New details have emerged about the death of two-time The Challenge winner Tyler Duckworth, who was found dead at his North Dakota apartment at age 44.
The Grand Forks Police Department said officers were dispatched to Duckworth’s apartment at approximately 11:45 a.m. on Aug. 11 after water from his unit began leaking into the apartment below. According to TMZ, a maintenance worker entered Duckworth’s apartment after the water was reported and discovered an overflowing bathtub with Duckworth’s body inside.
Authorities said there were no outward signs of trauma and no preliminary indication that his death was a homicide. Police have not determined a cause of death, which remains pending an autopsy and toxicology testing.
Duckworth’s mother, Joni, publicly confirmed her son’s death on Aug. 13. “My son, Tyler, passed away earlier this week,” she wrote, adding that the family would share information about services once arrangements were made.
The Cause of Duckworth’s Death Has Not Been Determined
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Police have emphasized that the circumstances in which Duckworth was discovered do not establish how he died. The Grand Forks Police Department told PEOPLE that officers entered the apartment and traced the water leaking through the downstairs ceiling to the bathtub in Duckworth’s bathroom, where his body was found.
It remains unclear exactly how long he had been dead. Police said Duckworth had been seen the previous day. TMZ reported that investigators found no outward signs of trauma, including no apparent gunshot or stab wounds, and that preliminary findings gave police no indication his death was a homicide.
The cause remains “pending the results of an autopsy,” according to police. A toxicology report has also been ordered and could take approximately 10 to 12 weeks to complete.
His Final Public Appearance Came Less Than Two Weeks Earlier
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Duckworth had been back among The Challenge community shortly before his death. On July 31, he attended a Challenge Mania event in Minneapolis alongside fellow franchise veterans Rachel Robinson, Brad Fiorenza, Tina Barta and Mark Long. Duckworth, who was from the Minneapolis area, celebrated the chance to appear before a hometown crowd.
His final Instagram post, shared Aug. 2, included photographs from the event. “So proud to represent my hometown of Minneapolis along with these other challenge legends,” Duckworth wrote. He thanked fans for continuing to attend events and share stories about how the franchise had affected them.
“The fans are what keep us coming out!” he wrote. “Hearing your stories of courage, inspiration & joy that you’ve got being a fan of the franchise is humbling each and every time.”
Challenge Mania co-host Scott Yager, who was with Duckworth at the event, later told PEOPLE that Duckworth’s appearance had been a surprise they arranged shortly beforehand. “Like he did every day, he put a smile on everyone’s face and lit up the room with his infectious energy and incredible stories,” Yager said after his death.
Former ‘Challenge’ Cast Members Remembered Duckworth
News of Duckworth’s death prompted tributes from other people associated with the long-running MTV franchise. Paulie Calafiore recalled seeing Duckworth at the Minneapolis event only weeks earlier and described him as “so vibrant.”
“It’s so wild to imagine your vibrant energy no longer here,” Calafiore wrote in a social media tribute reported by Entertainment Weekly. “The Challenge fam lost a legend.” Johnny Bananas, Duckworth’s partner during their victorious season of Rivals, also reacted publicly to the loss.
Duckworth and Bananas had competed together years before becoming championship partners. Both made their Challenge debuts on The Duel in 2006 after appearing together on The Real World: Key West.
Duckworth Won Two Seasons of ‘The Challenge’
Duckworth entered MTV’s reality television world on The Real World: Key West in 2006 before joining The Challenge later that year. He ultimately competed on six seasons: The Duel, The Gauntlet III, Cutthroat, Rivals, All Stars 2 and All Stars 3.
His biggest competitive stretch came with back-to-back championships. Duckworth won Cutthroat in 2010 before teaming with Bananas to win Rivals in 2011. He then disappeared from the franchise for a decade.
When Duckworth finally returned for All Stars 2 in 2021, he told Entertainment Weekly that he had wondered whether producers had “lost my number” after he won consecutive seasons and was not invited back. By then, his reasons for competing had changed. “When you’ve already won, especially two in a row, for me it was more about, I just want to compete,” Duckworth said. “I want to see if I still have it.”
During his years away from reality television, Duckworth worked as a middle- and high-school teacher and also pursued graduate studies.