This Day in History: Marvin Gaye Is br Shot and Killed by His Own Father April 1, 1984 Gaye's father — Rev. Marvin Gaye Sr. — br shot and killed the Prince of Soul br three times in the chest following a br physical dispute between the two. It was a day before the br soul icon's 45th birthday. Despite winning his first Grammy br for "Sexual Healing" just a year br before, Gaye was struggling with br debt, depression and substance abuse. He had recently moved in br with his father and mother. Gaye and his father had a br difficult and complicated br relationship since Gaye was a boy. According to Gaye's brother, Frankie — br who held the singer in his arms as he died — br his final words were, “I got what I wanted ...br I couldn’t do it myself, so I made him do it.