‘Riverdale’ Actor Ross Butler Denies Involvement In Conspiracy To Murder Frances Bean’s Ex-Husband

Last May, the Inquisitr reported that Isaiah Silva, the ex-husband of Frances Bean Cobain, sued Courtney Love and several others for their alleged participation in a conspiracy to break into Silva’s home, murder him, and reclaim Kurt Cobain’s iconic Martin D-18E guitar that was used during Nirvana’s 1993 MTV Unplugged performance. One of the alleged co-conspirators is actor Ross Butler of Riverdale and Thirteen Reasons Why fame.

Spin reports that Butler answered the accusations in an October 9 court filing, in which he denies any wrongdoing while also acknowledging that he visited Silva’s home with Love’s manager Sam Lufti on the night of the alleged incident.

The guitar has been the centerpiece of a legal battle between Isaiah Silva and Frances Bean Cobain for years, until it was finally awarded to Silva in their divorce settlement in May, shortly before the night in question.

Silva’s original lawsuit accuses Butler, Lufti, and Yan Yukhtman of breaking into Silva’s home on the night of June 3, 2016, in an attempt to steal Cobain’s guitar. The group allegedly beat Silva, took his phone away, and dragged him into a waiting vehicle. Unknown to his assailants, Silva’s friend known only in the court documents as “Mr. Munsey” was visiting Silva that night. Munsey called the police, then ran outside and used his car to block the group’s exit.

As police began to arrive on the scene, Silva claims that Lufti warned him that “he, Love, and Cobain owned the judicial system, the LAPD, and the media, so no one would believe Silva.” Silva claims that Lufti pressured him into telling the police that the incident was a prank gone wrong. Silva’s suit goes on to claim that had Munsey not intervened, he would have been taken to a secondary location and murdered. Furthermore, Silva suggests that prior to the night in question the alleged conspirators “went to great lengths to create the impression that… (Silva) was depressed, drug addicted, on the brink of committing suicide, and had recently inquired about where to obtain a firearm.” Silva denies that he was suicidal and that the gun was purchased after a well-publicized 2012 home invasion by a homeless man. Silva also claims that he contacted the police after someone “hacked” his iMessages and texted false suicidal messages to one of Silva’s friends.

Butler answers in his filing that on the night of the alleged incident, Lufti and Yukhtman picked him up. Lufti told Butler that he had received some “troubling text messages” and wanted to check in on Frances Bean Cobain and Silva. Butler said that when the group arrived at the home, the windows were covered with sheets and nobody answered the door. However, the group could hear sounds from the upstairs area. Butler alleges that he returned to the street while Lufti went to investigate.

After a few moments, an alarm sounded, but Lufti soon opened the front door and told Butler to come inside. Butler says that upon entering the house, he was “greeted calmly and amicably by Silva.” Butler claims that Silva and Lufti spoke in the kitchen for a few minutes before Butler noticed Munsey leave the house. Butler says that Lufti and Silva decided to get some food and continue their conversation, and went outside to get in the car. When they got in the car, Butler says that Munsey pulled up next to Lufti’s car and told the group he had called the police. The police arrived, questioned everyone, and left. After the police left, Butler claims that he decided to leave while Silva and Lufti went back into the house.

Butler has asked for all charges against him to be dropped.

The next hearing for the case is scheduled for December 7.