2007

Events from the year **2007 in the United States**.

* Speaker of the House of Representatives: Dennis Hastert (R-IL) (until January 3), Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) (starting January 4)
* Senate Majority Leader: Bill Frist (R-TN) (until January 3), Harry Reid (D–NV) (starting January 3)
* Congress: 109th (until January 3), 110th (starting January 3)

Governors
* Governor of Alabama: Bob Riley (Republican)
* Governor of Alaska: Sarah Palin (Republican)
* Governor of Arizona: Janet Napolitano (Democratic)
* Governor of Arkansas: Mike Huckabee (Republican) (until January 9), Mike Beebe (Democratic) (starting January 9)
* Governor of California: Arnold Schwarzenegger (Republican)
* Governor of Colorado: Bill Owens (Republican) (until January 9), Bill Ritter (Democratic) (starting January 9)
* Governor of Connecticut: Jodi Rell (Republican)
* Governor of Delaware: Ruth Ann Minner (Democratic)
* Governor of Florida: Jeb Bush (Republican) (until January 2), Charlie Crist (Republican) (starting January 2)
* Governor of Georgia: Sonny Perdue (Republican)
* Governor of Hawaii: Linda Lingle (Republican)
* Governor of Idaho: Jim Risch (Republican) (until January 1), Butch Otter (Republican) (starting January 1)
* Governor of Illinois: Rod Blagojevich (Democratic)
* Governor of Indiana: Mitch Daniels (Republican)
* Governor of Iowa: Tom Vilsack (Democratic) (until January 12), Chet Culver (Democratic) (starting January 12)
* Governor of Kansas: Kathleen Sebelius (Democratic)
* Governor of Kentucky: Ernie Fletcher (Republican) (until December 11), Steve Beshear (Democratic) (starting December 11)
* Governor of Louisiana: Kathleen Blanco (Democratic)
* Governor of Maine: John Baldacci (Democratic)
* Governor of Maryland: Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (Republican) (until January 17), Martin O'Malley (Democratic) (starting January 17)
* Governor of Massachusetts: Mitt Romney (Republican) (until January 4), Deval Patrick (Democratic) (starting January 4)
* Governor of Michigan: Jennifer Granholm (Democratic)
* Governor of Minnesota: Tim Pawlenty (Republican)
* Governor of Mississippi: Haley Barbour (Republican)
* Governor of Missouri: Matt Blunt (Republican)
* Governor of Montana: Brian Schweitzer (Democratic)
* Governor of Nebraska: Dave Heineman (Republican)
* Governor of Nevada: Kenny Guinn (Republican) (until January 1), Jim Gibbons (Republican) (starting January 1)
* Governor of New Hampshire: John Lynch (Democratic)
* Governor of New Jersey: Jon Corzine (Democratic)
* Governor of New Mexico: Bill Richardson (Democratic)
* Governor of New York: Eliot Spitzer (Democratic)
* Governor of North Carolina: Mike Easley (Democratic)
* Governor of North Dakota: John Hoeven (Republican)
* Governor of Ohio: Bob Taft (Republican) (until January 8), Ted Strickland (Democratic) (starting January 8)
* Governor of Oklahoma: Brad Henry (Democratic)
* Governor of Oregon: Ted Kulongoski (Democratic)
* Governor of Pennsylvania: Ed Rendell (Democratic)
* Governor of Rhode Island: Donald Carcieri (Republican)
* Governor of South Carolina: Mark Sanford (Republican)
* Governor of South Dakota: Mike Rounds (Republican)
* Governor of Tennessee: Phil Bredesen (Democratic)
* Governor of Texas: Rick Perry (Republican)
* Governor of Utah: Jon Huntsman Jr. (Republican)
* Governor of Vermont: Jim Douglas (Republican)
* Governor of Virginia: Tim Kaine (Democratic)
* Governor of Washington: Christine Gregoire (Democratic)
* Governor of West Virginia: Joe Manchin (Democratic)
* Governor of Wisconsin: Jim Doyle (Democratic)
* Governor of Wyoming: Dave Freudenthal (Democratic)

Lieutenant Governors
* Lieutenant Governor of Alabama: Lucy Baxley (Democratic) (until January 15), Jim Folsom Jr. (Democratic) (starting January 15)
* Lieutenant Governor of Alaska: Sean Parnell (Republican)
* Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas: vacant (until January 9), Bill Halter (Democratic) (starting January 9)
* Lieutenant Governor of California: Cruz Bustamante (Democratic) (until January 8), John Garamendi (Democratic) (starting January 8)
* Lieutenant Governor of Colorado: Jane E. Norton (Republican) (until January 9), Barbara O'Brien (Democratic) (starting January 9)
* Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut: Kevin B. Sullivan (Democratic) (until January 3), Michael Fedele (Republican) (starting January 3)
* Lieutenant Governor of Delaware: John Carney (Democratic)
* Lieutenant Governor of Florida: Toni Jennings (Republican) (until January 2), Jeff Kottkamp (Republican) (starting January 2)
* Lieutenant Governor of Georgia: Mark Taylor (Democratic) (until January 8), Casey Cagle (Republican) (starting January 8)
* Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii: Duke Aiona (Republican)
* Lieutenant Governor of Idaho: Jim Risch (Republican)
* Lieutenant Governor of Illinois: Pat Quinn (Democratic)
* Lieutenant Governor of Indiana: Becky Skillman (Republican)
* Lieutenant Governor of Iowa: Sally Pederson (Democratic) (until January 17), Patty Judge (Democratic) (starting January 17)
* Lieutenant Governor of Kansas: John E. Moore (Democratic) (until January 20), Mark Parkinson (Democratic) (starting January 20)
* Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky: Steve Pence (Republican) (until December 11), Daniel Mongiardo (Democratic) (starting December 11)
* Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana: Mitch Landrieu (Democratic)
* Lieutenant Governor of Maryland: Michael Steele (Republican) (until January 17), Anthony Brown (Democratic) (starting January 17)
* Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts: Kerry Healey (Republican) (until January 4), Tim Murray (Democratic) (starting January 4)
* Lieutenant Governor of Michigan: John D. Cherry (Democratic)
* Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota: Carol Molnau (Republican)
* Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi: Amy Tuck (Democratic)
* Lieutenant Governor of Missouri: Peter Kinder (Republican)
* Lieutenant Governor of Montana: John Bohlinger (Republican)
* Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska: Rick Sheehy (Republican)
* Lieutenant Governor of Nevada: Lorraine Hunt (Republican) (until January 20), Brian Krolicki (Republican) (starting January 20)
* Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico: Diane Denish (Democratic)
* Lieutenant Governor of New York: David Paterson (Democratic)
* Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina: Bev Perdue (Democratic)
* Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota: Jack Dalrymple (Republican)
* Lieutenant Governor of Ohio: vacant (until January 8), Lee Fisher (Democratic) (starting January 8)
* Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma: Mary Fallin (Republican) (until January 2), Jari Askins (Democratic) (starting January 2)
* Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania: Catherine Baker Knoll (Democratic)
* Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island: Charles J. Fogarty (Democratic) (until January 2), Elizabeth H. Roberts (Democratic) (starting January 2)
* Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina: André Bauer (Republican)
* Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota: Dennis Daugaard (Republican)
* Lieutenant Governor of Tennessee: John S. Wilder (Democratic) (until January 8), Ron Ramsey (Republican) (starting January 8)
* Lieutenant Governor of Texas: David Dewhurst (Republican)
* Lieutenant Governor of Utah: Gary Herbert (Republican)
* Lieutenant Governor of Vermont: Brian Dubie (Republican)
* Lieutenant Governor of Virginia: Bill Bolling (Republican)
* Lieutenant Governor of Washington: Brad Owen (Democratic)
* Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin: Barbara Lawton (Democratic)

## Events

### January

* January 4
	+ William J. Fallon succeeds Gen. John Abizaid as the head of Central Command in Iraq.
	+ Nancy Pelosi becomes the first female Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.
* January 9
	+ War in Somalia: U.S. warplanes conduct air strikes in Somalia against suspected terrorists.
	+ Steve Jobs publicly announces the release of the first iPhone.
* January 10 – The Iraq War troop surge begins.
* January 12 – The U.S. Embassy in Athens is attacked with a rocket propelled grenade, which causes minimal damage and no injuries.
* January 28 – A battle between insurgents and U.S.-backed Iraqi troops kills 300 suspected resistance members in Najaf, Iraq.
* January 30
	+ Microsoft releases Windows Vista and Office 2007.
	+ A convenience store in Ghent, West Virginia, explodes due to a propane leak, killing four people and injuring several others.
* January 31
	+ Delta Air Lines creditors officially reject U.S. Airways' hostile takeover bid.
	+ The Mooninite scare occurs in Boston when devices used in a guerrilla marketing campaign for the animated television series Aqua Teen Hunger Force are mistaken for improvised explosive devices.

### February

* February 2 – An unseasonal tornado in central Florida kills 21 people.
* February 4 – Super Bowl XLI: The Indianapolis Colts defeat the Chicago Bears 29–17 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
* February 10 – Senator Barack Obama of Illinois declares his candidacy for President of the United States of America.
* February 12 – Gunman Sulejman Talović shoots and kills five people at the Trolley Square Mall in Salt Lake City, Utah, before being killed by the police, bringing the evening's rampage death toll to six.
* February 25 – The 79th Academy Awards ceremony, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, is held at Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. Martin Scorsese's *The Departed* wins four awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Bill Condon's *Dreamgirls* leads the nominations with eight. The telecast garners over 39.9 million viewers.
* February 27 – 2007 Bagram Air Base bombing: A Taliban suicide attack at Bagram Air Base while Vice President of the United States Dick Cheney is visiting kills 23, but he is not injured.
* February 28 – The New Horizons space probe makes a gravitational slingshot against Jupiter which changes its trajectory towards Pluto.

### March

* March 6 – *Mega Millions* sets a new world record for the highest lottery jackpot of $370 million.
* March 15 – Rebecca Klein is murdered in Villa Park, Illinois by her domestic partner Nicole Abusharif. Klein was bound and suffocated, with the perpetrator standing to benefit from a life insurance payout as a result of the crime.
* March 16 – For the first time in the 23-year history of the modern version of the popular gameshow, *Jeopardy!*, a three-way tie occurs.
* March 23 – Walt Disney Animation Studios' 47th feature film, *Meet the Robinsons*, is released to the studio's strongest reception since 2002's *Treasure Planet*, but is a box office disappointment.
* March 27 – Lynn Turner is convicted of murdering her second husband, Randy Thompson, by poisoning with antifreeze. Turner had been previously convicted of murdering her first husband using the same method.

### April

* April 1 – World Wrestling Entertainment holds WrestleMania 23 in Detroit, Michigan.
* April 16 – Thirty-two people are killed in the Virginia Tech massacre at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia. Gunman Seung-Hui Cho is able to buy his firearms legally, despite having a record of mental illness, causing a large national debate on guns.
* April 19 – U.S. and allied air forces conduct massive exercises over South Korea with over 500 planes.
* April 25
	+ The Dow Jones Industrial Average gains 135.95 points to close at 13089.89; its first close above 13000 in its history.
	+ The Burj Khalifa in Dubai reaches the height of the Sears Tower on its way to becoming the tallest building in the world.
	+ Congressman Dennis Kucinich introduces articles to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney.
	+ President George W. Bush announces the U.S. will increase efforts to combat malaria in Africa.

### May

* May 3 – The U.S. House of Representatives passes the Matthew Shepard Act. It is the first time that the House brings a gay rights bill to the floor for a vote.
* May 4
	+ Tornadoes strike Greensburg, Kansas, killing at least 12 people and destroying about 90% of the town.
	+ *Spider-Man 3* is released in theaters.
	+ Executive Directive 51, which specifies the procedures for continuity of the federal government in the event of a "catastrophic emergency," is signed by President George W. Bush.
* May 9 – Subtropical Storm Andrea forms off the coast of Florida, the earliest since Subtropical Storm Ana in 2003.
* May 31 – A calendar blue moon occurs in the Western Hemisphere and parts of the Eastern Hemisphere.

### June

* June 1 – U.S. warships bombard a Somali village where Islamic militants had set up a base.
* June 2 – Four people are charged with a terror plot to blow up JFK International Airport in New York City.
* June 3 – The Valley of Geysers in Russia was destroyed by a mudflow.
* June 4 – Ten people, including a Californian National Guard officer and former Hmong general, are charged over plans to overthrow the Laotian Government.
* June 5 – NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft made its second fly-by of Venus en route to Mercury.
* June 8 – The Space Shuttle *Atlantis* successfully launches on mission STS-117.
* June 10 – The Sopranos ended with the infamous cut to black ending.
* June 14 – The San Antonio Spurs sweep the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the 2007 NBA Finals.
* June 15 – *The Price Is Right* airs its final episode hosted by Bob Barker.
* June 16 – Mike Nifong, district attorney for Durham County, North Carolina, is disbarred for misconduct, having been found guilty of 27 ethics related charges. Nifong withheld evidence that cleared the falsely accused players in the Duke lacrosse case.
* June 18 – Nine Charleston, South Carolina firefighters are killed by a roof collapse while battling the Charleston Sofa Super Store fire.
* June 24 – In South Lake Tahoe, California, a wildfire destroys 254 homes in the area.
* June 25
	+ WWE wrestler Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy Benoit, and son Daniel, are found dead as the result of a murder-suicide that took place over the previous weekend.
	+ Groundbreaking begins on the Chicago Spire.
* June 29
	+ The first iPhone is released for sale in the U.S.
	+ Pixar Animation Studios' eighth feature film, *Ratatouille*, is released in theaters.
* June 30 – The Hawaii Superferry arrives in Honolulu after a 7,600 mile journey from Mobile, Alabama.

### July

* July 7
	+ Venus Williams wins the Women's Singles at Wimbledon for a fourth time.
	+ Live Earth Concerts are held throughout 9 major cities around the world.
* July 8 – Boeing launches the new Boeing 787.
* July 10 – A Cessna 310R twin-engine airplane crashes into two homes in Sanford, Florida, killing three adults and two children.
* July 15 – In Tacoma, Washington, the second span of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge opens to traffic, making it the longest twin suspension bridge in the world.
* July 18 – At the height of rush hour in New York City, a major steam pipe bursts, releasing millions of gallons of boiling water and super heated steam. Only one fatality occurred; a pedestrian who went into cardiac arrest.
* July 19 – The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 14,000 for the first time in history.
* July 21 – Vice President Dick Cheney serves as acting president for a few hours while President George W. Bush undergoes a colonoscopy procedure under sedation.
* July 27 – *Transformers*, directed by Michael Bay, is released as the first film in the Transformers film series.

### August

* August 1
	+ The I-35W Mississippi River bridge on Interstate 35W over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota between University Avenue and Washington Avenue collapses at 6:05 p.m. CST during the later part of rush hour, killing 13 people.
	+ Scouting celebrates its 100th birthday with worldwide celebrations.
* August 4 – The Phoenix spacecraft launches toward the Martian north pole.
* August 6 – The Crandall Canyon Mine in Emery County, Utah collapses, trapping six miners.
* August 7 – Barry Bonds breaks Hank Aaron's home run record by hitting his 756th home run.
* August 8 – The Space Shuttle *Endeavour* is successfully launched on mission STS–118.
* August 9 – The Dow Jones Industrial Average loses 387.18 points, its largest single-day drop since February 27.
* August 12 – Tiger Woods wins PGA Championship, his 13th career major.
* August 15 – NBA referee Tim Donaghy surrenders to police and pleads guilty to charges brought up by the FBI investigation that he placed bets on games that he refereed.
* August 16 – The Crandall Canyon Mine in Emery County, Utah, collapses a second time, killing three rescue workers and injuring six more.
* August 17 – *Phineas and Ferb* debuts on Disney Channel.
* August 18 – The remnants of Tropical Storm Erin re-strengthen into a tropical storm over Oklahoma, causing widespread flooding and wind damage.
* August 21 – STS–118 lands at the Kennedy Space Center, completing Space Shuttle Endeavour's 19th flight.
* August 22 – The Texas Rangers score thirty runs in one game, setting the modern (post–1900) MLB record for most runs by one team in a single game, in a 30–3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.
* August 27 – United States Attorney General Alberto Gonzales announces his resignation, to be effective September 17.
* August 30 – 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident in which a B–52 flew from Minot AFB, North Dakota to Barksdale AFB, Louisiana carrying 6 nuclear warheads.

### September

* September 3
	+ *WordGirl* debuts on PBS KIDS GO!.
	+ *WordWorld* debuts on PBS Kids.
* September 8 – *iCarly* debuts on Nickelodeon.
* September 15 – Over 3,000 Taiwanese Americans and their supporters rally in front of the U.N. in New York City to demand that the UN accept Taiwan. At the same time, over 300,000 Taiwanese people rally in Taiwan to make the same plea.
* September 24
	+ Oregon State University Mars Rover student-organized project is formed.
	+ *The Big Bang Theory* debuts on CBS.
* September 25 – Halo 3 is released on Xbox 360, breaking all previous records in entertainment history by generating $170 million in the first 24 hours of release.

### October

* October 7 – Off-duty police officer Tyler Peterson kills six people at a house party in Crandon, Wisconsin before committing suicide.
* October 9 – The Dow Jones Industrial Average hits an all-time high of 14,164 before beginning to decline ahead of the start of the late–2000s recession.
* October 10 – The SuccessTech Academy school shooting occurs in Cleveland, Ohio.
* October 15 – Drew Carey debuts as host of *The Price Is Right*, replacing the retired Bob Barker.
* October 18 – In New York City, one of the world's leading art galleries, the Salander/O'Reilly Galleries, is forced into closure amidst scandal and lawsuits.
* October 20
	+ Georgia's governor Sonny Perdue declares a state of emergency due to drought conditions.
	+ Wildfires in Southern California result in the evacuation of more than 1,000,000 people and destroys over 1,600 homes and businesses.
* October 22 – In Missouri, Lisa Montgomery is convicted of murdering pregnant woman Bobbie Jo Stinnett and cutting her baby from her womb.
* October 26 – Apple Inc. launches the sixth major release of their Mac OS X operating system, Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard.
* October 28 – The Boston Red Sox win the 2007 World Series in a four-game sweep against the Colorado Rockies.
* October 31 – The World Economic Forum releases the *Global Competitiveness Report 2007–2008*.

### November

* November 1 – GoAnimate, now Vyond, is founded by Alvin Hung.
* November 3 – DARPA Grand Challenge, a prized competition for driverless cars to navigate safely in traffic, is scheduled.
* November 4 – Daylight saving time in the United States and most of Canada will end, one week later than the previous schedule, in accordance with the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
* November 5 – The Writers Guild of America goes on strike.
* November 6 – Legislative elections are held in the U.S. states of Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia; Kentucky and Mississippi also hold gubernatorial elections.
* November 8 – The 8th annual Latin Grammy Awards are held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
* November 27 – The Annapolis Conference, a peace conference trying to end the Arab–Israeli conflict, is held in Annapolis, Maryland.
* November 30 – The 2007 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially ends.

