Storage Wars stars Laura and Don Dotson as well as fellow cast mate Rene Nezhoda, say that Darrell Sheets was aggressively targeted by online bullying leading up to his death.
According to Laura Dotson, the problem had been going on for years before Sheets died last Wednesday (April 22) of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“His family told us that this has been happening for three years,” she told Us Weekly.
Read More: Storage Wars‘ Brandi Passante Shares an Emotional Tribute to Late Co-Star Darrell Sheets
“Cyberbullying is a real thing. This made him feel less than, and it really obviously bothered him,” Dotson continued. “He was terrified for his life [and] for the people around him. He didn’t know why he was being targeted.”
What Kind of Online Bullying Did Storage Wars Star Darrell Sheets Allegedly Face Before His Death?
In a separate interview, Nezhoda said that an online bully impersonated Sheets with “phone calls, messages, emails, websites.”
“He flat out said, ‘I’m gonna ruin you,'” Nehoda claims.
He also pointed to a post Sheets made on his personal Facebook page on March 9, in which Sheets claimed he had been hacked by a “very evil person” and that he was “extremely sorry and sick over this.”
What Did Storage Wars Star Dave Hester Say About Facing Online Bullying After the Show?
Dave Hester, who was known for his famous “Yuup!” catchphrase on Storage Wars and frequently appeared in episodes with Sheets, shared a tribute to his late cast mate and friend on social media.
He remembered Sheets as a friend and sent condolences to his family members. He also said that he tries to ignore negativity and bullying online, but “if it’s happening or did happen, I hope that it’s taken care of the way it should be.”
In an interview with Us Weekly, Hester acknowledged that online bullying touched all the Storage Wars stars to a certain degree.
“We’ve all had a little bit of that,” he said. “We’ve been at this 16, 17 years, and so there’s always people [who] want to get on the Internet and say rude things, but I don’t even pay attention to it.”
How Did Storage Wars Star Darrell Sheets Die?
Darrell Sheets died in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., on Wednesday (April 22). He was 67 years old.
- According to Variety, the Lake Havasu Police Department issued a statement saying that they responded to a call about a deceased person at a residence at approximately 2AM.
- That person, who was identified as Darrell Sheets, had suffered “what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.”
- He was pronounced dead at the scene, and his body was turned over to the Mohave County Medical Examiner’s office for further investigation.
Who Was Darrell Sheets?
Darrell Sheets was a fan-favorite character on the popular A&E reality show Storage Wars. He was a main cast member on the show from its first season in 2010 until 2023.
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Storage Wars follows real-life professional buyers as they bid for unpaid storage lockers in onsite auctions.
The show frequently focuses on the competition between the professional buyers, as well as the drama of bidding on a mystery locker without first knowing what items might be inside.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, help is available today. Call the 24/7 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. Even if it feels like it, you are not alone.
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Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
