Rolling Stone scribe Ethan Millman reports: It was many a roadie’s worst nightmare: On Oct. 17, 53-year-old Francis Stueber died in his hotel room, nearly 2,300 miles from home, according to KISS and his fellow backstage crew. The longtime guitar tech had been with the band for more than 20 years and was a beloved figure in the KISS Army.

Having tested positive for COVID-19, Stueber died just two days after being quarantined in a Detroit hotel room. According to the Wayne County Health Examiner’s office, the father of three died of the virus.

My dear friend, buddy and guitar tech for 20 years, Fran Stueber died yesterday suddenly of Covid. Both on and offstage I depended on him for so much. My family loved him as did I. He was so proud of his wife and 3 boys as they were of him. I’m numb. pic.twitter.com/RvwUGpFt0X

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) October 17, 2021

“We are profoundly heartbroken at the loss of Francis, he was a friend and colleague of 20 years, there is no way to replace him,” the band tells Rolling Stone in a statement. “Millions of people have lost someone special to this horrific virus and we encourage everyone to get vaccinated. Please protect yourself and your loved ones.”

But three crew members - who spoke on the condition of anonymity over fear of retaliation - say not enough was done to protect them. They place the blame for Stueber’s death squarely on tour production. The trio told Rolling Stone that the tour didn’t take strict enough safety measures, which they say sickened several tour workers and potentially cost Stueber his life.

“Every day during the shows, we weren’t tested. And there are so many unknowns,” one crew member tells Rolling Stone. “Did we superspread this, did we spread this thing from city to city? It’s horrible that Fran passed, and it’s horrible if this is our protocol just for us to tour. Is this going to be the normal, to stick someone in a hotel. and if somebody dies, ‘Oh, well, off to the next guy?’ ”

Stueber’s death marked an unexpected, tragic loss of one of the band’s most beloved crew members - and a wake-up call when it comes to touring during a pandemic that is still very much in play. In the wake of tragedy, members of the tour seem eager to place blame: Some of Stueber’s fellow roadies point to what they perceived to be lax Covid-19 safety protocols as the culprit; while the band reveals that workers concealed sickness and even faked vaccine cards in some cases. Either way, as the pandemic continues to imperil the live-music business - and artists fight to get back on the road to work — situations like these beg the question: How much is enough when it comes to keeping bands on the road and their teams safe?

Stueber’s wife, Catherine, did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone’s request for comment, but his sister Mary Stueber-Grass tells Rolling Stone: “He was a hard worker, he loved what he did, and he loved meeting people.… I’ve gotten messages from around the world from friends, fans - anyone who he’s met - sending pictures and memories. He was so full of life, and we’re all devastated.”

Read the full report at Rolling Stone.