Mindy McCready's Death: A Tragic Timeline

We took a look back at the late country singer's turbulent life and death

By Brandi Fowler, Tierney Bricker Feb 19, 2013 1:00 PMTags
Mindy McCreadyAngela Weiss/Getty Images

Following the death of her boyfriend about a month ago, country singer Mindy McCready was found dead in her Arkansas home from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

As the investigation into her death continues, and friends and fans alike continue to pay tribute to the late star, we took a look back on McCready's turbulent, troubled and sometimes tremendous life.

Nov. 30, 1975: Mindy McCready is born in Fort Meyers, Fla.

Sept. 18, 1997: McCready becomes engaged to Dean Cane. Sadly, the duo end their relationship in August 1998.

August 2004: McCready is arrested for using fake prescriptions to obtain OxyContin. McCready later pleads guilty to fraudulently obtaining prescription painkillers, and is sentenced to a $4,000 fine and three years probation.

2005: While on probation for fraudulently obtaining prescriptions, McCready is charged with driving under the influence. She is found not guilty of DUI, but guilty of driving on a suspended license. 

May 8, 2005: McCready lands in the hospital after being beat up by country singer boyfriend Billy McKnight, who is later convicted of misdemeanor domestic assault.

March 25, 2006: Mindy gives birth to her first child, Zander Ryan McCready, with McKnight.

July 21, 2007: The singer is arrested in Florida and charged with battery and resisting arrest.

September 2007: McCready is formally sentenced to a year of incarceration. She's released in December. "I'm so happy to be out," she says after her release. "I'm the happiest girl in the world right now."

April 2008: McCready makes headlines when she claims to have had a longtime relationship with former baseball star Roger Clemens, which supposedly began when she was 15.

Sept. 30, 2008: McCready begins a 60-day jail sentence after she violated her probation.

Dec. 17, 2008: McCready is hospitalized after a suicide attempt. 

2009: The singer films episodes for the third season of VH1's Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. McCready suffers a seizure in one episode due to her detox from drugs and alcohol.

McCready's lawyer "very saddened" by singer's death

March 30, 2010: Vivid Entertainment announces plans to release Mindy McCready, Baseball Mistress, a sex tape featuring the singer and a boyfriend identified only as "Peter."

May 25, 2010: McCready is admitted to Cape Coral Hospital in Ft. Meyers, Fla., for a reported overdose.

Nov. 30, 2011: The singer's rep confirms that she is pregnant.

Dec. 2, 2011: McCready violates a court order when she doesn't bring a then 5-year-old Zander, back home to Florida after a visit, which caused the singer's mother, who was Zander's legal guardian at the time, to file a missing persons report. 

April 9, 2012: McCready delivers her second child, Zayne Wilson. His father is McCready's boyfriend David Wilson.

December 2012: McCready is given full custody of Zander. 

Jan. 13, 2013: McCready's songwriter boyfriend Wilson is found dead from a gunshot wound. "Today, we mourn the loss of my life partner and my children's father, David Wilson," McCready said in a statement. "David was my soulmate; he was a caregiver and guiding hand to our sons, Zander and Zayne."

Feb. 6, 2013: McCready is committed to a treatment facility for a mental-health and alcohol-abuse evaluation by court order after her sons are removed from her care by family services.

Feb. 8, 2013: The singer is released into outpatient treatment, with a source explaining, "A mental health provider assessed her and found she didn't need to be there."

Feb. 16, 2013: E! News obtains what would be McCready's final interview, given to her longtime friend and private investigator Danno Hanks. In the wide-ranging and extensive talk, the singer is anguished over losing custody of her kids and describes the harrowing death of David Wilson.

Feb. 17, 2013: Police receive reports of gunshots fired at McCready's home and later find her body on the front porch of the residence. She dies from what appear to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.