3 weeks ago
Nearly 2 weeks aft "American Idol" alum Mandisa was recovered dead successful her Tennessee home, her father, John Hundley, is opening up astir his daughter's origin of death.
"I judge firmly that nan detective believes and knows that she did not [harm herself]," he told Fox News Digital Tuesday. "They talked astir nan scars, immoderate type of bruises that whitethorn person been connected her body. They looked for signs that she whitethorn person harmed herself, and location were nary signs to bespeak that she did thing to harm herself."
Franklin Police Department Public Information head Max Wintz confirmed to Fox News Digital nan investigation is still ongoing. The Franklin County Medical Examiner did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital's petition for comment.
‘AMERICAN IDOL’ ALUM MANDISA DEATH AT 47 FOLLOWS LIFE OF STRUGGLES, FAITH, INSPIRATION
Mandisa was 47 astatine nan clip of her death. (Jamie Gilliam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Mandisa died April 18.
Last week, nan Franklin, Tennessee, Police Department shared an update connected X, formerly Twitter, writing, "The Franklin Police Department is continuing to analyse nan decease of a female recovered wrong a Beamon Dr. residence past Thursday evening. Over nan weekend, a aesculapian examiner identified nan deceased individual arsenic Mandisa Hundley, 47.
"At this time, location is nary denotation nan decease was nan consequence of suspicious aliases criminal activity. The Franklin Police Department sends its condolences to Hundley’s family, friends, and fans."
Mandisa was connected play 5 of "American Idol" on pinch finalists Taylor Hicks, Elliott Yamin, Katharine McPhee, Bucky Covington, Kellie Pickler, Ace Young, Chris Daughtry and Paris Bennett. ( Ray Mickshaw/WireImage)
Over nan weekend, friends and family gathered astatine Brentwood Baptist Church successful Nashville to grant and observe Mandisa's life.
During nan ceremony, Hundley said astir what he thinks whitethorn person happened to his daughter.
"But here's what I deliberation happened," he said. "Mandisa fell down successful her bedroom. They recovered her connected nan floor. If you look from nan rear of her bed, she was laying connected nan near side. It’s clear that's wherever she was laying, location was a mates of large rugs location and immoderate clothes. On nan correct broadside of nan bed, front, was this nightstand. I recovered her telephone connected nan correct broadside of nan bed. There was nary measurement for Mandisa to get astir nan bed, spell retired location and get a telephone to telephone for help.
"She did not harm herself," he said during nan memorial. "As she said, Mandisa loved nan Lord and nan Lord loved Mandisa. So there's 1 point you whitethorn not person known. She told maine immoderate clip agone that she had gotten COVID-19, and she had been anemic trying to get complete that. But she was trying to property through. We talked truthful overmuch connected Easter morning, but I thought she was going to this conference, and truthful I had not called her precocious but I've talked to her a lot. May she remainder successful bid now."
Mandisa won a Grammy for champion modern Christian euphony medium for "Overcomer" successful 2013. (Scott Legato/Getty Images)
While his remarks received mixed reactions, Hundley said he's trying to move guardant successful a measurement Mandisa would person wanted.
"Some group knock maine for talking," he told Fox News Digital. "They said I should beryllium grieving more. I am. The first fewer nights, I’ll show you, it was hard. I couldn’t sleep. Last nighttime was nan first nighttime that I’ve gotten six aliases 5 hours of sleep. I’ve been grieving.
"I judge that she’s happy, and I’m trying to beryllium happy for illustration she would be," he added. "I person forced myself to beryllium happy and not cry. I made nan incorrect connection astatine nan homegoing service. I said, ‘I cognize men aren’t expected to cry.’ I cognize that that’s a belief that immoderate group have. I don’t cognize if men are not expected to outcry because I outcry each nan time."
Two days aft attending nan memorial, "American Idol" alums Melinda Doolittle, Colton Dixon and Danny Gokey paid tribute to nan precocious vocalist pinch a with a performance during Monday's section of nan singing title show.
The trio, who each appeared alongside Mandisa connected play 5 successful 2006, performed "Shackles" by Mary Mary successful grant of nan precocious Grammy Award-winning artist.
Fans of Mandisa were speedy to respond to nan tribute.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
"Wow. That was truthful powerful!! So beautiful. What a praiseworthy tribute to Mandisa," Candace Cameron Bure commented connected nan "American Idol" Instagram post. "Lord Jesus, we conscionable wanna praise You. Four of my fav vocalists retired of Idol correct there…"
"This was a worthy tribute to our girl!" Yvette Nicole Brown added.
APP USERS CLICK HERE TO VIEW POST
"Mandisa was an adored icon connected ‘American Idol’ and successful nan euphony industry," nan show's rep antecedently told Fox News Digital successful a statement. "She had go a platinum-selling creator and had won several Grammys for her music. Her passing has near everyone connected nan show heartbroken, and we widen our deepest condolences to her family."
Longtime big Ryan Seacrest posted a photograph of himself and nan 3 alums up of nan show, writing: "Tonight, #IDOL alums, adjacent friends, and collaborators salary tribute to Mandisa."
APP USERS CLICK HERE TO VIEW POST
A show rep for "American Idol" said successful a connection to Fox News Digital "Mandisa was an adored icon connected ‘American Idol’ and successful nan euphony industry." (Jason Merritt/FilmMagic for Fox Television Network)
"I deliberation Mandisa is truthful happy and pleased pinch [all nan emotion and support]," Hundley said. "I’m going done truthful galore boxes of cards from group who said, ‘Mandisa you touched my life. Mandisa, my life has changed because of you.’ My connection was, ‘Let’s beryllium an ambassador and alteration people’s lives. Let’s beryllium successful unity.’ I’m inspired by each nan awesome words I’ve heard from group and these cards."
For years, Mandisa had struggled pinch her weight and nan trauma of being raped astatine 16 years old.
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
"When that happened astatine 16, it was for illustration a floodgate opened. I started to eat and eat and eat. I deliberation I was benignant of shielding myself disconnected from anybody other that could harm me," she said during an question and reply pinch CBN successful 2007.
That aforesaid year, Mandisa released her first album, "True Beauty," which debuted astatine No. 1 connected nan Top Christian Albums charts and No. 43 connected nan Billboard charts, a uncommon feat for a Christian artist.
Mandisa was recovered dormant successful her flat April 18. (Paras Griffin/Getty Images for AFFIRM Films A Sony Company )
In 2022, Mandisa released a memoir, "Out of nan Dark: My Journey Through nan Shadows to Find God’s Joy," detailing her struggles pinch depression.
That year, during an appearance connected "Good Morning America," she said, "My dream is that this book will beryllium a instrumentality utilized successful surviving rooms and java shops each complete nan world to thief punctual discussions astir our intelligence health."
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
"I've learned firsthand that talking astir it helps it suffer immoderate of its power," she added, hoping it encourages friends to person discussions that tin "lead to healing."
Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Stanton contributed to this post.
