A newly obtained police report is providing more detail about the scene where The Challenge alum Tyler Duckworth was found dead on Aug. 11. The 44-year-old reality TV veteran was discovered in the bathroom of his Grand Forks, North Dakota, apartment after residents downstairs reported water leaking through their ceiling.
According to Page Six, which obtained a Grand Forks Police Department case report, Duckworth’s body was found against the bathroom door while water from an overflowing bathtub was reaching the apartment below. The person who called for help reportedly tried to get the water shut off and was unable to determine whether Duckworth was alive.
TMZ reported that investigators found no outward signs of trauma, including gunshot or stab wounds, and that the preliminary investigation did not point to homicide.
Duckworth’s official cause of death remains undetermined while authorities await final forensic findings. Police have said there were no apparent signs of foul play or other circumstances at the scene suggesting a suspicious death.
A Water Leak From His Apartment Triggered the Call for Help
Police were called to Duckworth’s apartment at approximately 11:45 a.m. on Aug. 11 after downstairs residents noticed water coming through their ceiling.
The newly obtained case report adds that Duckworth was “up against the door” inside the bathroom, making it difficult for the responding person to reach him. The overflowing bathtub was identified as the source of the water entering the unit below.
The caller attempted to get the water turned off but could not confirm Duckworth’s condition before emergency responders reached him. Police have said Duckworth had been seen the previous day, but investigators have not publicly established exactly when he died.
An autopsy has been performed, but the final findings have not been publicly released. Grand Forks Police Lt. Travis Benson told KNOX Radio that investigators were still waiting for results and that the process could take additional time. Page Six reported that toxicology testing also remains pending.
Duckworth Had Reunited With ‘Challenge’ Veterans Less Than Two Weeks Earlier
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Duckworth’s final major public appearance came less than two weeks before his death. On July 31, he participated in a Challenge Mania event in Minneapolis alongside fellow franchise veterans including Rachel Robinson, Brad Fiorenza, Tina Barta, Paulie Calafiore and Mark Long.
Two days later, Duckworth shared photographs from the gathering on Instagram, writing that Challenge Mania knew how to bring the “BEST of the BEST” together. The Aug. 2 post became his final Instagram update.
He Won Back-to-Back Seasons of ‘The Challenge’
Duckworth first entered the MTV world on The Real World: Key West in 2006. He went on to compete on six seasons of The Challenge: The Duel, The Gauntlet III, Cutthroat, Rivals, All Stars 2 and All Stars 3.
His most successful run came when he won consecutive seasons. Duckworth was part of the victorious Red Team on Cutthroat in 2010 and then partnered with his Real World: Key West castmate Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio to win Rivals in 2011.
He then spent approximately a decade away from the competition before returning for All Stars 2 in 2021 and All Stars 3 the following year.
During his comeback, Duckworth told Entertainment Weekly that he had never intentionally retired from the franchise and joked that he thought producers had lost his number after he won two seasons in a row.
Teaching Became His Career Away From Reality Television
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Away from MTV, Duckworth built a career in education. Local reporting identified him as a teacher at Valley Middle School in Grand Forks. KNOX Radio reported that his LinkedIn profile listed three years teaching social studies at the school.
Duckworth had previously discussed teaching during his return to The Challenge. In a 2021 interview with Entertainment Weekly, he explained that he was teaching middle and high school when the opportunity to join All Stars unexpectedly arrived.
His mother, Joni Duckworth, later told local media that he brought his own travel experiences into lessons on subjects including history and geography.
Duckworth’s memorial service was scheduled for Aug. 22 at 2 p.m. at Augustana Lutheran Church in Grand Forks, following a public visitation beginning at 1 p.m.