New York City in the 90s was a fever dream of neon, platforms, and ketamine. If you were looking for the epicenter of that chaos, you’d find Michael Alig and his inner circle, the Club Kids. Among them was a man named Robert "Freeze" Riggs. He wasn’t just a face in the crowd; he became half of one of the most gruesome headlines in Manhattan history. Decades have passed since the saws and the bleach, leading many to wonder: is Robert Freeze Riggs still alive today?
The short answer is yes, as of all current public records and recent status updates. While his partner-in-crime Michael Alig became a fixture of the tabloid circuit until his death in 2020, Riggs has taken a very different path. He essentially vanished into the quiet life of a private citizen after paying his debt to society.
The Night That Changed Everything
To understand where Riggs is now, you have to look at where he was in March 1996. The scene was Alig’s apartment at the Riverbank West on 43rd Street. A massive argument broke out over a drug debt with Andre "Angel" Melendez, a fellow club fixture. It wasn't just a scuffle. Riggs reportedly hit Melendez with a hammer, and Alig finished the job by smothering him.
What happened next is the stuff of urban legend, except it’s true. They put the body in the bathtub, covered it in ice, and kept partying for days. Eventually, they dismembered Melendez, boxed him up, and threw him into the Hudson River.
Riggs eventually confessed. He wasn't the "star" that Alig was, but he was just as legally responsible. In 1997, both men pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter. They were sentenced to 10 to 20 years.
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Life After Parole: Where is Robert Freeze Riggs Now?
While Michael Alig’s 2014 release was a media circus—complete with Twitter accounts and documentary crews—Riggs’ exit from prison was a whisper. Robert "Freeze" Riggs was released on parole in 2010. He had served 13 years of his sentence.
Honestly, he seems to have learned the lesson Alig never quite grasped: when you’re famous for something terrible, sometimes the best thing you can do is disappear. Since 2010, Riggs hasn't sought the spotlight. There are no "Freeze" Instagram takeovers. No "Party Monster" reunions.
Why People Get Confused
There are several men named Robert Riggs who have appeared in recent obituaries. This is usually why the question "is Robert Freeze Riggs still alive" starts trending.
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- Robert F. Riggs (Upton, KY): Passed away in May 2024 at age 78. He was a truck driver, not a New York Club Kid.
- Robert D. Riggs (Venice, FL): Passed away in August 2025 at age 57. While the age is closer to "Freeze," this individual was a resident of Florida with a completely different family background.
- The Hacker Robert Riggs: There was also a famous hacker known as "Prophet" (Robert J. Riggs) involved in the BellSouth cases in the early 90s.
The "Freeze" Riggs from the Club Kid era has kept a low profile, likely residing in the New York area or moving to live with family under a different level of scrutiny. He hasn't been back in the news for criminal activity, which suggests a successful reintegration into society.
The Contrast Between Alig and Riggs
It’s kinda wild to think about how two people involved in the same crime can handle the aftermath so differently. Michael Alig couldn't stay away from the "scene." He was constantly chasing the ghost of his 90s fame until he died of a heroin overdose on Christmas Eve in 2020.
Riggs, on the other hand, chose silence. He didn't try to monetize the murder of Angel Melendez. He didn't try to become an "influencer." For anyone searching for him today, the trail usually goes cold around 2010-2012. That’s probably exactly how he wants it.
Key Facts About Robert Freeze Riggs
- Conviction: First-degree manslaughter (1997).
- Prison Stay: Served roughly 13 years in the New York state prison system.
- Release Date: Paroled in 2010.
- Current Status: Alive, living as a private citizen.
People often ask about his "art" or his involvement in documentaries like Glory Daze. While he appears in archival footage, he hasn't been a willing participant in the "glamorization" of the era lately. He’s a reminder that even in the middle of a sensationalized crime, some people eventually just want to be left alone.
If you are following this story or researching the "Party Monster" era, it's worth noting that the legal files and parole records are the only reliable way to track him. He doesn't have a verified social media presence. Most "sightings" reported on forums like Reddit or old Club Kid blogs are unverified and often conflate him with other people from the 90s scene.
The best way to stay updated on the legal history of the Club Kids is to reference the New York Department of Corrections (DOCCS) database for historical parole records or view the archival footage from the 2015 documentary Glory Daze: The Life and Times of Michael Alig, which provides the most "recent" context on the surviving members of that group.