Glee star Mark Salling has reportedly hanged himself just weeks before he was due to be sentenced on child porn charges.
The actor's body was found 'hanging from a tree' on Tuesday near a little league baseball field close to his Sunland home in Los Angeles, California. He was 35 at the time of his death.
Salling's family had reported the actor missing earlier on Tuesday morning, fearing he was planning to hurt himself.
According to the police dispatch audio, first obtained by The Blast, the police said that Salling 'suffers from depression and is suicidal.'
The dispatcher says that the missing star was last seen around 11.30pm, wearing black pants and a black long sleeved T-shirt. Concerned what he might do, one of his family members had visited a police station at 3am this morning. Sadly it was too late.
Mark Salling (pictured as he arrived for a court appearance in 2016 for child porn charges) has died of an apparent suicide
The disgraced actor's body is removed from the scene by coroners and members of the LAPD
Half a dozen officers assisted as the body was put inside the coroner's van. The official cause of death has not yet been revealed but it is believed the disgraced star hanged himself
The actor's body was found in a dried up river bed, through a wooded area close to a little league baseball field in Los Angeles, California on Tuesday. Pictured, police tape ropes of the scene where Salling was found
Journalists view the spot where Salling, who played Noah 'Puck' Puckerman in the hit musical-comedy 'Glee,' was found dead in a remote area of Big Tujunga Canyon
Salling's black Nissan Infiniti was parked at the side of the road, near the riverbed where he was found
'I can confirm that Mark Salling passed away early this morning,' his family said in a statement to The Blast.
'Mark was a gentle and loving person, a person of great creativity, who was doing his best to atone for some serious mistakes and errors of judgment. He is survived by his mother and father, and his brother. The Salling family appreciates the support they have been receiving and asks for their privacy to be respected.'
Salling was awaiting sentencing after entering a guilty plea to possession of child pornography.
The LAPD were alerted to the body by a 911 call at 8.50am, TMZ reports.
At 9.47am, the fire department found Salling 'hanging from a tree'near a little league field next to the Big Tujunga Creek, close to the actor's home.
He had been dead some time.
His body has since been removed from he scene while officials carry out their investigation. His black, Nissan Infiniti remains parked at the side of the road, surrounded by police cruisers.
Salling was photographed wearing the same clothes he wore for weeks back in October, while he was out buying cigarettes and soda at his local 7-11 store
Authorities were reportedly tipped off by one of Salling's ex-girlfriends and he was arrested in December 2015 before being released on $20,000 bail (Pictured, left to right: Max Adler as Dave (center) and Salling as Puck on Glee in March 2015)
Matthew Morrison, (center) who starred as Will Schuester in Glee, shared a photo of himself with Salling (right) and Cory Monteith (left) who died from a drugs overdose. He captioned the photo with three emoji faces; two angels - one for Salling and one for Monteith - and a sad face for himself
Tim Davis, a vocal contractor and vocal arranger for Glee, tweeted that he 'loved Mark' and was 'sad' about his death
Jane Lynch, who played Sue Sylvester, then retweeted his second message, saying that Salling's suicide did not minimize his crimes, but implored people to 'stop adding to (Sallings') family's pain'
Paris Barclay, a Glee producer, added: 'It's a painful loss, again. Two young actors, lost too soon. RIP #marksalling'
Meanwhile the LAPD and volunteers from the Mayor's Crisis Response Team, were spotted at his Sunland home where he'd been living before his death.
The three ladies, wearing light blue t-shirts bearing the team's logo, were escorted into the property by the female officer and let inside by an occupant of the home.
According to the CRT website, the volunteers 'provide immediate on-scene crisis intervention, act as a liaison between the victim and emergency personnel and give referrals to victims and their families affected by a death, a violent crime or other traumatic incidents.
'These incidents include homicides, suicides, traffic fatalities, officer involved shooting, death notification, infant deaths, natural deaths and multi-casualty incidents.'
The body of Mark Salling is carried from a dry river bed near Sunland, wrapped in a yellow carry case
After being carried through the bushes, the corpse is placed on a stretcher
The body and stretcher was then covered in an LA County Coroner bag
Half a dozen officers assisted as the body was wheeled round to the coroner's van
Neighbors said they had seen Salling come and go in recent weeks, making trips to a local 7/11 for groceries.
The actor made a suicide attempt last summer, when he cut both of his wrists, according to a report.
Salling is said to have 'freaked out' after hurting himself on August 22.
He is thought to have been taken to hospital after paramedics treated him in his Los Angeles home. According to TMZ, he had screamed for his roommate after cutting his wrists. The roommate then called 911 and helped him.
Salling's car remains parked just in front of the van while police investigate the scene
The coroners van which will transport Salling's body to the coroner's office. The actor took his own life while awaiting sentencing on child pornography charges
The actor was reportedly taken to be treated for psychological problems after he recovered.
Salling's career came crashing down in 2015 after he was arrested for possession of child porn in 2015.
Investigators found he 'downloaded thousands of images of child pornography' between April and December 2015.
