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Sunday Jones |
Inquest returns an open verdict for ‘larger-than-life’ musician’s death
A PROMISING young musician who struggled with schizophrenia was found dead at his Queen’s Crescent flat, an inquest heard this week.
Sunday Jones, 24, died last November at his home in Chelwood Estate, Grafton Road, though the cause of his death remains unknown.
St Pancras Coroner’s Court heard that Mr Jones, who had lived alone following the death of his mother in 2006, was discovered in bed with his TV still on. There was no evidence of suicide or misadventure.
Friends and family paid tribute to the “inspirational” former Acland Burghley pupil, known as “Sunny”, describing him as a “larger-than-life character” whose passion for music touched every one he met.
Luke Hanlon, a lifelong friend of Sunny, said: “He was a born leader who inspired a lot of people around him.
“He played guitar and keyboard, sang, rapped and had several novels on the go.”
“He was a very intelligent and musical person – and he helped me with a lot of stuff. He was like family.”
Sunny had an eclectic musical taste, from Eminem and 50 Cent to Bob Dylan and Nirvana. He and his dog Dexter, a Brindall Staffordshire terrier, were well known figures around Cantelowes Gardens in Camden.
The inquest heard that Sunny had been diagnosed with “paranoid schizophrenia compounded by substance misuse” in 2003 and had a history of self-harm.
He had been admitted to hospital several times for cutting himself and taking paracetamol overdoses, but his family said he had been better recently, focusing on his music.
His older sister Zoe said she had last seen Sunny a few days earlier, at her daughter’s birthday party.
She said: “Sunny seemed very happy. He had a few glasses of wine and chatted with everyone.
“He would have said if he had been down – he was very open about his illness.”
She labelled his death “a mystery” and dismissed the possibility of suicide. “It was definitely not suicide,” she said. “He was on the up.”
St Pancras coroner Dr Andrew Reid said there were no signs of natural disease, illicit drug use or marks of violence, nor any evidence of self-harm at that time. He described the cause of death as “unascertained”.
“The possibility of sudden death in the mentally ill cannot be ruled out,” he added.
An open verdict was returned. |
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Sunny went to Torriano Junior school with me.
He was friendly with everyone in our year.
Sunny was very much a face of the local community and I will miss him.
R.I.P. xxxx
Leila Mannish |
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