Vinnie Paul, former Pantera drummer, dies at age 54

Vinnie Paul, full name Vincent Paul Abbott, well-known drummer of Pantera, one of the most successful thrash metal bands in the '90s, has died at the age of 54 as announced on the official Pantera Facebook page. The reasons for his death have not transcended.

The musician, after the dissolution of Pantera - with such notable albums as 'Cowboys from Hell' -, performed with his brother Dimebag Darrell, guitarist of Pantera, in the group Damageplan. It was during a concert with this group, on December 8, 2004, when an assistant shot and killed Dimebag at Alrosa Villa in Columbus (Ohio, USA).

Vinnie pointed indirectly to the former Pantera singer, Phil Anselmo, as one of those responsible for the murder by his statements made a couple of weeks earlier in the music media.

In 2006, Paul returned to perform live with the 'supergroup' Hellyeah.