### December

* December 1
	+ The National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) controversially expresses "high confidence" that Iran's nuclear weapons program has not operated since 2003.
	+ The late-2000s recession officially begins; unemployment rate is 5%.
* December 3 – Winter storms bring record amounts of rainfall in the Pacific Northwest, causing flooding and closing a 20-mile portion of Interstate 5 for several days. At least eight deaths and billions of dollars in damages occur in Washington.
* December 4 – The United States Senate approves the Peru Free Trade Agreement.
* December 5 – Robert A. Hawkins shoots eight people dead and injures five at the Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska, then commits suicide.
* December 9 – Matthew Murray goes on a killing spree targeting Christians in Colorado. Murray kills four before being shot by an off-duty police officer. He then commits suicide.
* December 13 – Former U.S. Senator George J. Mitchell publicly releases a report, accusing 89 retired and active Major League Baseball players of anabolic steroid use.
* December 19 – An explosion and fire at the T2 Laboratories facility in Jacksonville, Florida kills four and injures 14.
* December 20
	+ In the race for the Republican presidential nomination, Tom Tancredo withdraws and endorses Mitt Romney.
	+ A group of activist Lakota people send a letter to the United States State Department, declaring their secession from the Union as the Republic of Lakotah.
* December 25 – An escaped tiger kills one person and injures two others at the San Francisco Zoo.

## Memoriam

### January

* January 1
	+ Ernie Koy, baseball player (aged 97; Bellville, TX, USA)
	+ Darrent Williams, American football player and murder victim (aged 24; Denver, CO, USA)
	+ Julius Hegyi, conductor (aged 83; Phoenix, AZ, USA)
	+ Tad Jones, music historian (injuries from a fall) (aged 54; New Orleans, LA, USA)
	+ Del Reeves, country singer (aged 73; Centerville, TN, USA)
* January 2 – Robert C. Solomon, philosopher, author, and academic (aged 64; Zurich, Switzerland)
* January 4
	+ Steve Krantz, film producer (aged 83; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
	+ Bob Milliken, baseball player (aged 80; Clearwater, FL, USA)
* January 6 – Mario Danelo, college football player (aged 21; San Pedro, CA, USA)
* January 7 – Bobby Hamilton, race car driver (aged 49; Mount Juliet, TN, USA)
* January 8
	+ Yvonne De Carlo, Canadian-born actress (aged 84; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
	+ Iwao Takamoto, animator, television producer, and film director (aged 81; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
* January 11 – Robert Anton Wilson, writer, philosopher, psychologist, editor, and poet (aged 74; Capitola, CA, USA)
* January 12 – Alice Coltrane, musician and composer (aged 69; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
* January 13 – Michael Brecker, musician and composer (aged 57; New York City, NY, USA)
* January 14 – Darlene Conley, actress (aged 72; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
* January 16 – Benny Parsons, race car driver and television announcer and analyst (aged 65; Charlotte, NC, USA)
* January 17 – Art Buchwald, humorist (aged 81; Washington, DC, USA)
* January 19
	+ Bam Bam Bigelow, wrestler (aged 45; Hudson, FL, USA)
	+ Denny Doherty, member of The Mamas and The Papas (aged 66; Mississauga, ON, Canada)
* January 20 – Dan Christensen, painter (aged 64; Easthampton, NY, USA)
* January 22 – Liz Renay, actress (aged 80; Las Vegas, NV, USA)
* January 23
	+ E. Howard Hunt, intelligence officer (aged 88; Miami, FL, USA)
	+ Disco D, producer and DJ (aged 26; Washington, DC, USA)
* January 25 – Charlotte Thompson Reid, singer and politician (aged 93; Aurora, IL, USA)
* January 27
	+ Tige Andrews, actor (aged 86; Encino, CA, USA)
	+ Marcheline Bertrand, actress and humanitarian (aged 56; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
* January 28 – Emma Tillman, supercentenarian (aged 114; East Hartford, CT, USA)
* January 30 – Sidney Sheldon, writer and screenwriter (aged 89; Rancho Mirage, CA, USA)
* January 31
	+ Lee Bergere, actor (aged 88; Fremont, NH, USA)
	+ Molly Ivins, columnist, political commentator, humorist, and writer (aged 62; Austin, TX, USA)

