WASHINGTON — Country singer Luke Bell has been found dead after he was reported missing in Arizona. He was 32.
A spokesperson for the Tucson Police Department confirmed the singer-songwriter's death to TEGNA on Tuesday, saying the investigation is ongoing. A cause of death has not been revealed.
Bell's death was first reported by his close friend and fellow musician Matt Kinman, who shared the news with the blog Saving Country Music.
The 32-year-old singer was reported missing on Aug. 20 in Tuscon, Ariz., and according to the music blog, Bell was found "not far from where he disappeared."
Bell was born in Lexington, Ky., and spent most of his childhood in Wyoming. He debuted into the country music scene with his album "Don't Mind If I Do" in 2014, and soon after landed a record deal with Thirty Tigers in 2016.
Soon after his record deal, he released a self-titled album that gained him critical acclaim. However, his rise to stardom came to a pause once mental health issues arose.
"Many had big plans for Luke, but Luke’s plans remained decidedly less aspirational. A tour was planned for the fall of 2016 to help promote the record, but it never went off," the blog shares.
Singer-songwriter Margo Price shared the news of Bell's death on Twitter.
According to the blog, Bell and Kinman were in Tucson together when the 32-year-old took off while Kinman was getting something to eat. Kinman told the blog that Bell had a bipolar disorder that had taken a "turn for the worse."
"Luke Bell's struggles are now over, but the legacy of his music remains. And hopefully, like so many troubled troubadours before him, Luke Bell is just beginning to find its audience, his worthy appreciation, and his deserved legacy," the blog shared.