Keith Ratliff, whose gun enthusiast YouTube channel FPSRussia is among the most popular on the video site, was found dead on January 3rd — killed by a single shot to the head. Ratliff's body was discovered in the office where he stored many of the handguns and high-powered rifles that helped his videos starring friend Kyle Myers climb the YouTube charts. The clips on FPSRussia, which feature Myers enthusiastically discussing a gun before showcasing its firepower in dramatic fashion (often involving explosions), have been viewed millions of times.

Authorities say there were no signs of a struggle at the homicide scene, which has led his family to believe Ratliff may have been slain by an individual he knew. “For him not to pull out that gun and try to defend himself, he had to feel comfortable around somebody,” his wife told a TV station, according to the New York Times. "Either that or he was ambushed." He also leaves behind a 2-year-old son. The high-profile murder comes as gun control has once again risen to the national forefront in the United States following a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Connecticut.