### February

* February 1
	+ Ray Berres, baseball player (aged 99; Kenosha, WI, USA)
	+ Emery Bopp, artist and art teacher (aged 82; Greenville, SC, USA)
* February 2 – Eric Von Schmidt, folk musician (aged 75; Fairfield, CT, USA)
* February 4
	+ Steve Barber, baseball player (aged 68; Henderson, NV, USA)
	+ Barbara McNair, actress (aged 72; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
* February 6
	+ Frankie Laine, singer, songwriter, and actor (aged 93; San Diego, CA, USA)
	+ Willye White, Olympic track and field athlete (aged 67; Chicago, IL, USA)
* February 7
	+ Tommy James, football player (aged 83; Massillon, OH, USA)
	+ Ken Kennedy, computer scientist (aged 61; Houston, TX, USA)
	+ Josephine Lenard, baseball player (aged 85; Chicago, IL, USA)
* February 8
	+ Joe Edwards, comic book artist (aged 85; Central Islip, NY, USA)
	+ Anna Nicole Smith, model, actress, television personality and notable United States Supreme Court litigant (aged 39; Hollywood, FL, USA)
	+ Harriett Woods, politician (aged 79; University City, MO, USA)
* February 9 – Hank Bauer, baseball player and manager (aged 84; Lenexa, KS, USA)
* February 10 – Cardis Cardell Willis, comic (aged 69; Milwaukee, WI, USA)
* February 11 – Charles Langford, politician (aged 84; Montgomery, AL, USA)
* February 12 – Peggy Gilbert, bandleader (aged 102; Burbank, CA, USA)
* February 13
	+ Bruce M. Metzger, biblical scholar (aged 93; Princeton, NJ, USA)
	+ Charlie Norwood politician (aged 65; Augusta, GA, USA)
* February 15 – Walker Edmiston, actor (aged 81; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
* February 16 – Gene Snyder, politician (aged 79; Naples, FL, USA)
* February 17 – Mike Awesome, wrestler (aged 42; Tampa, FL, USA)
* February 18
	+ Barbara Gittings, LGBT activist (aged 74; Kennett Square, PA, USA)
	+ Bob Oksner, comic book artist (aged 90; Delray Beach, FL, USA)
* February 19 – Janet Blair, big-band singer (aged 85; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
* February 22
	+ Avrohom Blumenkrantz, Orthodox rabbi (aged 62; NY, USA)
	+ Dennis Johnson, basketball player (aged 52; Austin, TX, USA)
* February 23 – Donnie Brooks, pop singer (aged 71; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
* February 24
	+ Bruce Bennett, actor and athlete (aged 100; Santa Monica, CA, USA)
	+ Leroy Jenkins, composer (aged 74; New York City, NY, USA)
* February 25 – William Anderson, American naval officer and politician (aged 85; Leesburg, VA, USA)
* February 27 – Elbie Nickel, American Football player (aged 84; Chillicothe, OH, USA)
* February 28
	+ Robert Kingston, army general (aged 78; Alexandria, VA, USA)
	+ Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., historian and political commentator (aged 89; New York City, NY, USA)

### March

* March 4
	+ Thomas Eagleton, politician (aged 77; St. Louis, MO, USA)
	+ Bob Hattoy, activist (aged 65; Sacramento, CA, USA)
* March 6 – Allen Coage, professional wrestler (aged 63; Calgary, AB, Canada)
* March 8 – Christopher Barrios Jr., murder victim (aged 6; Brunswick, GA, USA)
* March 9 – Brad Delp, singer (Boston) (aged 55; Atkinson, NH, USA)
* March 10
	+ Ernie Ladd, American football player and professional wrestler (aged 68; Franklin, LA, USA)
	+ Richard Jeni, stand-up comedian (aged 49; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
* March 11 – Betty Hutton, actress (aged 86; Palm Springs, CA, USA)
* March 19 – Calvert DeForest, actor and comedian (aged 85; West Islip, NY, USA)
* March 20 – Gilbert E. Patterson, bishop (aged 67; Memphis, TN, USA)
* March 23 – Eric Medlen, race car driver (aged 33; Gainesville, FL, USA)
* March 28
	+ Abe Coleman, Polish-born wrestler (aged 101; Queens, NY, USA)
	+ Bill Fisk, American football player and coach (aged 90; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
	+ Tony Scott, musician (aged 85; Rome, Italy)

### April

* April 3 – Eddie Robinson, American football coach (aged 88; Ruston, LA, USA)
* April 4 – Bob Clark, film director (aged 67; Pacific Palisades, CA, USA)
* April 5
	+ Mark St. John, guitarist (aged 51; New York City, NY, USA)
	+ Thomas Stoltz Harvey pathologist who conducted Albert Einstein's autopsy (aged 94; Titusville, NJ, USA)
	+ Darryl Stingley, American football player (aged 55; Chicago, IL, USA)
* April 7
	+ Johnny Hart, cartoonist (aged 76; Nineveh, NY, USA)
	+ Barry Nelson, actor (aged 89; Bucks County, PA, USA)
* April 11
	+ Roscoe Lee Browne, actor (aged 84; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
	+ Ronald Speirs, United States Army officer (aged 86; Mesa, AZ, USA)
	+ Kurt Vonnegut, novelist and playwright (aged 84; New York City, NY, USA)
* April 14 – Don Ho, musician (aged 76; Waikīkī, HI, USA)
* April 17 – Kitty Carlisle, singer, actress, and talk show panelist (aged 96; Manhattan, NY, USA)
* April 22 – Juanita Millender-McDonald, politician (aged 68; Carson, CA, USA)
* April 23 – David Halberstam, journalist and historian (aged 73; Menlo Park, CA, USA)
* April 26 – Jack Valenti, film executive, creator of MPAA film rating system (aged 85; Washington, DC, USA)
* April 28 – Dabbs Greer, actor (aged 90; Pasadena, CA, USA)
* April 30
	+ Tom Poston, actor (aged 85; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
	+ Gordon Scott, actor (aged 80; Baltimore, MD, USA)

