Body of 44-year-old Starr – who left the US rock band in 1993 – discovered in Salt Lake City in Utah

This article is more than 9 years old

This article is more than 9 years old

Mike Starr, the former Alice in Chains bass player who went public with his drug problems on a reality TV show, has been found dead nine years after the band's singer died of an overdose.

The body of the 44-year-old Starr was discovered on Tuesday in a house in Salt Lake City according to police.

Starr left Alice in Chains shortly after the release of their breakthrough 1992 album Dirt and before they went on to enjoy greater success during the heyday of Seattle grunge.

But the band was rocked in 2002 by the death of singer Layne Staley, whose body was found in a Seattle apartment.

The remaining members resurrected the group with relative success in recent years, although Starr had largely disappeared by this time.

Starr re-emerged in January 2010 as a patient on the third season of Celebrity Rehab, a VH1 reality show, but appeared to be unable to overcome his addiction.

He was arrested in Salt Lake City three weeks ago on an outstanding warrant related to an earlier drugs charge, and was also carrying unauthorised prescription medications.

TMZ, which broke the news of Starr's death, quoted his father as saying: "It's a terrible shock and tragedy."

A spokesman for the Salt Lake City police separtment said that officers responded to call about a possible body at a residence in the city centre earlier on Tuesday afternoon.

"There is nothing to indicate that this was foul play by another individual," police said.