A saxophonist for rock band The Killers has committed suicide.

Thomas “Tommy” Marth died after shooting himself in the head earlier this week at his Las Vegas home, a spokeswoman for the Clark County Coroner confirmed yesterday (26.04.12).

The 33-year-old musician played on the live tours with the ‘Mr. Brightside‘ hitmakers between 2008 and 2010 and performed on their albums ‘Sam’s Town‘ and ‘Day & Age’.

Paying tribute to their friend following his death on Monday (23.04.12), lead singer Brandon Flowers, guitarist Dave Keuning, bassist Mark Stoermer and drummer Ronnie Vannucci posted a statement on The Killers’ website which read: “Last night we lost our friend Thomas Marth. Our prayers are with his family. There’s a light missing in Las Vegas tonight. Travel well, Tommy.”

Thomas’ tragic passing echoes the 1994 suicide of Kurt Cobain, whose group Nirvana was a major inspiration for Killers bassist Mark Stoermer, he previously revealed: “Nirvana are definitely the band that got me into rock and ‘Come as You Are’ is the first song I learned how to play. I remember sitting down and trying to figure it out. I don’t even know if I would have tried to play the bass or guitar if it wasn’t for Nirvana, because I spent a lot of time just learning by ear.”