List of Famous people who died in 2009

Amin al-Hafiz was a Syrian politician, general, and member of the Ba'ath Party who served as the President of Syria from 27 July 1963 to 23 February 1966.

Monica Bleibtreu was an Austrian actress and screenwriter, best known in the German-speaking world for her German film, television and stage roles.

Robert Alan Levinson was an American former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent who disappeared on March 9, 2007, in Kish Island, Iran, while on a mission for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Levinson's family received $2.5 million annuity from the CIA in order to stop a lawsuit revealing details of his work in Iran and to forestall any revelation of details regarding the arrangement between Levinson and the agency. He is believed to have been held captive by the Government of Iran, while Iran does not acknowledge his arrest. In 2017, Levinson became the longest held American hostage in history, surpassing Floyd James Thompson. According to his family, he suffered from type 1 diabetes, gout, and hypertension. His passport has never shown up in any other country. On March 25, 2020, Levinson's family announced his death, and although the date is unknown, it is assumed that he died while in Iranian custody.

Natalya Khusainovna Estemirova was a Russian human rights activist and board member of the Russian human rights organization Memorial. Estemirova was abducted by unknown persons on 15 July 2009 around 8:30 a.m. from her home in Grozny, Chechnya, as she was working on "extremely sensitive" cases of human rights abuses in Chechnya. Two witnesses reported they saw Estemirova being pushed into a car shouting that she was being abducted. Her remains were found with bullet wounds in the head and chest area at 4:30 p.m. in woodland 100 metres (330 ft) away from the federal road "Kavkaz" near the village of Gazi-Yurt, Ingushetia.

Filip Nikolic was a French actor and singer of Serbian extraction, best known as the lead of the French boy-band 2Be3.

Pyotr Sergeevich Velyaminov was a Soviet Russian film and theater actor who was awarded the title People's Artist of the RSFSR. Commander of Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" 3rd class.

Vivian Dorothy Maier was an American street photographer whose work was discovered and recognized after her death. She worked for about 40 years as a nanny, mostly in Chicago's North Shore, while pursuing photography. She took more than 150,000 photographs during her lifetime, primarily of the people and architecture of Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles, although she also traveled and photographed worldwide.

Kim Dae-jung, was a South Korean politician and statesman who served as President of South Korea from 1998 to 2003. He was a 2000 Nobel Peace Prize recipient for his work for democracy and human rights in South Korea and in East Asia in general, and for peace and reconciliation with North Korea and Japan. He had been nominated every year since 1987. He was sometimes referred to as "the Nelson Mandela of Asia". Kim was the first opposition candidate to win the presidency.

Igor Vladimirovich Starygin was a Soviet and Russian stage and film actor.

Abraham Lee Shakespeare was a casual laborer from U.S.A. who won a $30 million lottery jackpot in Florida, receiving $17 million in 2006. In 2009, his family declared him missing, and in January 2010 his body was found buried under a concrete slab in the backyard of an acquaintance. Dorice "Dee Dee" Moore was convicted of his murder and is now serving life in prison without the possibility of parole. Shakespeare's troubles began after winning the lottery. The case was profiled in the American E! television program Curse of the Lottery; and also was made the subject of an episode of Snapped on Oxygen Channel, DTV, on March 16, 2014, along with Reelz's Sex, Lies, & Murder episode "The Missing Millionaire" on August 11, 2018, The 2019 3rd episode of the first season "Murder in the Thirst" as well as the subject of a 2013 episode of American Greed. The case also featured on Season 7 of Deadly Women. Also showcased on "I Killed My BFF" on Lifetime Channel.