Random Tragedies That Lead Some People To Believe There Is A Power Rangers Curse (12 items)

(#10) Maurice Mendoza Died From Unknown Causes

Several of the deaths surrounding the Power Rangers franchise have been from unknown causes. One such actor was Maurice Mendoza, who played Richie during the second season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. When Mendoza mysteriously passed in 2013, he was 39 years old.
(#7) Machiko Soga Lost Her Battle With Pancreatic Cancer

Machiko Soga, who played baddie Rita Repulsa, took a lot of voice-over and radio work in Japan before joining the Super Sentai series (which served as the inspiration for Power Rangers, the American adaptation of the Japanese hit). Soga played five different parts throughout the series, and became Rita when the American creators re-used footage of her from the Japanese series.
Soga revealed in 2005 that she had pancreatic cancer for two years. Only a year later, in 2006, a friend found her deceased in her home. At the time of her passing, she was 68 years old.
(#3) Erik Frank Succumbed To An Unknown Illness

When Power Rangers Zero was casting for the role of Tommy Oliver's brother, they hired Erik Frank, the real life brother of Tommy actor Jason David Frank. Sadly, Erik's portrayal of David Trueheart ended up being his final performance.
While Tommy's Green/White Ranger went on to become a fan favorite, David Trueheart's narrative arc was cut short when Erik Frank passed at the criminally young age of 29 of an "unknown" or "unspecified" illness.
(#9) Martial Arts Legend Richard Rabago Died Unexpectedly At Age 68

Richard Rabago is legendary in the world of martial arts. Born in Hawaii, Rabago spent his youth studying a wide array of martial arts, and went on to open his own dojo in California.

In addition to his passion for physical training, Rabago was also deeply interested in acting. Initially, he landed roles in VR Troopers and Big Trouble in Little China, which led to him being cast as Master Lee in an episode of Power Rangers. Rabago passed at age 68 in 2012. As is the case with several other Power Rangers cast members gone before their time, no cause of death has been made public.
(#4) Ricardo Medina Jr. Was Convicted Of Slaying His Roommate

Ricardo Medina Jr. got his big break playing Red Lion (AKA Cole Evans) on 2002's Power Rangers Wild Force, and returned in 2011 to play Decker on Power Rangers Samurai. Only a few years later, however, Medina was accused of slaying his roommate with a large sword. According to prosecutors, Medina got into a fight with his roommate, Josh Sutter, over the fact that Medina's girlfriend was at their house. The roommate allegedly broke down Medina's bedroom door, at which point Medina grabbed a sword and stabbed Sutter repeatedly. Medina insisted it was an act of self defense. In March 2017, the actor accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to six years in prison.
(#12) Voice Actor Bob Papenbrook Died From A Lung Condition

Bob Papenbrook was a respected voice actor for many years, and lent his gruff-toned voice to numerous characters. Although he assisted in the production of many animated series, Papenbrook was also well known for his voice work in live-action productions. He provided voices for several Power Rangers characters, including Rito Revolto in two different series, Deviot in Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy, and various monsters throughout the franchise's universe. At 50 years-old, Papenbrook succumbed to a chronic lung condition in 2006.