A Fence Now Protects the Graves of Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul
Metalheads who've recently made the pilgrimage to visit the Texas gravesite of Pantera's Abbott brothers, the late musicians Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul Abbott, have probably noticed the new addition on the grounds: A wrought iron fence now protects the brothers' burying place.
The barrier went up sometime within the last year, as evidenced in fan videos of the site. Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul, later a part of Hellyeah, died in 2018 from heart failure at 54. Guitarist Dimebag Darrell, 38, was murdered onstage in 2004 during a show by the Abbotts' post-Pantera act Damageplan.
See videos and photos of their gravesite down toward the bottom of this post.
The brothers' grave markers sit beside each other at Moore Memorial Gardens in Arlington, Texas, as Blabbermouth pointed out. To the left of theirs sits the resting place of Carolyn Abbott, the brothers' mother who died in 1999. An additional headstone reading "Abbott" marks the family plot.
The iron fence, presumably erected to combat vandalism, isn't all that unusual an inclusion to a high-profile gravesite. Before Vinnie's death, Dimebag's headstone succumbed to vandals at least once before, in 2010. Around that time, Vinnie Paul remarked on the defilement to Artisan News.
"It's just a real disrespectful thing," the drummer said. "I don't understand why somebody would wanna scratch their name in somebody's tombstone or anything. But fans are rabid, man; they do unheard-of things. I just wish they would respect him and let him rest in peace and just leave it at that."
Last year, after artificial turf was laid down around the brothers' graves to better accommodate visitors, Pantera posted an update on social media asking fans to show respect at the gravesite.
"Here is an updated photo of the Abbott Brothers' (& their mom, Carolyn) graves," the band shared. "Please be respectful when visiting. The Cemetery staff works hard to clean up the area. We would appreciate if you would not leave garbage around the graves. Thank you."
Abbott Brothers Gravesite Visit (With Fence) – Dec. 10, 2020
Abbott Brothers Gravesite Visit (Before Fence) – Dec. 1, 2019