Storage Wars Star Commits Suicide Following Drug Arrest
Found dead in his car from carbon monoxide poisoning
Mark Balelo, an auction house owner featured on the reality show "Storage Wars," died from carbon monoxide poisoning in an apparent suicide, the Ventura County medical examiner's office said today.
Balelo, 40, was found dead on Monday in his car, which was parked at his Simi Valley, Calif., auction house, authorities said.
The slick auctioneer, who earned the nickname "Rico Suave" on the A&E show, was arrested Saturday for being under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of methamphetamine, Sgt. Craig Dungan of the Simi Valley Police Department told ABCNews.com.
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Too bad we alienate and stigmatize drug users by shoving their existence under a rug. . . or into a concrete cell.