Deaths in January 2026
The following is a list of deaths that should be noted in January 2026. For deaths that should be noted before the month that the world is in, please see "Months". Names under each date are noted in the order of the alphabet by last name or pseudonym. Deaths of non-humans are noted here also if it is worth noting.
Every entry must have a source. If no reference is included, the death notice will be removed. The following are the requirements of adding a name to the list in its order: name, age, where they came from, what the person is known for, cause of death (if known) and a source.
January
31
- Fitim Makashi, 81, Albanian actor (The Death of the Horse, Rrugicat që kërkonin diell, Nga mesi i errësirës), Merited Artist of Albania.[1]
30
- Catherine O'Hara, 71, Canadian-American actress (Schitt's Creek, Home Alone, Beetlejuice), Emmy winner (1982, 2019).[2]
- Demond Wilson, 79, American actor (Sanford and Son, The New Odd Couple, Me and the Kid) and author, complications from cancer.[3]
29
- João Canijo, 68, Portuguese film director (Get a Life, Blood of My Blood, Bad Living), heart attack.[4]
28
- Bryan Loren, 59, American songwriter ("Do the Bartman").[5]
26
- Sly Dunbar, 73, Jamaican drummer (Sly and Robbie), record producer ("Underneath It All"), and songwriter ("Murder She Wrote").[6]
- Billy Bass Nelson, 74, American Hall of Fame bassist (Funkadelic).[7]
25
- Lee Hae-chan, 73, South Korean politician, prime minister (2004–2006), minister of education (1998–1999) and MNA (1988–2020).[8]
24
- Michel Barbey, 98, French actor (Rendezvous in July, Three Sailors in a Convent, Dominique).[9]
23
- Carlo Cecchi, 86, Italian actor (His Day of Glory, Martin Eden, The Red Violin).[10]
- Yvonne Lime, 90, American actress (I Was a Teenage Werewolf, The Rainmaker, Father Knows Best).[11]
- Anda Zaice, 84, Latvian actress (Trial on the Road).[12]
21
- Reza Rooygari, 79, Iranian actor (Eagles, The Tenants, The Old Bachelor), heart attack.[13]
- Aleksandr Shavlokhov, 86, South Ossetian politician, prime minister (1996–1998).[14]
20
- Norman Gifford, 85, English cricketer (Worcestershire, Warwickshire, national team).[15] (death announced on this date)
- Rob Hirst, 70, Australian musician (Midnight Oil), pancreatic cancer.[16] (death announced on this date)
19
- Senka Veletanlić, 89, Bosnian actress (Svanuće, Three).[17]
18
- Valentino Garavani, 93, fashion designer.[18]
17
- Roger Allers, 76, American film director (The Lion King, Open Season) and screenwriter (Aladdin).[19]
- Wilbur Wood, 84, American baseball player (Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox).[20]
16
- Grant Batty, 74, New Zealand rugby union player (Wellington, Bay of Plenty, national team).[21]
- János Koltai, 90, Hungarian actor and director (The Round-Up, Ten Thousand Days, Szomszédok).[22]
- Melpo Zarokosta, 92, Greek actress (Maiden's Cheek, A Matter of Earnestness).[23]
15
- Kenny Morris, 68, English drummer (Siouxsie and the Banshees).[24] (death announced on this date)
14
- Igor Zolotovitskiy, 64, Russian actor (Taxi Blues, Luna Park, Composition for Victory Day), theater teacher and television director.[25]
13
- Scott Adams, 68, American cartoonist (Dilbert) and political commentator, prostate cancer.[26]
- Lina Bernardi, 87, Italian actress (The Story of Piera, The Last Kiss, The Embalmer).[27]
- George Vassiliou, 94, Cypriot politician, president of Cyprus (1988–1993).[28]
12
- Mohammad Ilyas, 79, Pakistani cricketer (Lahore, Pakistan International Airlines, national team), cancer.[29]
- Catherine Samie, 92, French actress (Lovers of Paris, The Old Maid, They Came Back).[30]
10
- Erich von Däniken, 90, Swiss author[31]
- Derek Martin, 92, English actor (Law & Order, Eldorado, EastEnders)
- Bob Weir, 78, American Hall of Fame musician (Grateful Dead), lung issues.[32] (death announced on this date)
9
- Zeno Bianu, 75, French writer.[33]
- Andrés Caniulef, 48, Chilean journalist, heart attack.[34]
- Beatriz González, 93, Colombian artist.[35]
- Hans Herrmann, 97, German racing driver (Formula One).[36]
- Khawlhring Lalremruata, 38, Indian cricketer (Mizoram), heart attack.[37]
- Valery Noskov, 59, Russian biathlete.[38]
- Josep Maria Triginer, 82, Spanish politician.[39]
- Yao Jianglin, 75, Taiwanese politician.[40]
- Vincenzo Zarri, 96, Italian Roman Catholic prelate, auxiliary bishop of Bologna (1976–1988) and bishop of Forlì-Bertinoro (1988–2005).[41]
8
- Murat Bisembin, 53, Kazakh actor, cancer.[42]
- Loraine Braham, 87, Australian politician, member (1994–2008) and speaker (1997–1999, 2001–2005) of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly.[43] (death announced on this date)
