mysql is dead but subsys locked

service mysqld restart

Simply restarting the mysqld worked fro me on Centos.

I had this problem with my OTRS server after I tried to update a to large package.

The solution was:

copy for safty:

cp /var/lock/subsys/mysqld /root/mysqld

than delete it

rm /var/lock/subsys/mysqld

than close all services that depends on mysql:

service httpd stop
service otrs stop

after that:

service mysqld restart
service httpd restart
service otrs restart

System is CentOS 6.x