### May

* May 3 – Wally Schirra, astronaut (aged 84; San Diego, CA, USA)
* May 5 – Theodore Maiman, physicist (aged 79; Vancouver, BC, Canada)
* May 9 – Edith Rodriguez, medical patient (aged 43; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
* May 12 – Teddy Infuhr, actor (aged 70; Thousand Oaks, CA, USA)
* May 15
	+ Jerry Falwell, evangelist (aged 73; Lynchburg, VA, USA)
	+ Yolanda King, actress and activist, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. (aged 51; Santa Monica, CA, USA)
* May 17 – Lloyd Alexander, author (aged 83; Drexel Hill, PA, USA)
* May 20 – Stanley Miller, chemist and biologist (aged 77; National City, CA, USA)
* May 25 – Charles Nelson Reilly, actor, comedian, and director (aged 76; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
* May 28
	+ Marquise Hill, American football player (aged 24; Lake Pontchartrain, LA, USA)
	+ David Lane, white nationalist (aged 68; Terre Haute, IN, USA)

### June

* June 1 – Arn Shein, journalist (aged 78; San Diego, CA, USA)
* June 4 – Craig L. Thomas, politician (aged 74; Bethesda, MD, USA)
* June 11 – Mala Powers, film actress (aged 75; Burbank, CA, USA)
* June 12 – Don Herbert, television personality, *Mr. Wizard* (aged 89; Bell Canyon, CA, USA)
* June 14 – Ruth Graham, wife of Billy Graham (aged 87; Montreat, NC, USA)
* June 15 – Sherri Martel, professional wrestler (aged 49; McCalla, AL, USA)
* June 22 – Nancy Benoit, wrestling valet and manager, and wife and murder victim of Chris Benoit (aged 43; Fayetteville, GA, USA)
* June 23 – Rod Beck, baseball player (aged 38; Phoenix, AZ, USA)
* June 24 – Chris Benoit, Canadian wrestler, and husband and murderer of Nancy Benoit (aged 40; Fayetteville, GA, USA)

### July

* July 2
	+ Beverly Sills, operatic soprano (aged 78; New York City, NY, USA)
	+ Hy Zaret, lyricist and composer (aged 99; Westport, CT, USA)
* July 3 – Boots Randolph, saxophone player (aged 80; Nashville, TN, USA)
* July 4
	+ Johnny Frigo, jazz violinist and bassist (aged 90; Chicago, IL, USA)
	+ Bill Pinkney, singer (aged 81; Daytona Beach, FL, USA)
* July 9 – Charles Lane, actor (aged 102; Santa Monica, CA, USA)
* July 11
	+ Lady Bird Johnson, First Lady of the United States, Second Lady of the United States as wife of Lyndon B. Johnson (aged 94; West Lake Hills, TX, USA)
	+ Shag Crawford, umpire in Major League Baseball (aged 90; Glen Mills, PA, USA)
* July 20 – Tammy Faye Messner, televangelist (aged 65; Loch Lloyd, MO, USA)
* July 22 – László Kovács, Hungarian-American cinematographer (aged 74; Beverly Hills, CA, USA)
* July 23 – Benjamin Libet, pioneering scientist in the field of human consciousness (aged 91; Davis, CA, USA)
* July 24
	+ Albert Ellis, psychologist (aged 93; New York City, NY, USA)
	+ Riley Ann Sawyers, murder victim (aged 2; Spring, TX, USA)
* July 29 – Tom Snyder, talk show host (aged 71; San Francisco, CA, USA)
* July 30 – Bill Walsh, American football coach (aged 75; Woodside, CA, USA)

### August

* August 5 – Oliver Hill, lawyer (aged 100; Richmond, VA, USA)
* August 12 – Merv Griffin, singer, television producer and land developer (aged 82; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
* August 13
	+ Brooke Astor, socialite and philanthropist (aged 105; Briarcliff Manor, NY, USA)
	+ Phil Rizzuto, baseball player and announcer (aged 89; West Orange, NJ, USA)
* August 15 – John Gofman, American Manhattan Project scientist and advocate (aged 88; San Francisco, CA, USA)
* August 16 – Max Roach, percussionist, drummer, and composer (aged 83; New York City, NY, USA)
* August 17 – Eddie Griffin, basketball player (aged 25; Houston, TX, USA)
* August 18 – Michael Deaver, political adviser (aged 69; Bethesda, MD, USA)
* August 20 – Leona Helmsley, hotel operator and real estate investor (aged 87; Greenwich, CT, USA)
* August 29 – Richard Jewell, falsely accused of bombing the Centennial Olympic Park (aged 44; Woodbury, GA, USA)

