We have some tragic news to report on. Shain Gandee, one of the cast members of the hugely successful MTV reality show Buckwild, has died. He was 21 years old.

His body was found Monday morning inside a vehicle in West Virginia, along with the bodies of his uncle David Gandee and a family friend. All three had been reported missing 31 hours prior, and a search began to find them. According to TMZ, “Shain was last heard from around 3am on Sunday morning, when he and his uncle David told people they planned to go 4-wheeling.” They didn’t tell anyone the location where they were heading to. Someone on a 4-wheeler came across their bodies in the vehicle. A cause of death is not known at this point.

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Kanawha County Commissioner Kent Carper told MTV News, “It’s a very sad day for this county. This is a small place and just about everyone in this community knows everybody.”

An MTV spokesperson released this statement: “We are shocked and saddened by the terrible news about Shain Gandee, and those involved in this tragic incident. 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 everybody he met and we will miss him dearly.”

Tyler Boulet, one of Shain’s co-stars, tweeted, “RIP Shain Gandee. I love you brother.” And another cast member, Cara Parrish, also posted a message on Twitter: “This is the emptiest I’ve ever felt. Please pray for Dale and Loretta.”

Over the weekend, Shain was involved in filming for season 2 of Buckwild, a reality show that follows the lives of nine friends in Sissonville, West Virginia. It is unclear at this point how MTV will address Shain’s death on the show.

Want to add Buckwild to your very own watch-list? Download BuddyTV Guide for free for your phone.

(Image courtesy of MTV)

Jeff Dodge

Staff Writer, BuddyTV

Jeff Dodge, a graduate of Western Washington University, has been a TV news editor for many years and has had the chance to interview multiple reality show stars, including Randy Jackson, Nick Cannon, Heidi Klum, Mel B and John Cena.