Man featured on 'Storage Wars' dies of suicide

The Associated Press, Tuesday, February 12, 2013, 5:27pm (PST)

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say the death of a businessman featured on A&E's "Storage Wars" has been declared a suicide.

The Ventura County medical examiner's office determined Mark Balelo died after inhaling carbon monoxide and car exhaust fumes. His body was found Monday morning in a business warehouse in Simi Valley, Calif.

"Storage Wars" followed Balelo as one of a group of buyers who bid on abandoned storage units searching for lucrative items to sell.

Balelo, who immigrated to Southern California from Portugal, had been featured on the show and stated in an online autobiography that he opened an auction business in 2011.

A&E Television Networks declined to comment on Balelo's death.

There was no answer at a phone number registered to his company, Balelo Inc., on Tuesday afternoon.