Steve Lillywhite, the ex-husband of singer Kirsty MacColl, has claimed that her death in 2000 was the subject of a 'cover-up' to shield a Mexican billionaire from justice. MacColl, best known for her collaboration with The Pogues on 'Fairytale Of New York', died on December 18, 2000, at the age of 41, after being hit by a speedboat while diving in Cozumel, Mexico.
Lillywhite, who produced 'Fairytale Of New York' and was married to MacColl from 1984 to 1994, told The Sun that he believes the person responsible avoided accountability due to their wealth. 'They said that it was a young kid driving, but no one believes that,' he said. 'I think they just didn’t want to have an enormous lawsuit because he was one of the richest guys in Mexico.'
The speedboat was reportedly linked to billionaire businessman Guillermo González Nova, but deck hand José Cen Yam, 26, was convicted of the incident. He received a sentence of two years and 10 months in prison but avoided jail by paying a fine of just £61, prompting allegations that he was a 'fall guy' who took responsibility in exchange for money. González Nova, who died in 2009, was the only person on board with a licence to drive the boat.
MacColl's son, Louis Lillywhite, who was 14 at the time of her death, told The Mirror that the family spent years seeking justice. 'It was never about money, it was about someone taking responsibility,' he said. 'We were dealing with the richest man in the most corrupt country…' He also recalled the traumatic aftermath, saying he and his brother Jamie 'still have flashbacks'.
The inquiry into MacColl's death was reopened in 2004 after private investigators hired by her mother claimed to have new evidence disputing who was driving the boat. However, a campaign group seeking justice for MacColl disbanded in 2009, stating that all avenues of investigation had been exhausted without further information coming to light.
