Hunter S. Thompson is dead.
Hunter Stockton Thompson ( July 18 , 1937 -- February 20 , 2005 ) was an American journalist and author , and the founder of the gonzo journalism movement . After a bout of health problems , Thompson committed suicide at the age of 67 . In accordance with his wishes , his ashes were fired out of a cannon in a ceremony funded by his friend Johnny Depp and attended by friends including then-Senator John Kerry and Jack Nicholson .