New Kurt Cobain suicide scene photos released as 20th anniversary of his death approaches

Police said the images did not change their conclusion that the Nirvana frontman killed himself

The images showed drug paraphernalia found at Cobain's home at the time of his death (AP)

As the 20th anniversary of his death approaches, Seattle police have released previously unseen images showing drug paraphernalia taken at the scene of Kurt Cobain’s suicide.

Police spokesman Renee Witt said that a detective who recently reviewed the Cobain case files found several roles of undeveloped film that were taken at the Nirvana frontman’s home at the time of his death.

But she said there was no evidence to change the police conclusion that Cobain took his own life and the case remains closed.

In one image is a box containing a spoon and what looks like needles on the floor next to half a cigarette and sunglasses.

In another picture the same box is seen closed , next to cash, a cigarette pack and a wallet that appears to show Cobain’s ID.

"There was nothing earth-shattering in any of these images," Ms Witt said.

Police took another look at the Cobain suicide in preparation for answering questions in connection with next month’s anniversary, she said.

"There's still a lot of interest in this case," she said. "The detective went into the case files to refresh himself. The outcome of the case has not changed."

Police said the case remains closed (AP)

27-year-old Cobain was found dead in Seattle on 8 April, 1994. An investigation determined that days earlier he had gone into the greenhouse of his large home and taken a massive dose of heroin, before shooting himself with a 20-gauge shotgun.

He had already tried to kill himself in Rome earlier that year by taking an overdose of tranquilisers.

The "Smells Like Teen Spirit" singer sold millions of albums with Nirvana and helped popularise the Pacific Northwest’s heavy, grunge rock, along with bands like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and Mudhoney.

The tragic star grew up in the logging town of Aberdeen, Washington, which is about two hours from Seattle. After his death, thousands of young people converged on Seattle Centre, near the Space Needle, for a public memorial.

Despite his death being ruled a suicide, conspiracy theories emerged that Cobain had been murdered.

In a statement from the Seattle Police Department, the detective who re-examined the case dismissed that speculation.

"Sometimes people believe what they read - some of the disinformation from some of the books, that this was a conspiracy. That's completely inaccurate," said Detective Mike Ciesynski, who found the four rolls of undeveloped crime-scene photos.

"It's a suicide. This is a closed case."