Suicide Silence vocalist releases statement on sexual misconduct allegations

Suicide Silence vocalist Eddie Hermida has released a statement in regards to the sexual misconduct allegations made against him by Verena Celis, who claimed he was “emotionally and sexually manipulating” towards her.

You can read Hermida's full statement below.

According to Metal Injection, Verena Celis said Hermida sent her explicit photographs when she was 17 and he was 32. Celis admits she allegedly lied about her age, telling Hermida she was 18 at the time. 

“A few weeks later, he gave me his snapchat and we occasionally snapped each other, but nothing really happened, until he for some reason just assumed I turned 18. And I was scared to say I was still only 17,” Celis says in her statement. “He started flirting and sending suggestive pictures of himself. I was in shock. He toyed with me and manipulated me into sending him nudes, which I was totally against. But hey, if your idol wants nudes, you send them.”

Hermida has apologized and released a full statement via Metal Injection, which you can read below:

I apologize, first and foremost, to Verena, that she feels hurt, manipulated, and otherwise distressed by any of our past communication. I want to apologize to the people who support my work as a musician (both the fans and behind the scenes) for the discomfort, distrust, and damage these allegations have caused.

Most importantly, I would ask the music community to abstain from ridiculing, ostracizing, or otherwise harassing this young woman. It’s difficult enough for women to come forward with allegations about the behavior of men under any circumstances.

When Verena told me she’d turned 18, I believed her. I made it clear that our conversations should not be of a sexual nature until that time. However I have learned the lesson, the hard way, that it was wrong to engage in any kind of intimate conversations with someone so much younger than me.

I was raised by a single mom who taught me to be respectful to all women. I am ashamed that I have failed. I hope to earn the respect and approval of our fans and to prove that I am not the person this would seem to suggest.

Now more than ever, the responsibility falls on men to be mindful of our words and actions with people, and to listen to the voices of those who come forward, with respect and dignity.

I am here and I am listening.

– Eddie Hermida