Usman was killed in an encounter with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front on 3 May 2015 in Guindulungan, Maguindanao.[1][10][11] It is suspected that one of his bodyguards killed him in order to collect the $1 million bounty on his head.[12] According to a statement from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, "There was in-fighting among his bodyguards. When he was killed, he had 7 bodyguards — but these bodyguards were not the most loyal to him."