Chuck Varga, a founding member of GWAR and the performer behind its Sexecutioner character, has died aged 68 after battling cancer. His death was announced by bassist Casey Orr, who said Varga passed peacefully with his wife, Bambi, holding his hand.

Varga co-founded Slave Pit Studios in Richmond in the early 1980s, helping create GWAR’s elaborate costumes, props, films and visual identity. He portrayed Sexecutioner from 1985 to 2022, contributed vocals to several tracks, co-authored two films and helped shape the band’s theatrical heavy-metal performances.