Storage Wars Cast Members You Might Not Know Passed Away
"Storage Wars" brings together a bunch of eclectic personalities who have become invested in bidding on abandoned storage lockers to see what treasures they can find. Sometimes, there's nothing of note inside; in other instances, a bidder finds a rare item to add to their collection or sell. Regardless of what's there, viewers continue tuning in to follow their favorite "storage warriors" and see how they'll react to a new unit. Sadly, if you've wondered where some of the bidders have been as of late, several have passed away since appearing on the reality series.
Between the mainstay series and its various spinoffs, such as "Storage Wars: Texas," fans have seen many people come and go from the show over the years. Some simply stopped appearing on the show for innocuous reasons. But the following participants passed away, and you may not have realized until now. Here's everyone who died on "Storage Wars."
Mark Balelo
Mark Balelo had numerous businesses under his name, including an auction house called Balelo Auctions. While he initially got into bidding on storage units as a hobby, it quickly grew in prevalence to where he became a recurring face on "Storage Wars." His peers called him "Rico Suavé" for his flashy wardrobe and penchant for showing off money, often bidding much higher than his opponents to win, angering them in the process. He appeared regularly from Seasons 2 through 4.
Unfortunately, he died by suicide on February 11, 2013. A few days prior to his death, he was arrested for "being under the influence of a controlled substance" as well as minor drug possession. It wasn't his first time in trouble with the law, as he served 60 days in jail in 2009 for three drug-related felonies and 45 days in jail in 2011 for violating probation.
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Morris 'Moe' Prigoff
Morris "Moe" Prigoff was a staple on the spinoff series, "Storage Wars: Texas." He frequently teamed up with fan-favorite Mary Padian to bid on storage units and try to sell whatever they found. He was a cast member for all three seasons and went by "The Doc" to his fellow bidders. While Padian made the leap to the mainstay series, set in California, Prigoff remained in Texas afterward, seeing how he also operated a podiatric practice, which was his main job, with auctioning being more of a side hustle.
After a six-year illness, Moe Prigoff died on March 4, 2021. In his final years, he was cared for by his wife, Michela, whom he would refer to as "my wife for life." The two were married for 19 years, and he certainly kept busy during that time. In addition to his medical work and bidding on storage units, he also enjoyed traveling, collecting art, teaching, gardening, basketball, and swimming. His larger-than-life personality made him the perfect addition to the "Storage Wars: Texas" family.
Gunter Nezhoda
"Storage Wars" Season 4 introduced viewers to the husband-wife duo Rene and Casey Nezhoda. They went by "The Bargain Hunters," owning a thrift store in Poway, California. Starting in Season 8, fans got a glimpse of Rene's father, Gunter Nezhoda. He started tagging along on his son's adventures, learning about the art and business of antique collection. He was a big hit with fans for providing comic relief, but he had numerous passions, including acting, photography, and playing bass. Some of his acting credits include "Do Not Disturb" and "The Haunting of Death Valley Junction."
Sadly, Gunter Nezhoda died on March 21, 2023 after being diagnosed with lung cancer six months prior. He passed away peacefully in Salt Lake City, Utah with his other son, Ricky, by his side in the hospital. Rene Nezhoda addressed his Instagram followers in a video explaining what happened, resulting in an outpouring of support. Many fans reached out to comfort Rene at this time, saying how his father lived a full life and clearly loved him.
Seeing who died on "Storage Wars" may be heartbreaking, but at least fans got to spend some time with these colorful characters before they left us.