Tim Lambesis, vocalist of As I Lay Dying, has come under fresh public scrutiny following the disturbing home surveillance footage that began surfacing online last fall. The metalcore frontman was seen in a highly agitated state during several interactions with his then-wife, with his behavior becoming increasingly erratic in the initial clips.
In January, more footage emerged showing Lambesis being physically aggressive and abusive towards his dog on two separate occasions. The earlier videos, leaked in November, showed Lambesis engaged in heated arguments with his wife, with his mental state becoming notably unstable—repeatedly shouting at her and even hitting himself.
After the footage went public, Lambesis described his actions as “anxiety-filled reactions and defenses” and claimed that he had been physically and mentally abused by his wife for three years prior to the release of the videos. He also stated that he had filed for divorce and was in the process of involving authorities in a domestic violence investigation against her.
“There is currently a restraining order and a domestic violence investigation being filed against Dany Norris (formerly Lambesis). Anything she is saying now is to distract people away from that to instead focus on my own inappropriate (but not illegal) reactions to these anxiety inducing interactions”, he wrote in a statement. “This woman assaulted me and verbally/mentally abused me over 3 years. I took the much needed and overdue step to leave her yesterday by delivering divorce papers. That is the reason there have been attempts at retaliation toward me online today that pale in comparison to what will really be the focus of the courts”, he continued.
In response, his wife denied the allegations, labeling Lambesis an “abusive, cheating, narcissist.”
Dany told in a statement: “Tim has continuously tried to intimidate me, bribe me, and beg me to sign an NDA in our marriage settlement stating that I will never publicly talk about him, so that the truth will be buried when our divorce is finalized, which are all recorded conversations. I also have a recorded phone call from Tim a week ago, rationalizing, and explaining why he thinks we should get back together.”
“The abusive, cheating, narcissist will try to destroy your life & your name with lies before you can shine light on the truth.”
“I am done being SILENT”, she concluded.
However, the footage involving his dog has sparked the most recent public backlash.
In reaction to the footage, a Care2 petition has been created to garner enough public support to prompt local authorities in California, where Lambesis lives, to investigate further. As of now, the petition has gained 68,650 signatures, with a goal of reaching 70,000. The campaign’s message can be found on the petition site.
The campaign on the mentioned site included the following statement:
“The lead singer for a metalcore band served a prison sentence from 2014 to 2016 for hiring a hitman to kill his wife, from whom he was estranged. He was released on parole after being sentenced to six years in prison for his crime.
“Now, he’s on camera apparently beating, kicking, and hitting his dog in California.
“Sign the petition to demand justice and intensive psychological treatment!
“The frontman for band As I Lay Dying was outside of his home when apparently he became overcome by rage and frustration and began violently wailing on his poor, trembling, frightened dog. It’s clear that this man’s violent tendencies didn’t decrease after his attempts to have his wife killed.
“Apparently the people around him know and understand that he’s a dangerous individual, to be avoided at all costs. Over the course of its existence, 15 musicians have joined and subsequently left the band. Recent individuals who left stated that remaining professionally entangled with the lead singer left them psychologically battered and tested their morals ‘to a breaking point.’ As of now, the only member of his band at all… is him. No one else seems willing to work with him.
“It isn’t a huge surprise to learn that someone who’s been found guilty and convicted of domestic violence would now also be committing animal abuse. Studies have repeatedly found a connection between cruelty against animals, and cruelty against other humans.
“This man is clearly not safe around animals or people, and the only way to cure that is with dedicated psychotherapy treatment. Urge California authorities to mandate intensive mental health counseling for this individual!”
This past January, Lambesis gave an interview where he discussed the recent collapse of As I Lay Dying, his ongoing struggles with mental health, and more. Just two days after the interview aired, the previously mentioned footage of Lambesis with his dog leaked online.
Lambesis has remained a polarizing figure in the metalcore scene ever since he pleaded guilty to a murder-for-hire plot, in which he unknowingly hired an undercover police officer posing as a hitman to have his then-wife killed. Although he was sentenced to six years in prison in 2014, he was granted parole in December 2016.
