What Caused Jimmy Kimmel's Longtime Bandleader, Cleto Escobedo III's Death? Here's Where We Know

hile the entertainment world is still mourning the passing of the renowned musician and bandleader of Jimmy Kimmel Live, Cleto Escobedo III, several unanswered questions remain surrounding his death. Cleto passed away on November 11, 2025, at the age of 59. His death was confirmed by his childhood friend and host, Jimmy Kimmel himself, who shared a deeply emotional tribute for his pal through his social media and during his show's telecast. Cleto had been a part of the late-night program since its first telecast in 2003 and was admired not just for his work, but also for his warmth and fun presence on the show. 

Cleto Escobedo III's death certificate reveals his exact cause of demise 

According to TMZ, which was able to get access to Cleto Escobedo III's death certificate, revealed that the immediate cause of his demise was cardiogenic shock. In this condition, the heart is no longer pumping the required amount of blood in a human body. Additionally, it lost some further medical issues that might have contributed to the critical condition, such as vasodilatory shock, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver. All these illnesses allegedly weakened his overall health and placed a strain on his heart. 

Moreover, the document highlighted that some other conditions led to his complicated health in his final days. It includes sepsis. Graft-versus-host immunosuppression, chronic kidney disease, and pneumonia. According to medical experts and Mayo Clinic, cardiogenic shock is a life-threatening emergency that can quickly turn fatal without rapid care. Cleto's declining health has now been revealed as the reason for his prolonged absence from the Jimmy Kimmel Live show. Previously, Page Six cited that Cleto was suffering from the side effects of a liver transplant, and Jimmy cancelled his show on November 6, 2025, citing personal reasons, which could be connected to Cleto's death.

Who was Cleto Escobedo III's wife and family? 

Cleto Escobedo III is survived by his wife, Lori Escobedo, and their two children: daughter Jesse and son Cruz. Lori has mostly stayed out of the public eye and maintains a private Instagram account, where she follows various creative pages, including The Art Birds and The Smith Family Circus. As reported by the Daily Mail, Lori did not reveal many details during the difficult time and simply said:

"Everything is not ok".

Although Cleto preferred to keep his family moments personal, he occasionally used to shared some heartfelt messages about his children. In one such post, he shared to mark his daughter, Jesse's 10th birthday, Cleto wrote:

"I love a lot of people on this earth, but this little girl changed my life… You ARE my world, Jesse." 

More about Jimmy Kimmel and Cleto Escobedo III's friendship 

Cleto's bond with Jimmy Kimmel remains one of the most touching parts of his story. They grew up together in Las Vegas and remained inseparable for over 50 years, even after Jimmy launched Jimmy Kimmel Live! In 2003, he insisted Cleto became the bandleader of Cleto and the Cletones, citing his chemistry with Jimmy. The latter discussed the same friendship in a heartbreaking post marking Cleto's death and said:

"Cleto and I have been inseparable since I was nine years old. The fact that we got to work together every day is a dream neither of us could ever have imagined would come true".

Rest in peace, Cleto Escobedo III 

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