. He was released on parole after being sentenced to six years in prison for his crime.
Now, he’s on camera apparently beating, kicking, and hitting his dog in California.
Sign the petition to demand justice and intensive psychological treatment!
The frontman for band As I Lay Dying was outside of his home when apparently he became overcome by rage and frustration and began violently wailing on his poor, trembling, frightened dog. It’s clear that this man’s violent tendencies didn’t decrease after his attempts to have his wife killed.
Apparently the people around him know and understand that he’s a dangerous individual, to be avoided at all costs. Over the course of its existence, 15 musicians have joined and subsequently left the band. Recent individuals who left stated that remaining professionally entangled with the lead singer left them psychologically battered and tested their morals “to a breaking point.” As of now, the only member of his band at all… is him. No one else seems willing to work with him.
It isn’t a huge surprise to learn that someone who’s been found guilty and convicted of domestic violence would now also be committing animal abuse. Studies have repeatedly found a connection between cruelty against animals, and cruelty against other humans.
This man is clearly not safe around animals or people, and the only way to cure that is with dedicated psychotherapy treatment. Urge California authorities to mandate intensive mental health counseling for this individual!’
In the weeks ahead of the above-mentioned footage of Lambesis‘ concerning exchanges with his wife leaking online, all members of As I Lay Dying exited the band, almost all citing concerns with behavior they had witnessed and experienced during their time in the band. In the wake of those departures, Lambesis went on to indicate initially that he planned to once again rebuild the band with a new lineup.
This past January, he also went on to give this interview, outlining the latest implosion of As I Lay Dying, his various mental health struggles and more. Roughly two days after that interview aired, the above-mentioned footage of Lambesis and his dog leaked online.
Lambesis has remained a divisive figure in the metalcore scene since pleading guilty in a murder-for-hire scheme that saw him unwittingly hire an undercover police officer posing as a hitman in attempt to have his then wife at the time murdered. While he was sentenced to six years in prison in 2014, he was paroled in December of 2016.
