James Vance and his friend Raymond Belknap were depressed teenagers
whose lives were in shambles. They both made a suicide pact on December
23, 1985. Vance and Belknap went to a church playground while
intoxicated on substances and both of them shot themselves in the faces
with a shotgun. Vance survived while Belknap died. Vance spent from
1985 to 1988 going through reconstructive surgery along with spending
time in a mental institution to try to combat drug abuse and suicidal
thoughts. He died in 1988 from complications of surgery and his use of
methadone to try and cure his drug addiction. His family sued the rock
group Judas Priest and blamed the music for their son's death. His
family lost the case.