TV-MOVIES

The Tragic Death Of Mark Balelo From Storage Wars

By ASHLEY BUBP

THIS STORY CONTAINS DISCUSSIONS OF Suicide.

CONTENT WARNING

Mark Balelo of “Storage Wars” gained notoriety for his flashy style and love of flaunting his small fortune, which earned him the nickname "Rico Suave." He had an estimated net worth of half a million dollars and was a rising star in the storage auction community, which made his passing in 2013 all the more tragic.
Mark Balelo was found deceased in his car, parked in the garage of his Simi Valley, California auction house, on February 12, 2013. The Ventura County medical examiner's office ruled it an apparent suicide, and it came on the heels of some legal trouble that Balelo was struggling with at the time.
Balelo was previously arrested and charged with three drug-related felonies back in 2007, pleading guilty to one of them and serving 60 days in jail in 2009. He served another 45 days in jail in 2011 for a probation violation and, a few days before his death, he was arrested for a minor drug possession charge and for "being under the influence of a controlled substance." Balelo is survived by his fiancée, Elizabeth Metzidis.