### September

* September 2 – Marcia Mae Jones, actress (aged 83; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
* September 3 – Steve Fossett, businessman, aviator, and sailor, missing person declared-dead in absentia (aged 63; Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA, USA)
* September 10 – Jane Wyman, actress, first wife of Ronald Reagan (aged 90; Rancho Mirage, CA, USA)
* September 15 – Brett Somers, actress (aged 83; Westport, CT, USA)
* September 20 – Mahlon Clark, musician (aged 84; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
* September 21
	+ Neveah Gallegos, murder victim (aged 3; Denver, CO, USA)
	+ Alice Ghostley, actress (aged 84; Studio City, CA, USA)
	+ Rex Humbard, evangelist (aged 88; Atlantis, FL, USA)

### October

* October 1 – Al Oerter, athlete (aged 71; Fort Myers, FL, USA)
* October 6 – Jo Ann Davis, politician (aged 57; Gloucester, VA, USA)
* October 11 – Sri Chinmoy, Indian philosopher (aged 76; New York City, NY, USA)
* October 14 – Big Moe, rapper (aged 33; Houston, TX, USA)
* October 17
	+ Joey Bishop, entertainer (aged 89; Newport Beach, CA, USA)
	+ Teresa Brewer, singer (aged 76; New Rochelle, NY, USA)
	+ Suzy Covey, scholar (aged 67; Tallahassee, FL, USA)
* October 18 – William J. Crowe, military commander and ambassador (aged 82; Bethesda, MD, USA)
* October 26
	+ Friedman Paul Erhardt, German-American television chef (aged 63; Upper Black Eddy, PA, USA)
	+ Arthur Kornberg, biochemist (aged 89; Palo Alto, CA, USA)
* October 28 – Porter Wagoner, country singer (aged 80; Nashville, TN, USA)
* October 30
	+ Robert Goulet, entertainer (aged 73; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
	+ John Woodruff, athlete (aged 92; Fountain Hills, CA, USA)

### November

* November 1 – Paul Tibbets, pilot of the Enola Gay (aged 92; Columbus, OH, USA)
* November 2 – The Fabulous Moolah, professional wrestler (aged 84; Columbia, SC, USA)
* November 3 – Ryan Shay, runner (aged 28; New York City, NY, USA)
* November 6 – Hank Thompson, country singer (aged 82; Keller, TX, USA)
* November 10
	+ Laraine Day, actress (aged 87; Ivins, UT, USA)
	+ Augustus Hawkins, politician and civil rights lawmaker (aged 100; Bethesda, MD, USA)
	+ Norman Mailer, writer (aged 84; New York City, NY, USA)
* November 11 – Delbert Mann, film and television director (aged 87; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
* November 12 – Ira Levin, novelist (aged 78; New York City, NY, USA)
* November 15 – Joe Nuxhall, baseball player and announcer (aged 79; Fairfield, OH, USA)
* November 16 – Harold Alfond, businessman (aged 93; Belgrade, ME, USA)
* November 18 – Sidney Coleman, theoretical physicist (aged 70; Cambridge, MA, USA)
* November 24 – Casey Calvert, musician (Hawthorne Heights) (aged 26; Washington, DC, USA)
* November 25 – Kevin DuBrow, musician (Quiet Riot) (aged 52; Las Vegas, NV, USA)
* November 27
	+ Sean Taylor, American football player (aged 24; Miami, FL, USA)
	+ Robert Cade, physician and inventor of the beverage Gatorade (aged 80; Gainesville, FL, USA)
	+ Bill Willis, American football player (aged 86; Columbus, OH, USA)
* November 29
	+ Henry Hyde, politician (aged 83; Chicago, IL, USA)
	+ Roger Smith, businessman (aged 82; Detroit, MI, USA)
* November 30 – Evel Knievel, motorcycle daredevil (aged 69; Clearwater, FL, USA)

### December

* December 2
	+ Robert Orville Anderson, businessman (aged 90; Roswell, NM, USA)
	+ Elizabeth Hardwick, literary critic and novelist (aged 91; New York City, NY, USA)
* December 4
	+ Pimp C, rapper (aged 33; West Hollywood, CA, USA)
	+ Chip Reese, professional gambler (aged 56; Las Vegas, NV, USA)
* December 12
	+ Shawn Eckardt, bodyguard and businessman (aged 40; Portland, OR, USA)
	+ Ike Turner, musician (aged 76; San Marcos, CA, USA)
* December 13 – Floyd Westerman, actor and activist (aged 71; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
* December 15 – Julia Carson, politician (aged 69; Indianapolis, IN, USA)
* December 16 – Dan Fogelberg, singer and songwriter (aged 56; Deer Isle, ME, USA)
* December 18 – William Strauss, satirist, author and historian (aged 60; McLean, VA, USA)
* December 21
	+ Carol Bly, Teacher, award-winning author of short stories, essays, and nonfiction (aged 77; Oakdale, MN, USA)
	+ Ken Hendricks, businessman, founded ABC Supply (aged 66; Afton, WI, USA)
* December 23 – Michael Kidd, choreographer (aged 92; Los Angeles, CA, USA)
* December 31 – Michael Goldberg, American abstract expressionist painter (aged 83; Bronx, NY, USA)