▁cat ▁called ▁Ven us ▁he ▁had ▁owned ▁for ▁ 1 7 ▁years . ▁ ▁During ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Ste ele ▁disappeared ▁for ▁an ▁extended ▁period ▁with ▁no ▁explanation . ▁Rum ors ▁of ▁his ▁death , ▁terminal ▁ill ness , ▁and ▁other ▁spec ulations ▁increased ▁until ▁the ▁mystery ▁was ▁disp elled ▁in ▁an ▁interview ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁DVD ▁Sym phony ▁for ▁the ▁Dev il . ▁In ▁the ▁interview ▁Ste ele ▁briefly ▁mentions ▁his ▁in car cer ation ▁in ▁R ik ers ▁Island ▁and ▁" the ▁psych ▁w ard ▁at ▁Kings ▁County ▁Hospital ". ▁Ste ele ' s ▁family ▁members ▁had ▁st aged ▁an ▁inter vention ▁and ▁ins isted ▁he ▁check ▁into ▁a ▁mental ▁institution . ▁Ste ele ▁later ▁confirmed ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁suffering ▁from ▁par ano ia ▁caused ▁by ▁his ▁heavy ▁subst ance ▁ab use . ▁Ste ele ▁had ▁been ▁using ▁c oca ine ▁since ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 3 5 , ▁a ▁decision ▁he ▁expressed ▁great ▁regret ▁about . ▁Ste ele ▁then ▁attended ▁re hab ▁for ▁c oca ine ▁dependence ▁and ▁alco hol ism , ▁and ▁later ▁served ▁a ▁ 3 0 - day ▁prison ▁term ▁for ▁assault ing ▁a ▁love ▁rival . ▁Ste ele ▁made ▁light ▁of ▁his ▁in car cer ation ▁by ▁we aring ▁a ▁prison ▁uniform ▁on ▁stage ▁during ▁live ▁performances . ▁ ▁Ste ele ▁stated ▁in ▁a ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁interview ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁b ip olar ▁dis order , ▁and ▁linked ▁his ▁m ood ▁sw ings ▁to ▁the ▁types