Chris Pearson, known for being among the first contestants on the MTV show “Ex on the Beach,” died this weekend following a stabbing incident. He was 25.
Pearson reportedly got into an altercation on Sunday at approximately 2 a.m. while north of Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley area, TMZ reported. The other individual involved in the squabble stabbed Pearson, who was subsequently taken to a hospital where he died of his injuries. Multiple friends and law enforcement officials told TMZ he passed away around 3:30 a.m.
Police are investigating the case as a stabbing and already have leads, according to TMZ.
In total, Pearson appeared in 11 episodes of the first season of “EOTB” and was one of the only contestants whose appearance on the show marked his first TV gig. Pearson, who was also a professional DJ, is recalled by fans for his emotional vulnerability on-screen, having cried in front of the camera over a former girlfriend.
In the wake of his passing, Pearson’s final Instagram post has become a space for tributes from other MTV stars. Taylor Selfridge, who was on “Teen Mom,” took to the post to write “this is heartbreaking.”
“Unfortunately, Chris passed away early Sunday morning unexpectedly after a tragic encounter,” reads a GoFundMe set up to help pay for Pearson’s funeral expenses. “Chris was taken from us way way too soon. Nobody was ready for this, there was so much more he had set to accomplish.”