"Storage Wars" star Mark Balelo dead at 40

Mark Balelo is seen in a photo posted on his Facebook page. / Mark Balelo/Facebook

Mark Balelo, an auction house owner who appeared on the A&E reality series "Storage Wars," was found dead on Monday at his workplace, authorities told the Ventura County Star, two days after he was arrested on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance.

The Ventura County Medical Office would not give a cause of death, the paper said. An autopsy is scheduled to be conducted Tuesday.

Police said Balelo was arrested Saturday in connection with possession of methamphetamine, according to the Star. He was scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 19.

TMZ reports that the 40-year-old Balelo was found dead in his car of carbon monoxide poisoning. The website says the car was parked and running in the garage at his auction house in Simi Valley, Calif. He was reportedly discovered by one of his employees on Monday morning.

Balelo appeared on a number of episodes of "Storage Wars" over the past few seasons and was nicknamed "Rico Suave" for his outlandish style. He owned Balelo Inc., a liquidation merchandise business.

[talita-koomi]

Hey Bearfoot- I am sorry to say it, but you are an idiot. Suicide is in NO way "honorable". Laying down your life for another is honorable. Facing your problems day by day is honorable. Not being overcome by temporary feelings is honorable. Suicide leads to an eternity in anguish, in the company of people like Nero, Hitler, Adam Lanza from Newtown, Dylan and Kleibold from Columbine and now Christopher Dorn. These men are not heroes- they are humanity's garbage.

[zjbowman]

^^^ How dare you compare this guy to those terrible people. He didn't go out of his way to hurt anyone else...you're a sick Jerk, and yet another example of how poisonous religion can be. Hell only exists here on earth in dealing with people such as yourself. Can't wait for evolution and common sense to wipe your kind away.

[PSOPO]

Reality TV is the death of network TV. That's why so many now own DVRs, Blu-Ray Players, Video Games, and have more control over what they watch and what they do.

[bobnjersey]

[Balelo appeared on a number of episodes of "Storage Wars" over the past few seasons and was nicknamed "Rico Suave" for his outlandish style]
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i would have suspected his demise came from a murder during an armed robbery ... since he often flashed large amounts of cash (tens of thousands) in the episodes he appeared in.

[signseeker1717]

Flashing cash in front of a CAMERA is not the same as doing it on the streets in "real life". People seem to forget that "reality TV" is NOT "real".

[bobnjersey]

[Flashing cash in front of a CAMERA is not the same as doing it on the streets in "real life". People seem to forget that "reality TV" is NOT "real".]
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he doesn't need to do in on the streets ... he did it multiple times on a nationally broadcast tv show

real or not ... those looking for easy money might think it was real ... and try to knock him off for an easy hit.

people seem to forget that what's real to someone ... is what they 'believe' to be real.

[saturn05]

Rest in peace. I am sorry anyone feels so desparate that they would kill themselves.

[bearfoot33]

suicide is a respected and honored exit from this realm!

[CorBryant76]

Damn.. Commited suicide rather than face the charges..

[makemyday2da]

Not to mention the 'reality' of this show is that it's actually fake! Look it up - can't believe people are still watching!

[bobnjersey]

[Not to mention the 'reality' of this show is that it's actually fake! Look it up - can't believe people are still watching!]
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so then ... he's not really dead?