Billy Mays was pitchman on TV commericials for products such as OxiClean
Nationally known TV ad pitchman Billy Mays, 50, was found dead this morning in his Tampa home, the Tampa Police Department reported.
Mays was found unresponsive by his wife and the Tampa Fire Rescue pronounced him dead at 7:45 a.m., the report said.
There were no signs of forced entry to the residence and no foul play is suspected, police said.
The Medical Examiner's Office is expected to complete the autopsy by Monday afternoon.
"Although Billy lived a public life, we don't anticipate making any public statements over the next couple of days," Mays' wife Deborah said in a statement the police released.
"Our family asks that you respect our privacy during these difficult times."
Mays rose to for promoting OxiClean, Orange Glo, Kaboom and other household products like the Mighty Putty glue.
In April, he launched a new reality series, "Pitchmen," on the Discovery Channel to show viewers new gadgets such as the Impact Gel shoe insert; the Tool Band-it, a magnetized armband that holds tools while you work; and the Soft Buns portable seat cushion.
Mays was on U.S. Airways Flight 1241 when it blew its front tires as it landed Saturday, forcing the airport to shut down the busy north-south runway, according to authorities.
Tampa Bay Online
From TMZ.com
TMZ has confirmed TV pitchman Billy Mays was found dead today in his home in Tampa, Florida early this morning.
According to the Tampa PD, the 50-year-old TV pitchman was found unresponsive by his wife Deborah at 7:45 AM.
TMZ has learned Mays' body has already been removed from his home.
Mays had just returned from Philadelphia, where he shot a new OxiClean commercial. He was a passenger aboard a plane that suffered a blown front tire upon landing. He told a local TV station, "All of a sudden as we hit you know it was just the hardest hit, all the things from the ceiling started dropping. It hit me on the head, but I got a hard head."
We're told Mays was at his home around 6:00 PM last night, and according to a source Mays was "acting fine and normal ... he was talking business with his father-in-law."
According to cops, there are no signs of forced entry to the residence and no foul play is suspected.
The Medical Examiner's office is expected to complete the autopsy by tomorrow afternoon.
Billy's wife Deborah just released the following statement:
Although Billy lived a public life, we don't anticipate making any public statements over the next couple of days. Our family asks that you respect our privacy during these difficult times.
Posted by: Suzy
I think it's like what happened to Natasha Richardson... If something hard hit him in the head in a bad place... he could have had internal bleeding or something and not know it... Either way... I'll miss his yelling!
|
wow, people are dropping like flies 
[
wow
[
This is horrible!
[
dangg, is it the end of the world or something?
[
this has just been a really bad week for famous people
i was more sad about billy mays dying than michael jackson..
[
holy hannah!! that's 4 people dead.. wow.. 
oh man that is terrible! I bet it's all the chemicals that got to him...lol jk
[
Thank you! I was trying to remember her name. I was talkng about this with my uncle and wondered the same thing. She laid down in her hotel room saying she felt weird though which was why she went to the hospital, I do believe. I could be wrong though. 'm wrong about a lot of things.
[
i was thinkin the same thing kelsey.. 
[
Holy hell! Four stars in four days! This is INSANE!
ha ha he 's dead