- Heloísa de Carvalho, 56, Brazilian writer and political activist, suicide.[44]
- Conrado Corsalette, 47, Brazilian journalist.[45]
- Mieczysław Czerniawski, 77, Polish politician, MP (1989–1991, 1993–2005).[46]
- Jim Furlong, 85, Canadian football player (Calgary Stampeders).[47]
- Sergio Goizauskas, 69, Argentine-born French cartoonist.[48]
- Vijay Singh Gond, 68, Indian politician, Uttar Pradesh MLA (1980–2007, since 2024), kidney failure.[49]
- Heber Jentzsch, 90, American Scientology executive (Church of Scientology International), actor and journalist (Los Angeles Free Press).[50] (death announced on this date)
- Jian Shuisheng, 96, Chinese academian.[51]
- Philippe Junot, 85, French venture capitalist and property developer.[52]
- Madalitso Kazombo, 46, Malawian politician, first deputy speaker of the National Assembly (2019–2025), asthma attack.[53]
- Elisa Lisboa, 81, Portuguese actress (Sabor da Paixão,Morangos com Açúcar,A Impostora).[54]
- Evgeny Lyubivyi, 51, Russian politician.[55]
- Antonino Mangano, 75, Italian marathon and middle-distance runner.[56]
- Hiroshi Nakamura, 93, Japanese surrealist painter, pancreatic cancer.[57]
- Astrid Roemer, 78, Surinamese-Dutch writer and teacher.[58]
- Uljana Semjonova, 73, Latvian basketball player, Olympic champion (1976, 1980).[59]
- Sir Tim Shadbolt, 78, New Zealand politician, mayor of Waitemata City (1983–1989) and Invercargill (1993–1995, 1998–2022).[60]
- Meinam Bhorot Singh, 75, Indian politician, Manipur MLA (2002–2007).[61]
- Terry Yorath, 75, Welsh football player (Leeds United, national team) and manager (national team).[62]
7
- Madjoulba Batocfetou, Togolese agronomic engineer.[63]
- James Bernard, American music journalist and magazine editor (The Source, XXL).[64] (death announced on this date)
- Ihor Blazhkov, 89, Ukrainian conductor.[65]
- Albert Bourgi, 90, French jurist.[66]
- Raffaella Bragazzi, 66, Italian television presenter and radio host.[67]
- Camilo Isaac Chavarría, 27, Panamanian model (Mister Panamá) and reality show contestant (Calle 7), heart attack.[68]
- Martin Chivers, 80, English footballer (Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, national team).[69]
- Ángel Coerezza, 92, Argentine football referee (AFA).[70]
- Hiroya Ebina, 67, Japanese politician, mayor of Kushiro (2008–2024), member of the Hokkaido Legislative Assembly
References
- ↑ "Renowned actor Fitim Makashi passes away at the age of 82". Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ "Catherine O'Hara Was Transported to L.A. Hospital 'in Serious Condition' Around 5 A.M." People. January 30, 2025. Archived from the original on January 31, 2026. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
- ↑ Barnes, Mike (2026-01-31). "Demond Wilson, Lamont on 'Sanford and Son,' Dies at 79". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ Morreu João Canijo (in Portuguese)
- ↑ Winston, Fran (2026-01-30). "Beloved singer and Michael Jackson's co-star dies aged just 58". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
- ↑ Sly & Robbie's Sly Dunbar dead at 73
- ↑ Founding Parliament-Funkadelic Bassist Billy Bass Dead at 74
- ↑ "Former South Korean PM Lee Hae-chan dies in Vietnam, aged 73". The Straits Times. 2026-01-25. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
- ↑ "Cinéma: Décès à 98 ans de Michel Barbey, voix de Bud Spencer". lematin.ch (in French). 2026-01-26. ISSN 1018-3736. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
- ↑ Morto Carlo Cecchi, protagonista a teatro e al cinema (in Italian)
- ↑ Times, Herald (2026-01-24). "Elvis Presley Co-Star Yvonne Lime Dead at 90 - Herald Times". Retrieved 2026-03-07.
- ↑ "Teātri likvidēja, kad viņa bija spēku plaukumā… Mirusi aktrise Anda Zaice". www.santa.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2026-03-07.
- ↑ Veteran actor, singer Reza Rooygari passes away
- ↑ Умер бывший премьер-министр Южной Осетии Шавлохов (in Russian)
- ↑ Norman Gifford MBE 1940-2026
- ↑ Music industry rocked by the death of Rob Hirst, the powerful engine behind Midnight Oil
- ↑ Jugoslovenska glumica i pevačica Senka Veletanlić preminula u 89. godini (in Serbian)
- ↑ "Italian fashion designer Valentino dies". Sky News. 19 January 2026. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
- ↑ Gilbey, Ryan (2026-01-27). "Roger Allers obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
- ↑ Three-Time All-Star for Red Sox, White Sox, Pirates Dies
- ↑ Former All Blacks wing Grant Batty dies, aged 74 in Queensland
- ↑ PA (2026-01-16). "Meghalt Koltai János, a Szomszédok színésze". index.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2026-03-07.