The papers state he used software to mask his IP address, but twice showed some of his collection to an adult woman, who ultimately reported him to police.
Following the tip-off, Salling was arrested at his home in Sunland, California, where police found a cache of explicit images on his computer depicting children as young as 10 in sexual situations. They later discovered more than 50,000 photos and videos on his laptop and another 4,000 on a flash drive.
The actor was originally facing a maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars after being charged with two counts of child pornography last year.
Salling took a plea deal in December, where he pleaded guilty to possessing images of prepubescent children between the ages of three and five. Prosecutors in response, agreed to ask the judge to sentence him to between four and seven years in jail.
At the time of the hearing, he told the judge he was on medication for depression.
Former Glee star Mark Salling in court in December where he pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. It's the last time he would be seen in public
Prosecutors and Salling (arriving at court in December) agreed to ask a judge to sentence the actor to between four to seven years in prison
Authorities were reportedly tipped off by one of Salling's ex-girlfriends and he was arrested in December 2015 (pictured ducking down in the passenger seat of a car as he leaves jail after being arrested for possession of child pornography)
The 35-year-old would also have been required to register as a sex offender, pay restitution and abide by residency restrictions.
That would have meant he was banned from coming within 100 feet of schoolyards, parks, public swimming pools, playgrounds and video arcade venues; and cannot speak to children under the age of 18 without their parents or guardians present.
Authorities were reportedly tipped off by one of Salling's ex-girlfriends and he was arrested in December 2015 before being released on $20,000 bail.
Lieutenant Andrea Grossman, commander of the LAPD Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, said at the time: 'It doesn't matter who you are or what you do, if you hurt a child you will be held accountable.'
She added: 'These images are more than photographs, they are child abuse.'
He is the second major actor from the popular series to have died at a young age.
His costar Cory Monteith died from a drugs overdose in his Vancouver hotel room in March 2013. The actor, who had a history of substance abuse as a teen, was just 31 years old.
the LAPD and volunteers from the Mayor's Crisis Response Team, were spotted at his Sunland home where he'd been living before his death (pictured)
The modest one-storey property, in Sunland, California, where Salling lived after his arrest
The actor's body was found on Tuesday near a little league baseball field, next to the Big Tujunga Creek (pictured is the scene where Salling was found)
Salling reportedly hanged himself next to the creek, adjacent to a little league baseball field
The entrance to the field, which is close to Big Tujunga Creek which runs through LA
The coroner found he died of a toxic combination of heroin and alcohol, and ruled that his death was an 'accidental overdose'.
The actor's death has been met with a mixed response on social media with some expressing sadness at his loss, and others celebrating the death of someone convicted of possessing child porn.
Matthew Morrison, who starred as Will Schuester in Glee, shared a photo of himself with Salling and Monteith, and captioned the photo with three emoji faces; a sad face for himself, an angel for Monteith and, rather surprisingly, an angel for Salling.
Tim Davis, a vocal contractor and vocal arranger for Glee, tweeted that he 'loved Mark' and was 'sad' about his death.
Actress Jane Lynch, who played Sue Sylvester in the series, then retweeted his second message, which explained that Salling's suicide did not 'minimize his crimes', but implored people to 'stop adding to (Sallings') family's pain'
Glee producer Paris Barclay added: 'It's a painful loss, again. Two young actors, lost too soon. RIP #marksalling.'
Salling was previously sued by his ex-girlfriend Roxanne Gorzela for sexual battery.
Gorzela claimed that he forced her to have unprotected sex with him and later, when she confronted him over his actions, Salling allegedly pushed her to the ground and caused injury to her knees.
It was reported that the case was settled midway through trial after Gorzela dropped the sexual battery claim.
Salling was previously sued by his ex-girlfriend Roxanne Gorzela (right) for sexual battery
In 2011, he ended his fling with Gorzela before their legal issues began. In 2014 he was linked to another co-star Lea Michele (pictured with him in 2009)
In 2008 he was then in a relationship with co-star Naya Rivera, who plays Santana Lopez. In 2010 the relationship soured, and she was accused of egging his house and keying his Lexus in a jealous rage
However the relationship never flourished. More recently he dated 19-year-old Big Time Rush actress Denyse Tontz, but the two broke up some time last year
Salling admitted to negligently causing her to fall and injure herself. She is not believed to have been the woman who tipped off the authorities.
The pair settled the case for a reported $2.7million when Salling admitted to causing her to fall and injure herself through negligence.
Salling shot to fame playing Noah 'Puck' Puckerman in the hit FOX series Glee. He first appeared in 2008 and was a regular until season five.
Salling was born in Dallas, Texas, and was reportedly home-schooled in a 'strict Christian home'.
He attended Providence Christian School and Our Redeemer Lutheran elementary schools, and after graduating from a high school, he travelled to California and attended Los Angeles Music Academy College of Music in Pasadena, California and began studying guitar. He gave guitar lessons to make a living.
His first acting role was in Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering (1996) with Naomi Watts. He also starred in The Graveyard in 2006.
