Sheets' death has been ruled a suicide, the Mohave County Medical Examiner's Office in Arizona confirmed to PEOPLE on Tuesday, May 5. TMZ was the first to report the news.
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According to a press release from the Lake Havasu City Police Department, obtained by PEOPLE last month, Sheets was found dead from an apparent suicide around 2 a.m. local time on April 22 after officers responded to “a reported deceased individual.”
Darrell Sheets appears at A+E Networks 2013 Upfront on May 8, 2013.
“The male was pronounced deceased on scene, and the Lake Havasu City Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Unit was notified and responded to the scene to assume the investigation," the release stated.
Authorities said the incident remained under active investigation and asked anyone with information to contact the Lake Havasu City Police Department at 928-855-1171.
Sheets was a fan favorite on A&E’s Storage Wars, which follows professional buyers competing to bid on abandoned storage lockers. Nicknamed “the Gambler,” Sheets was known for his high-risk approach to auctions and appeared on the series alongside his son Brandon.
He made his debut in the show's premiere season in 2010 and departed in 2023 following season 15. Sheets retired from Storage Wars in 2023 and later opened an antique shop in Arizona called Havasu Show Me Your Junk.
After Sheets' death, a spokesperson for A&E said in a statement, “We are saddened by the passing of a beloved member of our Storage Wars family, Darrell ‘The Gambler’ Sheets. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
Tributes for Sheets poured in from fans and former costars, including René Nezhoda, who shared a video addressing Sheets’ passing and reflecting on their relationship. Nezhoda also alleged that Sheets had been dealing with cyberbullying prior to his death.
Darrell Sheets poses for a photo at a 'Storage Wars' party on March 2, 2012.
“I know Darrell would want something positive out of this, so he had a guy that [was] really really tormenting him lately. Cyberbullying,” he said. “Guys, just because you watch us on television, doesn’t mean you know us. It doesn’t mean you know what we’re about. Also, it doesn’t entitle you to bully somebody. That’s not [just] us, that’s anybody. That’s any athlete. You shouldn’t cyberbully at all.”
He continued: “As a matter of fact, if you have somebody in your life that thinks it’s funny to cyberbully other people, may that be a celebrity, athlete or little girl at school… slap ’em in the back of the head. Make them become a better human being.”
Kyle Ridgway of the Lake Havasu City Police Department later confirmed to PEOPLE that authorities were "aware of these cyberbullying accusations and that is a part of the active investigation."
On Monday, May 4, Sheets' son Brandon Sheets reflected on his father's life with an Instagram tribute, writing that his "heart is so broken."
"I love you Dad and I will do my best to live in your honor and respect our family," Brandon's caption began. "Let's all continue to build those memories and keep the legacy that is 'Darrell (The Gambler) Sheets.'"
Brandon added that he "can't answer everyone's questions or concerns right now" and that his family needed "time to process and remember all the good that my father was and will continue to be through my son and I."
"The love we all have for this man and all his kindness is only a small portion of who he truly is," he concluded in his post.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.
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