( CNN ) -- Mike Starr , the former Alice in Chains bassist whose battle with drugs was chronicled on the reality TV show `` Celebrity Rehab , '' was found dead in Salt Lake City , officials said . He was 44 . Police said they responded to a call Tuesday of a possible death at a residence . The cause and manner of death were not immediately available . Starr 's former Alice in Chains band mates , Jerry Cantrell and Sean Kinney , released a statement , offering their support for his family . The band 's original singer , Layne Staley , died from a drug overdose in 2002 . `` Jerry and Sean are mourning the loss of their friend and ask that the media respect their privacy -- and the privacy of Mike 's family -- during this difficult time . Their thoughts & prayers are with Mike 's family , '' it read . Alice in Chains , a U.S. grunge band , shot to fame in the early 1990s . Starr left the group soon after the release of its 1992 album , `` Dirt . '' He appeared on the third season of `` Celebrity Rehab with Dr . Drew . '' `` Devastating to hear of Mike Starr succumbing to his illness . So very sad . Our prayers are with his family , '' the doctor wrote on his Twitter page .
Starr appeared on the TV reality show ` ` Celebrity Rehab '' Police say they found him dead at a Salt Lake City home . The Utah County Sheriff's Office says it is investigating Starr's death and that he was not under arrest when deputies arrived.