Mike Starr Of Alice In Chains Dies At 44

Grunge band Alice In Chains' former bassist, Mike Starr, 44, was found dead Tuesday afternoon in his Salt Lake City, Utah home. The cause of death has not yet been officially released, but many signs point toward a drug overdose as a likely cause.

A key member of the '90s Seattle grunge scene, Starr left the band shortly after the release of their 1992 hit album, Dirt, before they went on to achieve even greater success. In 2002 the lead singer of Alice in Chains, Layne Staley, also fatally overdosed on drugs and was found dead in a Seattle apartment.

Starr appeared on the third season of VH1's Celebrity Rehab in 2009 to shake his addiction, but relapsed and was arrested for felony drug possession early this February. Celebrity Rehab host Dr. Drew Pinsky and many of Starr's fans and fellow rockers, including Guns N' Roses' Slash, Steven Adler, and Matt Sorum, commented on the tragedy of Starr's death. Slash tweeted, "really tragic news about Mike Starr. RIP."

A rep for Starr's former Alice in Chains bandmates, Jerry Cantrell and Sean Kinney, released a statement saying they "are mourning the loss of their friend and ask that the media respect their privacy — and the privacy of Mike's family — during this difficult time. Their thoughts & prayers are with Mike's family." —KIMBERLY STEELE