Former Naked and Afraid contestant Melanie Rauscher was found dead on July 17 in Prescott, Ariz., TMZ first reported. She was 35 years old.
According to the report, Rauscher was dog sitting at a residence in Prescott while its homeowners were away on vacation. Authorities at the Prescott Police Department said the homeowners returned to the house and found Rauscher dead on a guest room bed.
Although no foul play was suspected, the body was said to be surrounded by cans of compressed air, which can be used to clean dust from computers. No other details or cause of death have been given.
Rauscher’s former castmate Jeremy McCaa took to Facebook to post a loving tribute to his “swamp wife” and “best friend.”
“She came into my life in a way I can’t explain,” he wrote. “We had such a chemistry on the show and it blossomed into a friendship that goes beyond words could describe. Her laughter was one of a kind. Her friendship was amazing. Even tho we wasn’t blood, we was family. I could always count on her. We had so many moments when we would just be there for each other. She was my swamp wife, a best friend, a strong woman, an amazing person and I’ll always cherish our moments together. You’re gone to soon and taken from us to early. You’ll always be my Mel. I love you and I’ll see you again one day. The world lost an amazing person. Please keep her family and friends in your prayers. See you again my Queen.”
Rauscher appeared on Season 7 of the Discovery Channel reality show in 2017. She returned the following year for an all-star edition of its spinoff series, Naked and Afraid XL.