Original Deftones Bassist Chi Cheng Dead at Age 42

Chino Moreno of the Deftones posted to his Facebook page on April 13 that the band's original bassist Chi Cheng died at 3 a.m. Cheng was in a serious automobile accident in 2008 with his sister and never fully recovered. He had been making improvements over the past three years but at best was only "semi-conscious." It is unknown what specific cause of death took the musician's life.
Chi Cheng will be remembered for his compassion and social responsibility in addition to his contributions to music. He was a practicing Buddhist and vegetarian who sponsored a charity in Sacramento that taught musical skills to the homeless.

He leaves behind a wife and at least one son.