Guitars Belonging to Deceased Slipknot Bassist Paul Gray Reported Stolen

Two guitars formerly belonging to deceased Slipknot bassist Paul Gray were among $36,000 worth of musical equipment reported stolen Sunday by the Des Moines-based metal band’s lead singer, Corey Taylor.

Gray of Johnston, a founder of the Grammy-winning band, died in May 2010 at an Urbandale hotel, reportedly of a drug overdose. His physician, Dr. Daniel Baldi, is facing trial on eight counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of Gray and seven other patients for whom he allegedly prescribed addictive narcotics for pain management.

Taylor, who lives in West Des Moines, told police that he thinks a friend took the equipment while he and his wife were on a monthlong tour in Europe, the Des Moines Register reported.

The newspaper cited a West Des Moines Police Department report in which Taylor said his wife’s friend said she believed the suspect had been taking equipment from the couple’s home and storage unit.

Another friend reportedly became suspicious after he heard the suspect had been trying to buy back equipment from a local guitar store. A third friend had verified the equipment belonged to Taylor.