In a heartfelt tribute to his late "Storage Wars" co-star, Dave Hester, the reality star took to Instagram and Facebook on Thursday, April 23rd, to pay his respects to Darrell Sheets. The post came in the wake of the confirmation by the Lake Havasu City Police Department of Sheets' death by apparent suicide at the age of 67, following a reported self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
In his video tribute, Hester began by acknowledging Sheets' passing and addressed the "silly, goofy" comments he had seen online that he chose not to engage with. The two were fierce competitors on the A&E reality series, where Hester, known as "The Wolf," and Sheets, known as "The Gambler," often bid against each other for the same storage lockers.
"I know there's been talk about cyberbullying," Hester said. "I don't even know how that exists because I turn that type of stuff off. But if it's happening or has happened, I hope it's taken care of the way it should be."
He continued, "Darrell was part of the Storage Wars family. He was a big part of the show for a long time. We all love him, even though he wasn't actively filming at the time. Some of my best battles were with him. Again, those will just be good memories."
Hester also expressed his hope for peace for Sheets' family and for everyone to be where they need to be. "I hope he's in a better place," he said. "That's all I can say."
Fellow cast member René Nezhoda also spoke out after Sheets' death, alleging that he had been dealing with cyberbullying prior to his death and using the moment to call for accountability. "Guys, just because you watch us on television, doesn't mean you know us," Nezhoda said in an Instagram clip. "It doesn't entitle you to bully somebody."
Costar Brandi Passante also shared a tribute on Wednesday, encouraging her followers to "never suffer in silence." "If you are struggling, if you feel hopeless or like no one cares," she said. "I assure you they do! You are not alone. Please reach out for help."
The Lake Havasu City Police Department is actively investigating the incident and is aware of the cyberbullying accusations. Anyone with information is asked to contact the department at 928-855-1171.
