Former World Wrestling Entertainment star Shad Gaspard was found dead Wednesday on a Los Angeles beach after going missing in a swimming accident over the weekend, authorities said. He was 39.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s office confirmed to Deadline that a body discovered along the shoreline near the Venice Pier early Wednesday morning is Gaspard.
Gaspard was last seen Sunday afternoon swimming with his 10-year-old son, Aryeh, when they and several other swimmers were caught in a strong rip current near Venice Beach. “When last seen by the lifeguard, a wave had crashed over [him] and he was swept out to sea,” a Los Angeles Police Department statement said. The boy was rescued.
Gaspard is best known for his time with WWE, where he teamed with his partner JTG as a member of Cryme Tyme. Gaspard segued to acting after exiting the WWE in 2010, landing several small roles in films and television series such as Think Like a Man Too, Get Hard, The Game and From Dusk till Dawn: The Series. He was also the co-creator of the graphic novel Assassin & Son.
He is survived by his wife, Siliana Gaspard, and his son.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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