MTV’s ‘Buckwild’ star Shain Gandee found dead in West Virginia

Reality star Shain Gandee, who was one of the group of West Virginia friends highlighted in the MTV series “Buckwild” has been found dead in a truck near Sissonville, W.Va.

According to local TV station WCHS, Gandee, 21, was found in a vehicle along with the body of his uncle, David Gandee, 48, and another man, who has not been identified. Gandee and his uncle had been reported missing for 31 hours before their bodies were discovered Monday morning.

The two men had reportedly planned to go four-wheeling in their SUV and were last seen at a Sissonville bar at 3 a.m. on Sunday. The Associated Press reported the men were found in their car in a ditch.

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No cause of death has been released by the Kanawha County Sheriff’s office, however no foul play is suspected.

In a statement, MTV said, “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 everyone he met and we will miss him dearly.”

“Buckwild,” which follows the crazy exploits of a group of rural twentysomethings in Appalachia, was a hit for MTV earlier this year and had been picked up for a second season in February.

However, the series had drawn condemnation from politicians, including West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who wrote a letter to MTV’s president in December urging the network to cancel the series, which has been described as an Appalachian “Jersey Shore.”

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Another member of the young cast, 24-year-old Salwa Amin, was arrested in February on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, according to the Associated Press. She was arrested again last week on suspicion of violating the terms of her bond and is still in jail.

Michael Douglas Burford, a third cast member, was arrested in February on suspicion of driving under the influence.

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