Inside celebrity dentist Dr Steven Lin's desperate last days in his childhood home - and the quiet turmoil that drove a respected family man to a life of drugs, filth and violence
Almost two weeks after his violent death, disgraced dentist Steven Lin was laid to rest on Saturday in a small, private ceremony attended by his closest friends and family.
His devastated parents, Jackie and Graeme Lin, stood alongside his ex‑wife Cassandra as they farewelled their lost son - shot dead by police earlier this month after he allegedly assaulted two women during a terrifying, drug‑fuelled rampage.
It was a shocking and ignominious end for a man who had once appeared to have the world at his feet.
For decades, Mr and Mrs Lin had watched their son excel.
A standout student, he rose through school with ease before becoming a successful dentist with a thriving practice. He later achieved a measure of celebrity, fuelled by bestselling books and regular TV appearances in Australia and the United States.
But to his proud parents, Steven Lin was simply the boy from their quiet Figtree street who had worked hard and fulfilled every hope they ever had for him.
When his seemingly perfect life began to unravel - his marriage collapsing and his career in freefall - they welcomed him back into his childhood home, praying he might find a path out of the darkness and start again.
But sadly his years-long battle with methamphetamine had him in a chokehold. It was an addiction that would end in madness and death.
Almost two weeks after his violent death, disgraced dentist Steven Lin was laid to rest on Saturday in a small, private ceremony
His ex-wife Cassandra attended the ceremony, along with about 50 mourners
Dr Lin was shot dead by police on March 3 after he allegedly assaulted two women during a terrifying, drug‑fuelled rampage. (Pictured: the aftermath of the scene)
Lin was fatally shot during a stand-off with police in Potts Point on March 3 after he entered an apartment building armed with a knife before attacking one woman in a communal laundry and another inside her unit.
He was killed after allegedly lunging at officers who were trying to apprehend him following the violent assaults.
By this point, Lin had a long history of shocking crimes that included stalking, assaults, choking, and breaching apprehended violence orders.
Friends say his troubles escalated after the breakdown of his marriage, with whispers of his affairs, betrayals and increasingly chaotic behaviour.
But the fractures in his personality had begun to show earlier, when he was still married to Cassandra and running a successful dental business.
'He'd turned to drugs to keep up with everything,' a friend told the Daily Mail.
'He couldn't keep up with everything he'd achieved - the book, the dental clinics and then becoming a father of five after the twins were born. He just felt really overwhelmed and tried to cope by self-medicating.'
Already feeling the pressure and secretly abusing drugs, Lin's life took a darker turn when he began an extramarital affair, which resulted in him becoming a father for the sixth time.
Friends say his troubles escalated after the breakdown of his marriage to Cassandra
'That's when his marriage ended and it turned messy,' the friend said.
'Emotions were high and for a long time he didn't see the kids, which just broke him.
'I'm not making excuses for him. What has happened is terrible, but he wasn't always like that.'
As his personal life spiralled, Lin returned to the modest family home in Figtree where he had grown up, seeking refuge with his mum and dad.
The Mail tried to speak to the Lins last week, but they didn't wish to comment on their late son's downfall. Neighbours, however, described them as 'good people' who kept to themselves but were always friendly.
One told the Daily Mail they had spotted the disgraced dentist doing yoga on the balcony and had hoped he was coming out the other side of his addiction.
'It's so sad for his family,' they said. 'Their son is dead. They will never get over this.'
By all accounts, Dr Lin's social media painted the same picture of hope, with regular updates on the latest health news.
But even the quiet familiarity of his childhood home could not halt his spiral.
Dr Lin was separated from his wife Cassandra who continued to run their dental clinics
Former classmates from Figtree High School shared the news of his death
While staying with his parents in March 2025, Dr Lin had booked a Sydney prostitute in the early hours of the morning.
After spending the day and night with her, he was accused of stealing $2,000 he had paid for her services and allegedly trying to choke her.
The matter was dismissed in Wollongong Local Court just days before his death, after the woman failed to turn up for the hearing.
'Everyone really thought he was getting better and dealing with his addictions, but in reality he just got better at hiding it,' said a friend.
News of his shocking death soon spread through the close-knit community just an hour south of Sydney.
'I just wanted to let people know, Steven Lin, graduating class of 2002, now aged 41, passed away 3rd March,' a former classmate posted on a Figtree High School page.
'Unfortunately not good circumstances. He was in my classes and I can't believe what happened. He had become a well-known dentist, but had an unfortunate downfall that he couldn't recover from.'
Several former friends expressed their shock at the news in the comments section.
'I knew Steven well. I used to go over to his house a lot,' one wrote. 'I remember him being a nice person. Unfortunate what happened.'
