'Buckwild' Star Dies: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning to Blame?
"Buckwild" star Shain Gandee was found dead yesterday along with his uncle and a friend. It's believed that carbon monoxide poisoning may have taken all their lives since their vehicle's muffler was submerged in mud and could have prevented the gas from escaping the truck.
Gandee and his uncle, Dave, were last seen early Sunday morning, where they told people they were going off-road driving. When family members could not get in contact with them, they called police to report them missing. A passer-by on a four-wheeler found the men inside their truck, which was reportedly stuck in a ditch.
By the time emergency personnel arrived on the scene, it was confirmed that Gandee, his uncle, and his friend, believed to be Donald Robert Myers, were all dead. Autopsies and toxicology reports will provide more information as to what happened and what took the men's lives.
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"It's a very sad day for the Sissonville area and for these families," Kanawha County Commission president Kent Carper told the media. "This is a small community, and most of us know directly members of these families. We're keeping them in our hearts and prayers."
Gandee's claim to fame was starring on MTV's reality series "Buckwild," which attempted to depict the antics of young people living in West Virginia. There was a great deal of controversy surrounding the show itself, its depiction of West Virginians, and those cast for the series.
Two of the cast members have been arrested for drunk driving and possession of narcotics. Salwa Amin was sent back to jail last week for violating her bond; she was charged with two counts of drug possession and remains behind bars on $100,000 bond.
MTV has said it will continue with the series but for now filming remains suspended as the cast and crew all deal with the loss.
"We are waiting for more information, but at this time, our main concern is for the Gandee family and their friends," a spokesperson said for the network. "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."
