REALITY star David Murphey has died at 66 after years of health struggles.
The TV personality’s family announced the news in a heartbreaking statement on Wednesday.
Murphey was best known as a cast member on the TLC show 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days, which aired in 2020.
His relationship with his ex-fiancée Lana was documented on the show. The former couple never officially tied the knot.
The recently retired veteran died at his home in Las Vegas last week, his family said.
“We are deeply saddened to announce that David Murphey, of Las Vegas, Nevada, passed away at home on December 11, 2024 after experiencing health issues over the last several years,” the family wrote.
“His time on the show allowed him to connect with viewers, see the world, and share his experiences with his thousands of followers on Instagram,” Murphey’s family added.
“He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and fans.”
His exact cause of death is unclear.
Murphey is survived by his two sisters and his cat, Gamera. His family asked his fans to donate to an animal foundation in his name.
The small business owner had over 89,000 Instagram followers at the time of his death.
He shared a health update with his followers during his last Instagram live video, posted in March 2023.
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“I’ve been ill, basically,” he said before adding that he was in Las Vegas because that’s where he had medical insurance.
He said he was in and out of the hospital for the past three months.
“They don’t know what it is – my liver’s not working right,” he said.
He said he turned “bright yellow” during his illness and that he faced multiple tests and procedures as doctors worked to figure out what was wrong with him.
David Murphey’s family’s full statement
90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days star David Murphey died last week.
His family announced his death on Wednesday with the following statement:
“We are deeply saddened to announce that David Murphey, of Las Vegas, Nevada, passed away at home on December 11, 2024 after experiencing health issues over the last several years. He was 66 years old,” the family shared.
“David was a veteran, small business owner, and software engineer. He had recently retired from the Clark County Treasurer’s office in Nevada, having also worked for H&R Block and IGT.
“He was also well known for his time as a cast member on 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days.
“His time on the show allowed him to connect with viewers, see the world, and share his experiences with his thousands of followers on Instagram.
“He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and fans. David has survived by his two sisters and his cat Gamera. The family asked for privacy during this difficult time.
“As many knew, David had a fierce love for cats. He always made an effort to adopt cats and give them a good loving home.
“David’s choice for adopting was from The Animal Foundation in Las Vegas. For friends and fans who want to help, we ask that you honor his memory by making a donation to The Animal Foundation in his name.”
The post included a link to donate to the foundation.
Source: Instagram
Murphey didn’t post another update until his family announced his death on Wednesday.
TRIBUTES POUR IN
Tributes from TLC fans are pouring out in the comments of Murphey’s family’s statement, shared on his Instagram account.
“So sorry to hear that. He was such a nice guy,” one commented.
“Shocking and unexpected. May he rest easy. Will definitely send a donation for cats, so glad that he had a passion for them.”
Another wrote, “Very sad, I remember him in the show, I’ve always thought he deserved more from love.”
A third shared, “I remember crying so hard when he met Lana. Tho it didn’t go as well, i know how he felt during that time.”
Lana hasn’t responded to The U.S. Sun’s request for comment about her ex’s death.
MURPHEY’S LOVE LIFE
Murphey and Lana’s unusual romance, documented in Season 4 of the reality show, started when they met on a Ukrainian dating website.
The pair dated online for seven years without meeting face to face.
Their relationship sparked speculation from viewers after Murphey revealed he went to Ukraine to meet his online girlfriend four times and was stood up each time.
The former couple finally met on his fifth visit, and Murphey proposed to Lana at an airport in 2019.
The pair were vague about when they broke up following the show, but Murphey enjoyed his single life by traveling in an RV after the breakup.
