List of Famous people who died in 2008

Michael Hinz was a German actor.

Deborah Jeane Palfrey, dubbed the D.C. Madam by the news media, operated Pamela Martin and Associates, an escort agency in Washington, D.C. Although she maintained that the company's services were legal, she was convicted on April 15, 2008 of racketeering, using the mail for illegal purposes, and money laundering. Slightly over two weeks later, facing a prison sentence of five or six years, she was found hanged. Autopsy results and the final police investigative report concluded that her death was a suicide.

Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. was an American singer, songwriter, actor, and producer. Hayes was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwriter and as a session musician and record producer, teaming with his partner David Porter during the mid-1960s. Hayes and Porter were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 in recognition of writing scores of songs for themselves, the duo Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, and others. In 2002, Hayes was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Estelle Gettleman, known professionally as Estelle Getty, was an American actress and comedienne best known for her portrayal of Sophia Petrillo on The Golden Girls (1985–1992), for she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She reprised the role for appearances on Empty Nest (1993–1995), The Golden Palace (1992–1993), Blossom (1990–1995), and Nurses (1991–1994). Notable films in which she appeared include Mask (1985), a semi-biographical film in which she played the grandmother of Roy L. Dennis, and Stuart Little (1999). She retired from acting in 2001 due to health issues and died in 2008.

Vlado Taneski was a Macedonian serial killer. A career journalist for over twenty years, Taneski was arrested in June 2008 in his hometown of Kičevo for the murders of two women on whose deaths he had also written freelance articles; when arrested he was also being investigated over the death of an additional woman. These articles had aroused the suspicion of the police, since they contained information which had not been released to the public. After DNA tests connected Taneski to the murders, he was arrested and imprisoned on 22 June 2008 and was found dead in his cell the following day, after an apparent suicide.

Mohan Chand Sharma, was a Special Cell inspector of the Delhi Police who was martyred during the 2008 Batla House encounter in New Delhi, India. A highly decorated police officer, having highest 10 President Medal for Gallantry in India Sharma was posthumously awarded the Gallantry medal, Ashoka Chakra Award India's highest peacetime military decoration, on 26 January 2009. He was awarded 10th Gallantry Medal on August 15, 2020 in a daring shootout of year 2007 with Jaish e Mohd militant in Jammu (J&K).

Marcel Chevalier worked as the last chief executioner in France. He succeeded his wife's uncle, André Obrecht, in 1976 and held his position until 1981, when capital punishment was abolished under president François Mitterrand and justice minister Robert Badinter. The method of application of the death penalty for civil capital offences in France from 1791 to 1981 was beheading with the guillotine. Military executions were by firing squad.

Urmas Ott was an Estonian television and radio journalist, and famous talk show host in Soviet Union, Estonia and Russia.

Hemant Karkare AC was the chief of the Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS). He was killed in action by Pakistani terrorists during 2008 Mumbai attacks. In 2009, he was posthumously given the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry decoration.

Kanako Fukaura was a Japanese actress. Born in Tokyo, she developed fame largely through many performances as a supporting actress.