Dimebag Darrell's girlfriend blames Pantera singer for his death

The girlfriend of late Pantera and Damageplan guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott has made several startling statements in a new interview with Guitar World magazine. According to excerpts posted at the magazine's web site, Rita Haney lays blame for Abbott's December 2004 murder by a deranged fan at the feet of former Pantera vocalist Philip Anselmo, saying, "If Phil Anselmo hadn't quit Pantera, Darrell wouldn't have been playing in that s***hole where that guy could get to him."

Haney maintains that Anselmo's drug addictions and other issues led to the demise of Pantera. That in turn forced Abbott and his brother, drummer Vinnie Paul, to start over with Damageplan and play smaller venues like the Alrosa Villa nightclub in Columbus, Ohio, where disturbed gunman Nathan Gale shot Abbott to death onstage. Haney says, "The bottom line is Phil's actions led to what happened. The guy wouldn't have been after Vinnie and Darrell if Pantera had not broken up. It was all due to Phil's stupid, stupid actions."

Haney also says that Abbott called her from the road during his final days to express unhappiness with Damageplan singer Patrick Lachman. She claims that Abbott told her, "It got to the point where Darrell blew up completely. He said, 'Look, if I want a d***head for a singer I'll call up Phil Anselmo! I can at least make money with that motherf***er.'"

Also in the interview, Haney talks about how she and Abbott began their 20-year romance in Arlington, Texas, and how the break-up of Pantera affected the Abbotts. She said, "I was there when they lost their mom, and I know how much that hurt them. But honestly, the breakup of Pantera was worse."

The full interview appears in the March issue of Guitar World, on sale January 15th.
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