deaths

Mark Salling Dead at 35

Mark Salling. Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images for NYLON

Mark Salling, the former star of Glee who recently pled guilty to a charge of possession of child pornography, is dead, his lawyer has confirmed to Vulture. Salling’s body was found near a riverbed in Sunland on Tuesday. The cause of death has not been confirmed, but TMZ calls it “an apparent suicide.” The actor was awaiting sentencing after submitting his plea deal and was expected to receive four-to-seven years in prison after investigators found more than 25,000 images and 600 videos depicting child pornography on his old computer and flash drive, some including victims as young as 2 years old. In a statement, his lawyer told Vulture:

I can confirm that Mark Salling passed away early this morning. Mark was a gentle and loving person, a person of great creativity, who was doing his best to atone for some serious mistakes and errors of judgment.  He is survived by his mother and father, and his brother. The Salling family appreciates the support they have been receiving and asks for their privacy to be respected

Update: According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office, Salling’s death has been ruled a suicide. The autopsy concluded the cause of death was asphyxia by hanging, said Ed Winter, assistant chief of operations.

Mark Salling Dead at 35