Reality Star Commits Suicide Following Drug Arrest

TVGuide.com reports that Mark Balelo, a reality star featured on A&E's Storage Wars has commited suicide following a drug arrest. Balelo was found dead yesterday in his car from an apparent case of carbon monoxide poisoning. The vehicle had been left running in the garage of his auction house in Simi Valley, California.

On Saturday, Balelo was brought in on drug-related charges. According to the TMZ web site, he called his fiancée following the arrest because he feared that he may harm himself. The couple then spoke for hours before the reality star took a nap and woke up feeling better about the situation. An office employee discovered his body yesterday morning.

Balelo was known as "Rico Suave" on Storage Wars because of the flashy attire he wore to the auction. He first appeared on the reality series during its second season. "Storage Wars," follows teams of bidders looking to score it big in the high stakes world of storage auctions. It ranks as A&E's number one series of all time and the number three non-fiction show on cable among adults 25-54.

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