Authorities have released new information about the circumstances surrounding The Challenge alum Tyler Duckworth‘s death at 44.
The Grand Forks Police Department told People on Friday, August 14, that Duckworth was found dead in his apartment after a call from his downstairs neighbors complaining about water coming through the ceiling.
Officers arrived at Duckworth’s apartment on Tuesday, August 11, and confirmed that the water coming through the ceiling was coming from the bathtub in his bathroom. Police said it is not clear how long Duckworth had been deceased.
Duckworth was seen one day before his body was found in the bathroom, and the authorities didn’t notice any signs of foul play or a suspicious death at the scene.
According to authorities, Duckworth’s cause of death is “pending the results of an autopsy.” A toxicology report will also be conducted, which can take between 10 and 12 weeks. The North Dakota State Forensic Examiner’s Office confirmed to Us that the case “will take at least 90 days for the full investigation to be completed.”
Duckworth’s mother, Joni, announced his death via Facebook on Thursday, August 13, writing, “My son, Tyler, passed away earlier this week.” She noted that a “cause of death has yet to be determined,” adding that she would share more “about services as soon as his dad and I figure it out.”
Shortly before his death, Duckworth reunited with his former costars at a recording for the “Challenge Mania” podcast in Minneapolis.
“@challengemaniapodcast always knows how to bring the BEST of the BEST together!! So proud to represent my hometown of Minneapolis along with these other challenge legends,” Duckworth wrote in July. “The fans are what keep us coming out! Hearing your stories of courage, inspiration & joy that you’ve got being a fan of the franchise is humbling each and every time. Also, pretty sure we nailed the cast photo for the lost season of The Real World: Minneapolis!! Thank you Minneapolis! Thank you @scottofyager It was REAL!!”
The reality star originally found fame on The Real World: Key West in 2006 before joining The Challenge franchise that same year. Duckworth won the Cutthroat and Rivals seasons and also competed on The Duel, The Gauntlet III, All Stars 2 and All Stars 3.
Duckworth later revealed he was working as a middle school and high school teacher after appearing on The Challenge.
“I won two in a row and won against pretty stacked casts [in All Stars 2], but that was 11 years ago,” he told Entertainment Weekly in 2021. “And this sounds really sappy, but when you’ve already won, especially two in a row, for me it was more about: I just want to compete.”
He continued: “I want to see if I still have it, if I can jump off crazy-high things or if I can do puzzles.”
