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.

30
Catherine O'Hara, 71, Canadian-American actress (Schitt's Creek, Home Alone, Beetlejuice), Emmy winner (1982, 2019).
Demond Wilson, 79, American actor (Sanford and Son, The New Odd Couple, Me and the Kid) and author, complications from cancer.

29
João Canijo, 68, Portuguese film director (Get a Life, Blood of My Blood, Bad Living), heart attack.Morreu João Canijo 

28
Bryan Loren, 59, American songwriter ("Do the Bartman").

27
Peter Parfitt, 89, English cricketer.
Jim Leyland, 81, American baseball player and manager.
Charlie Griffith, 87, Barbadian cricketer.
Uli Hoeneß, 74, German footballer and chairman.
Ottis Anderson, 69, American football player and sportscaster.
Mick Mills, 77, English footballer and manager.
Gérson, 85, Brazilian footballer.
Gunhild Hoffmeister, 81, German runner.
David Thompson, 71, American basketball player.
Tony Oliva, 87, Cuban-American baseball player and coach.
Barry Richards, 80, South African cricketer.
Russ Jackson, 89, Canadian football player and coach.

26
Sly Dunbar, 73, Jamaican drummer (Sly and Robbie), record producer ("Underneath It All"), and songwriter ("Murder She Wrote").Sly & Robbie's Sly Dunbar dead at 73
Billy Bass Nelson, 74, American Hall of Fame bassist (Funkadelic).Founding Parliament-Funkadelic Bassist Billy Bass Dead at 74

25
Lee Hae-chan, 73, South Korean politician, prime minister (2004–2006), minister of education (1998–1999) and MNA (1988–2020).

24
Michel Barbey, 98, French actor (Rendezvous in July, Three Sailors in a Convent, Dominique).

23
Carlo Cecchi, 86, Italian actor (His Day of Glory, Martin Eden, The Red Violin).Morto Carlo Cecchi, protagonista a teatro e al cinema 
Yvonne Lime, 90, American actress (I Was a Teenage Werewolf, The Rainmaker, Father Knows Best).
Anda Zaice, 84, Latvian actress (Trial on the Road).

22

21
Reza Rooygari, 79, Iranian actor (Eagles, The Tenants, The Old Bachelor), heart attack.
Aleksandr Shavlokhov, 86, South Ossetian politician, prime minister (1996–1998).Умер бывший премьер-министр Южной Осетии Шавлохов 

20
Norman Gifford, 85, English cricketer (Worcestershire, Warwickshire, national team).Norman Gifford MBE 1940-2026 (death announced on this date)
Rob Hirst, 70, Australian musician (Midnight Oil), pancreatic cancer.Music industry rocked by the death of Rob Hirst, the powerful engine behind Midnight Oil (death announced on this date)

19
Senka Veletanlić, 89, Bosnian actress (Svanuće, Three).Jugoslovenska glumica i pevačica Senka Veletanlić preminula u 89. godini 

18
Valentino Garavani, 93, fashion designer.

17
Roger Allers, 76, American film director (The Lion King, Open Season) and screenwriter (Aladdin).
Wilbur Wood, 84, American baseball player (Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox).Three-Time All-Star for Red Sox, White Sox, Pirates Dies

16
Grant Batty, 74, New Zealand rugby union player (Wellington, Bay of Plenty, national team).Former All Blacks wing Grant Batty dies, aged 74 in Queensland
János Koltai, 90, Hungarian actor and director (The Round-Up, Ten Thousand Days, Szomszédok).
Melpo Zarokosta, 92, Greek actress (Maiden's Cheek, A Matter of Earnestness).

15
Kenny Morris, 68, English drummer (Siouxsie and the Banshees).Siouxsie And the Banshees Drummer Kenny Morris Has Died (death announced on this date)

14
Igor Zolotovitskiy, 64, Russian actor (Taxi Blues, Luna Park, Composition for Victory Day), theater teacher and television director.

13
Scott Adams, 68, American cartoonist (Dilbert) and political commentator, prostate cancer.
Lina Bernardi, 87, Italian actress (The Story of Piera, The Last Kiss, The Embalmer).
George Vassiliou, 94, Cypriot politician, president of Cyprus (1988–1993).Former President of Cyprus George Vassiliou has died

12
Mohammad Ilyas, 79, Pakistani cricketer (Lahore, Pakistan International Airlines, national team), cancer.Ex-cricketer Mohammad Ilyas passes away in Lahore
Catherine Samie, 92, French actress (Lovers of Paris, The Old Maid, They Came Back).Décès de Catherine Samie, pilier de la Comédie-Française 

11

10
Erich von Däniken, 90, Swiss author
Derek Martin, 92, English actor (Law & Order, Eldorado, EastEnders)
Bob Weir, 78, American Hall of Fame musician (Grateful Dead), lung issues.Grateful Dead Founding Member Bob Weir Dead at 78 (death announced on this date)

9
, 75, French writer.Zéno Bianu (1950-2025) 
Andrés Caniulef, 48, Chilean journalist, heart attack.Muere el periodista Andrés Caniulef a los 48 años de edad - Chilevisión 
Beatriz González, 93, Colombian artist.Murió la maestra Beatriz González, ícono del arte colombiano 
Hans Herrmann, 97, German racing driver (Formula One).Porsche mourns the loss of Hans Herrmann
Khawlhring Lalremruata, 38, Indian cricketer (Mizoram), heart attack.Former Ranji Trophy Cricketer from Mizoram Dies After Collapsing During Match
, 59, Russian biathlete.Valery Noskov has passed away. 
, 82, Spanish politician.Muere Josep Maria Triginer, fundador del PSC y firmante de los Pactos de la Moncloa 
, 75, Taiwanese politician.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 
Vincenzo Zarri, 96, Italian Roman Catholic prelate, auxiliary bishop of Bologna (1976–1988) and bishop of Forlì-Bertinoro (1988–2005).Bishop Vincenzo Zarri †

8
Murat Bisembin, 53, Kazakh actor, cancer.Танымал қазақстандық актер Мұрат Бисенбин өмірден өтті 
Loraine Braham, 87, Australian politician, member (1994–2008) and speaker (1997–1999, 2001–2005) of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly.Loraine Braham, trailblazing Northern Territory politician dies, aged 87 (death announced on this date)
Heloísa de Carvalho, 56, Brazilian writer and political activist, suicide.Filha de Olavo de Carvalho é encontrada morta 
Conrado Corsalette, 47, Brazilian journalist.Jornalista Conrado Corsalette morre em São Paulo aos 47 anos 
Mieczysław Czerniawski, 77, Polish politician, MP (1989–1991, 1993–2005).Nie żyje były poseł i prezydent Łomży. Mieczysław Czerniawski miał 77 lat 
Jim Furlong, 85, Canadian football player (Calgary Stampeders).Former all-star linebacker, Grey Cup champion with Stamps, Jim Furlong, dead at 85
Sergio Goizauskas, 69, Argentine-born French cartoonist.Serguei, dessinateur au « Monde » depuis quarante-cinq ans, est mort 
Vijay Singh Gond, 68, Indian politician, Uttar Pradesh MLA (1980–2007, since 2024), kidney failure.Veteran SP Leader, Eight-Time MLA Vijay Singh Gond Passes Away at 68
Heber Jentzsch, 90, American Scientology executive (Church of Scientology International), actor and journalist (Los Angeles Free Press).Heber Jentzsch, 90, Scientology's longtime 'president,' dies in nursing home (death announced on this date)
, 96, Chinese academian.痛别！简水生院士逝世 
Philippe Junot, 85, French venture capitalist and property developer.Mort de l’ex-mari de Caroline de Monaco, le déchirant message de sa fille Victoria Junot : "À mon papa légendaire…" 
Madalitso Kazombo, 46, Malawian politician, first deputy speaker of the National Assembly (2019–2025), asthma attack.Malawi Mourns Former Deputy Speaker Madalitso Kazombo
, 81, Portuguese actress (Sabor da Paixão,Morangos com Açúcar,A Impostora).Atriz Elisa Lisboa morreu aos 81 anos 
, 51, Russian politician.В Кургане погиб экс-глава Калининграда Евгений Любивый 
, 75, Italian marathon and middle-distance runner.Padova piange Antonino Mangano, il maestro dell’atletica veneta 
Hiroshi Nakamura, 93, Japanese surrealist painter, pancreatic cancer.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 
Astrid Roemer, 78, Surinamese-Dutch writer and teacher.Schrijfster Astrid Roemer overleden 
Uljana Semjonova, 73, Latvian basketball player, Olympic champion (1976, 1980).Sēru vēsts: mūžībā devusies Latvijas un pasaules basketbola leģenda Uļjana Semjonova 
Sir Tim Shadbolt, 78, New Zealand politician, mayor of Waitemata City (1983–1989) and Invercargill (1993–1995, 1998–2022).Sir Tim Shadbolt has died at age 78
Meinam Bhorot Singh, 75, Indian politician, Manipur MLA (2002–2007).Manipur BJP leader Meinam Bhorot Singh dies after prolonged illness in Imphal
Terry Yorath, 75, Welsh football player (Leeds United, national team) and manager (national team).Terry Yorath obituary

7
Madjoulba Batocfetou, Togolese agronomic engineer.Madjoulba Batocfetou, patron de l'ICAT s'est éteint 
James Bernard, American music journalist and magazine editor (The Source, XXL).James Bernard, founding editor of ‘The Source’ and co-founder of ‘XXL,’ dies (death announced on this date)
Ihor Blazhkov, 89, Ukrainian conductor.Помер український композитор Блажков, Гордон, 8.1.2026, автор - Ельчін Садаєв 
Albert Bourgi, 90, French jurist.Mort d'Albert Bourgi, professeur de droit et figure du socialisme en Afrique 
Raffaella Bragazzi, 66, Italian television presenter and radio host.È morta Raffaella Bragazzi, storica voce di «Ok, il prezzo è giusto», aveva 66 anni 
Camilo Isaac Chavarría, 27, Panamanian model (Mister Panamá) and reality show contestant (Calle 7), heart attack.Muere "El Chiri", excompetidor de Calle y beisbolista chiricano 
Martin Chivers, 80, English footballer (Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, national team).Obituary | Martin Chivers
Ángel Coerezza, 92, Argentine football referee (AFA).Falleció Ángel Coerezza, uno de los mejores árbitros argentinos y ejemplo de persona 
Hiroya Ebina, 67, Japanese politician, mayor of Kushiro (2008–2024), member of the Hokkaido Legislative Assembly
References

Category:2026 deaths
Category:January 2026 events