J Paul Getty's grandson found dead in Texas hotel room

John Gilbert Getty, a grandson of billionaire oil tycoon J Paul Getty, has been found dead in a hotel room in San Antonio, Texas.

The death of the 52-year-old composer, who was the heir to a $5 billion fortune, is the latest tragedy to be suffered by the Getty family whose history has been marked by drug addiction, tabloid scandals, legal disputes, an abduction and several premature deaths.

It is unclear how Mr Getty died, although foul play is not suspected. A post-mortem examination is due to be held.

The death of Mr Getty, who had a 25-year-old daughter, was announced by a family spokesman.

'With a heavy heart, Gordon Getty announces the death of his son, John Gilbert Getty,'' the statement read.

"John leaves behind his daughter, Ivy Getty, whom he loved beyond measure, and his brothers Peter and Billy. 

"His brother, Andrew, predeceased John. John's mother, Ann Gilbert Getty, passed this September.

"John was a talented musician who loved rock and roll. He will be deeply missed."

Ivy Getty posted a heartfelt tribute to her father on Instagram. "My father was awesome - coolest man to ever land on this planet and I will forever be the proudest daughter.

"Love you so much Dad. Life is cruel sometimes. I have not one, but two guardian angels watching over me now."

J Paul Getty, an oil baron who was reputedly the worlds richest man, died in 1976.

A series of misfortunes suffered by the family has led to talk of a "Getty Curse", with a number of descendants dying young.

In April 2015 Mr Getty's brother, Andrew, was found dead at his Hollywood mansion, aged 47. According to the coroner's report, he suffered a large gastrointestinal haemorrhage and had a toxic level of methamphetamine in his system.

Timothy Getty, John Gilbert's uncle and the son of J. Paul Getty, was only 12 when he died of a brain tumour in 1958.

Another one of the patriarch's sons, George Getty, died aged 48 in 1973, in what was a suspected suicide although the exact circumstances still remain unclear.

Talitha Pol, a Dutch actress who married the oil baron's son, J. Paul Getty Jr, died of a heroin overdose in 1971.

Their son, J Paul Getty III, was only 16 when he was kidnapped in Rome in 1973 by a gang of petty criminals who cut off his ear to demonstrate their readiness to kill him unless a ransom was paid.

J  Paul Getty initially refused to pay the ransom, fearing it would pave the way for other grandchildren to be abducted.

'I have 14 grandchildren and if I pay one penny ransom, I'll have 14 kidnapped grandchildren,' he said. 

Eventually, the oil baron relented and paid out just under $3 million.

After his release, J Paul Getty III  became a drug addict and suffered a stroke in his 20s which left him blind and confined to a wheelchair. He died aged 54 in February 2011.