TMZ: Friend claims Michael Johns death cover up

The story of "American Idol" season 8 finalist and former Buckhead denizen Michael Johns dying last month was sad enough.

The story TMZ ran yesterday just made things even sadder, a story that was chronicled in legal papers.

Torrey Gambill, a friend of Johns', found him dead. Johns' wife Stacey Vudurus, according to TMZ, filed papers in Orange County accusing him of sending her abusive texts blaming her indirectly for Johns' death.

Gambill then filed papers of his own accusing Johns' wife of creating a "cover story" about a blood clot in his ankle that ultimately killed him. The cops said he had been drinking quite a bit prior to his death. That, Gambill said, was the cause of his demise, not the "blood clot." He provided texts purportedly of Yudurus making up that story since it sounds less embarrassing.

I'm not sure how many people knew the truth, presuming Gambill was being truthful. A really close friend of Johns in Atlanta acted really squirrelly with me the day the story came out. Then he refused to comment at all. I figured he was just upset with the situation.

What's worse, Gambill said Johns and Vudurus had been separated and she had put him through major distress the past year.

Johns lived in Atlanta from 1998 to 2002 and in recent years would visit his buddies here and perform at Tin Roof Cantina. Local friends held a ceremony there a couple of weeks after his death at Tin Roof to honor him.

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In other "Idol" news, season 9 contestant Tim Urban welcomed a baby daughter.

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