'Everybody Loves Raymond' Star Sawyer Sweeten Dies of Suspected Suicide at 19

The actor played twin Geoffrey Barone.

Everybody Loves Raymond star Sawyer Sweeten has died by suspected suicide, his manager Dino May confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. He was 19.

"This morning a terrible family tragedy has occurred," the family said in a statement. "We are devastated to report that our beloved brother, son, and friend, Sawyer Sweeten, took his own life. He was weeks away from his 20th birthday. At this sensitive time, our family requests privacy and we beg of you to reach out to the ones you love."

The actor was visiting his family in Texas, where he is believed to have shot himself on their front porch Thursday, according to RadarOnline, which first reported the news.

Sweeten starred in Everybody Loves Raymond from 1996 to 2005, playing Geoffrey Barone. His twin brother, Sullivan, played Michael Barone, while their sister Madylin played Ally Barone. The CBS series starred Ray Romano as their onscreen father.

"At this time I would like to encourage everyone to reach out to the ones you love," Madylin Sweeten wrote on her Facebook page Thursday. "Let them have no doubt of what they mean to you."

Ray Romano said in a statement, "I'm shocked, and terribly saddened, by the news about Sawyer. He was a wonderful and sweet kid to be around. Just a great energy whenever he was there. My heart breaks for him, his family, and his friends during this very difficult time."

Everybody Loves Raymond star Patricia Heaton, who played Sweeten's mother on the show, wrote on Twitter, "Sawyer Sweeten was a funny and exceptionally bright young man. He is gone from us far too soon ... The entire cast of Everybody Loves Raymond is in shock. Prayers for the Sweeten family."

Sawyer Sweeten was a funny and exceptionally bright young man. He is gone from us far too soon. — Patricia Heaton (@PatriciaHeaton) April 24, 2015

The entire cast of #EverybodyLovesRaymond is in shock. Prayers for the Sweeten family. — Patricia Heaton (@PatriciaHeaton) April 24, 2015

Phil Rosenthal, the Everybody Loves Raymond creator, said in a statement, "We knew and loved Sawyer as a little boy. He and his real life siblings Sullivan and Madylin were such a charming, integral part of our TV family. They never failed to make us laugh, or remind of us how we feel about our own children. We are terribly sad to hear this news and our hearts go out to Sawyer’s family."

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Sweeten and his twin brother were 16 months old when Everybody Loves Raymond debuted in 1996. They jointly played a character in a 2000 episode of Disney Channel's Even Stevens and shared a small role in the 2002 feature Frank McKlusky, C.I.

April 22, 7:41 p.m. Updated with statement from Sweeten's manager.

April 24, 4:51 p.m. Updated with statement from Phil Rosenthal.