Fans of the popular MTV reality show "Buckwild" woke up to tragic news Monday: 21-year-old Shain Gandee, one of the program's young stars, was discovered dead with his uncle after the two were reported missing Sunday.
A man on a four-wheeler found Gandee and his uncle, 48-year-old David, dead early Monday morning in Sissonville, W.Va. along with another unidentified man, roughly 31-hours after friends and family had reported the pair as missing, said Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper, according to WCHS-TV. The identity of the other man has not yet been released.
In the missing person's announcement, authorities said Gandee had last been seen with his uncle early Sunday morning around 3 a.m. as they were leaving a Sissonville watering hole, Larry's Bar, according to The Washington Post. The uncle and nephew reportedly told people at the bar they were about to go four-wheeling in Shain's 1984 Ford Bronco as they left, but neither of the men said exactly where they planned to drive off-road. The pair were reported missing late Sunday evening when their family and friends tried unsuccessfully to locate them during the day. Shain Gandee's red-and-white truck was last seen leaving the bar's parking lot.
After premiering in January, Gandee had fast become a fan favorite on MTV's "Buckwild" reality series. The show follows a group of nine young friends in Sissonville and Charleston, W. Va.
"We are shocked and saddened by the terrible news about Shain Gandee, and those involved in this tragic incident," said MTV in a statement, according to The Huffington Post.
"We are waiting for more information but at this time, our main concern is for the Gandee family and their friends. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. Shain had a magnetic personality, with a passion for life that touched everyone he met and we will miss him dearly."
This is just the latest sad news in a recent spate of bad luck for the stars of "Buckwild." Another of the series' personalities, Salwa Amin, was recently arrested for "stockpiling oxycodone and heroin with the intent to distribute." Amin was also arrested a second time for failing a court-ordered drug test.
MTV added that "Buckwild" had recently been green lit for a second season. It is unclear at this time if Gandee's death will have any bearing on the show's future.
The exact cause of Gandee and his uncle's deaths is still under investigation, authorities said. Foul play is not suspected.