Authorities have released new details surrounding the death of Darrell Sheets, a star of the reality television series "Storage Wars." Sheets died by suicide via a self-inflicted gunshot wound on April 22 in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, according to police.
The Lake Havasu City Police Department released bodycam footage and audio from a 911 call made by Sheets' girlfriend, whose identity has not been publicly disclosed. In the 911 call, she reported hearing a gunshot and expressed disbelief, stating, "I just heard a gun go off." She indicated that Sheets was in his home office at the time.
According to an incident report, Sheets left a suicide note that cited "Facebook bullying" as a reason for his actions. The note read, "I could not take anymore the Facebook bullying, f*** you [redacted]." Police have stated that prosecutors declined to file charges related to the alleged bullying due to a lack of further information following Sheets' death.
Sheets' girlfriend informed investigators that he had not previously threatened suicide but had been experiencing frustration due to a "lack of sleep" and family troubles. She also mentioned that stress often left him unable to sleep in the months leading up to his passing.
Bodycam footage from first responders showed that Sheets was still holding the firearm used in the incident upon their arrival. One of the first responders recognized Sheets from his television career on "Storage Wars."
Sheets, 67, appeared in 163 episodes of "Storage Wars" on A&E from 2010 to 2023. He was known for his business acumen in identifying valuable items at storage auctions. He had also been open about past struggles with depression, describing it in a 2018 Instagram post as a "24/7 battle."
In 2019, Sheets suffered a heart attack and later operated a shop called Havasu Show Me Your Junk in Arizona. He had previously been candid about his battles with depression, advocating for kindness towards those affected by the condition.
If you or someone you know needs help, the 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available by calling or texting 988 in the U.S. An online chat is also available at 988lifeline.org.