- ↑ Newsroom (2026-01-16). "Veteran stage, film actress Melpo Zarokosta dies aged 92 | eKathimerini.com". www.ekathimerini.com. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ↑ Siouxsie And the Banshees Drummer Kenny Morris Has Died
- ↑ "Actor Igor Zolotovitsky has passed away: cause of death revealed". bb.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2026-03-07.
- ↑ "Scott Adams, Audacious Creator of the 'Dilbert' Comic Strip, Dies at 68". The New York Times. January 13, 2026. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- ↑ Melito, Antonella (2026-01-13). "Addio a Lina Bernardi, l'attrice di Latina aveva lavorato con i più grandi registi". Luna Notizie - Notizie di Latina (in Italian). Retrieved 2026-03-07.
- ↑ Former President of Cyprus George Vassiliou has died
- ↑ Ex-cricketer Mohammad Ilyas passes away in Lahore
- ↑ Décès de Catherine Samie, pilier de la Comédie-Française (in French)
- ↑ "Schweizer Autor und Publizist Erich von Däniken ist gestorben". Tages Anzeiger. 11 January 2026. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
- ↑ Grateful Dead Founding Member Bob Weir Dead at 78
- ↑ Zéno Bianu (1950-2025) (in French)
- ↑ Muere el periodista Andrés Caniulef a los 48 años de edad - Chilevisión (in Spanish)
- ↑ Murió la maestra Beatriz González, ícono del arte colombiano (in Spanish)
- ↑ Porsche mourns the loss of Hans Herrmann
- ↑ Former Ranji Trophy Cricketer from Mizoram Dies After Collapsing During Match
- ↑ Valery Noskov has passed away. (in Russian)
- ↑ Muere Josep Maria Triginer, fundador del PSC y firmante de los Pactos de la Moncloa (in Spanish)
- ↑ 前中常委「姚董」姚江臨辭世 國民黨工感念：他永遠走在第一線 (in Chinese)
- ↑ Bishop Vincenzo Zarri †
- ↑ Танымал қазақстандық актер Мұрат Бисенбин өмірден өтті (in Kazakh)
- ↑ Loraine Braham, trailblazing Northern Territory politician dies, aged 87
- ↑ Filha de Olavo de Carvalho é encontrada morta (in Portuguese)
- ↑ Jornalista Conrado Corsalette morre em São Paulo aos 47 anos (in Portuguese)
- ↑ Nie żyje były poseł i prezydent Łomży. Mieczysław Czerniawski miał 77 lat (in Polish)
- ↑ Former all-star linebacker, Grey Cup champion with Stamps, Jim Furlong, dead at 85
- ↑ Serguei, dessinateur au « Monde » depuis quarante-cinq ans, est mort (in French)
- ↑ Veteran SP Leader, Eight-Time MLA Vijay Singh Gond Passes Away at 68
- ↑ Heber Jentzsch, 90, Scientology's longtime 'president,' dies in nursing home
- ↑ 痛别！简水生院士逝世 (in Chinese)
- ↑ Mort de l’ex-mari de Caroline de Monaco, le déchirant message de sa fille Victoria Junot : "À mon papa légendaire…" (in French)
- ↑ Malawi Mourns Former Deputy Speaker Madalitso Kazombo
- ↑ Atriz Elisa Lisboa morreu aos 81 anos (in Portuguese)
- ↑ В Кургане погиб экс-глава Калининграда Евгений Любивый (in Russian)
- ↑ Padova piange Antonino Mangano, il maestro dell’atletica veneta (in Italian)
- ↑ 画家・中村宏さん死去 砂川闘争描いた「ルポルタージュ絵画」：朝日新聞 (in Japanese)
- ↑ Schrijfster Astrid Roemer overleden (in Dutch)
- ↑ Sēru vēsts: mūžībā devusies Latvijas un pasaules basketbola leģenda Uļjana Semjonova (in Latvian)
- ↑ Sir Tim Shadbolt has died at age 78
- ↑ Manipur BJP leader Meinam Bhorot Singh dies after prolonged illness in Imphal
- ↑ Terry Yorath obituary
- ↑ Madjoulba Batocfetou, patron de l'ICAT s'est éteint (in French)
- ↑ James Bernard, founding editor of ‘The Source’ and co-founder of ‘XXL,’ dies
- ↑ Помер український композитор Блажков, Гордон, 8.1.2026, автор - Ельчін Садаєв Archived 2026-01-09 at the Wayback Machine (in Ukrainian)
- ↑ Mort d'Albert Bourgi, professeur de droit et figure du socialisme en Afrique (in French)
- ↑ È morta Raffaella Bragazzi, storica voce di «Ok, il prezzo è giusto», aveva 66 anni (in Italian)
- ↑ Muere "El Chiri", excompetidor de Calle y beisbolista chiricano (in Spanish)
- ↑ Obituary | Martin Chivers
- ↑ Falleció Ángel Coerezza, uno de los mejores árbitros argentinos y ejemplo de persona (in Spanish)