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New details from police records show that Darrell Sheets left behind a note that pointed to Facebook bullying before his death. The former “Storage Wars” star died at 67 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his Arizona home.
According to the full incident report released by the Lake Havasu City Police Department and obtained by USA TODAY, investigators found a note hidden in a closet near where Sheets was discovered. In shaky handwriting, it reportedly said, “I could not take anymore the Facebook bulling.”
What police documented
The report says officers also interviewed a man identified as the alleged online bully. Investigators described him as “extremely uncooperative,” and he denied any role in Sheets’ death. He also said he was not in Arizona at the time and told police he had been receiving death threats.
| Detail | Information in report | Attribution |
|---|---|---|
| Death | Self-inflicted gunshot wound | Lake Havasu City Police Department |
| Note | “I could not take anymore the Facebook bulling.” | Incident report obtained by USA TODAY |
| Interview subject | Alleged online bully denied involvement | Police report |
The night Sheets died, his girlfriend told detectives he had been sitting in the garage on his phone after dinner when he received texts from his daughter-in-law. The messages, the report said, claimed his girlfriend was “suspicious and that she was stealing money from” Sheets, and she said he became sad and upset.
What happened inside the home
His girlfriend told investigators she left to pick up Sheets’ granddaughter for work around 8 p.m. When she returned, she said Sheets was in bed, but later got up because he could not sleep, waking her in the process.
She said she then found him in his office chair with what she believed to be a handgun to his head. According to the report, he sounded like he was crying and told her to “go back to bed.”
She pleaded with him while backing away and then heard one gunshot before calling 911. She later told detectives that Sheets had been stressed, not able to sleep, and was dealing with issues involving a male slandering his name.
Background on Sheets and the show
Sheets was widely known for appearing on A&E’s “Storage Wars,” which follows buyers of abandoned storage lockers in Southern California searching for valuable items. He appeared on the show for 13 seasons and earned the nickname “The Gambler.”
After retiring from storage auctions, Sheets moved to Arizona and opened an antiques store. A&E previously said it was “saddened by the passing of a beloved member of our ‘Storage Wars’ family, Darrell ‘The Gambler’ Sheets,” and added that its thoughts were with his family and loved ones.
If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call 988 any time day or night, or chat online. Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they dial 741741.
Contributing: KiMi Robinson, Edward Segarra and Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY