Andy Williams, Every Time I Die Guitarist and Wrestler, Dies at 48

Andy Williams, the founding rhythm guitarist of the Buffalo metalcore band Every Time I Die and a professional wrestler for All Elite Wrestling (AEW), died Saturday night, Sept. 5. He was 48 years old. Williams passed away several hours after collapsing at the conclusion of an independent tag-team wrestling match held at Mr. Small’s Theatre in Millvale, Pennsylvania.

The event promoter, Enjoy Wrestling, confirmed that Williams collapsed at the end of his match. On-site medical staff administered CPR until an ambulance arrived to transport him to a hospital. Williams was competing alongside his longtime tag-team partner, Jesse “The Blade” Guilmette, against the duo TME. Following the medical emergency, organizers canceled the remainder of the event. According to Stereogum, a specific cause of death was not immediately available.

Williams was a founding member of Every Time I Die, a prominent New York metalcore group formed in 1998. He played rhythm guitar for the band throughout its entire 24-year career, appearing on all nine of their studio albums. The band was a staple of the heavy music scene, which continues to see new developments from acts like Wage War.

The group’s final record, Radical, was released in 2021, shortly before the band announced its breakup in early 2022. After the split, Williams joined the band Atomic Rule. Just prior to his death on Saturday, he appeared in a video on the band’s Instagram account stating that the group was working on new music.

In addition to his music career, Williams was a professional wrestler known by the ring name "The Butcher." He began his wrestling career in the 2010s while still touring with Every Time I Die and officially joined the AEW roster in 2019.

According to Billboard, Williams was under contract with the promotion until June 2026. AEW released a statement on Instagram honoring Williams as a respected peer in both the music and wrestling industries, describing him as a trailblazing musician who made a successful transition into the ring.