Salling (right, in 2009) is the second major actor from Glee to have died at a young age. His costar Cory Monteith (left) died from a drugs overdose in his Vancouver hotel room in March 2013
The actor (pictured, left and right, on Glee) reached a plea agreement with prosecutors in October. The agreement states a search warrant found more than 50,000 images of child porn on Salling's computer and a thumb drive downloaded between April 2015 and December 2015
The Texas native has been romantically linked to many celebrities, including some of his co-stars on the musical show.
In 2008, he dated former The Hills star Audrina Partridge, but the relationship appeared to die out.
He was then in a relationship with co-star Naya Rivera, who plays Santana Lopez. In 2010 the relationship soured, and she was accused of egging his house and keying his Lexus in a jealous rage.
In 2011, he ended his fling with Gorzela before their legal issues began. In 2014 he was spotted at Cochella music festival with another co-star Lea Michele.
However the relationship never flourished. More recently he dated 19-year-old Big Time Rush actress Denyse Tontz, but the two broke up some time last year.
If you are concerned about any issues involving suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-8255.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Mark Salling (pictured in 2016) starred in the musical series Glee for six years
US actor Mark Salling, known for his role in the TV series Glee, has been found dead near his Los Angeles home, his lawyer confirmed to the BBC.
US media reports suggest he may have taken his own life.
The 35-year-old was expected to get between four and seven years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing child sex abuse images. His sentencing was due on 7 March.
Salling played footballer Noah "Puck" Puckerman on Glee from 2009 to 2015.
He entered into a plea deal last October, avoiding a lengthier prison sentence of up to 20 years.
He was arrested in 2015 after a tip-off that he was in possession of images of children being sexually abused.
Investigators ultimately found thousands of abuse images on his laptop and hard drive.
Salling's lawyer, Michael J Proctor, said in a statement: "I can confirm that Mark Salling passed away early this morning. Mark was a gentle and loving person, a person of great creativity, who was doing his best to atone for some serious mistakes and errors of judgement.
"He is survived by his mother and father, and his brother. The Salling family appreciates the support they have been receiving and asks for their privacy to be respected."
Television Glee actor Mark Salling found dead aged 35 Salling, who played Puck on the hit series, was facing up to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of child abuse images Mark Salling’s cause of death has not yet been verified. Photograph: Danny Moloshok/Reuters
Mark Salling, the actor best known for his role in Glee, has died at the age of 35.
His attorney confirmed the news in a statement. The cause of death has not yet been verified.
“Mark was a gentle and loving person, a person of great creativity, who was doing his best to atone for some serious mistakes and errors of judgment,” Salling’s lawyer, Michael Proctor, said. “The Salling family appreciates the support they have been receiving and asks for their privacy to be respected.”
Salling pleaded guilty last October to possession of child abuse images, and his sentencing was scheduled for 7 March. After his arrest in December 2015, Salling, best known for playing Noah Puckerman on the hit TV series, was indicted in May 2016 after a search warrant led to the discovery of over 50,000 images on his computer and flashdrive.
In a plea agreement reached with prosecutors, Salling was to face four to seven years in prison to avoid a maximum sentence of 20 years. Salling was ordered to pay each of his victims $50,000 and register as a sex offender. In March, Salling reached a separate $2.7m settlement with a woman who sued him for sexual battery.
According to court documents circulated at the time Salling agreed his plea bargain, he said in court: “I am pleading guilty because I am guilty of the charges and wish to take advantage of the promises set forth in this agreement, and not for any other reason.”
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Disgraced Glee star Mark Salling may have been dead for some time before his body was found hanged, it has emerged.
The 35-year-old, best known for his role as Noah Puckerman, apparently killed himself ahead of a sentencing hearing for possession of more than 50,000 images of child sex abuse.
According to TMZ , he was discovered hanging from a tree near a baseball field by police who had been called to do a 'welfare check' after a family member reported him missing.
Coroner's officers were seen removing his body on a stretcher and then loading it into a van this afternoon as news broke worldwide.
(Image: Splash News)
(Image: Splash News)
(Image: Splash News)
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Before his death was announced on Tuesday, Salling had been on bail after 50,000 child abuse images were found in his possession.
The actor was expected to receive his sentencing in March this year.
Salling, who played Noah 'Puck' Puckerman on the hit Fox show, struck a plea deal in the case in October.
Under the deal, prosecutors agreed that the appropriate sentence for Salling would be four to seven years in prison, with 20 years of supervised release, according to US reports.
(Image: REX/Shutterstock)
(Image: Getty)
Police were reportedly tipped off about the images on his computer by one of his ex-girlfriends.
He was arrested in December 2015 and later released on bail for $20,000.
The case was then passed onto federal authorities when police realised the severity of the images.
(Image: FilmMagic)
(Image: Fox)
As part of Salling's release, he was registered as a sex offender and not allowed to live within view of any school yards, parks, public swimming pools, playgrounds, video arcades, or any other places that are regularly visited by people under the age of 18.
Lieutenant Andrea Grossman, commander of the LAPD Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, said at the time: "It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do, if you hurt a child you will be held accountable."
She added: "These images are more than photographs, they are child abuse."
(Image: PacificCoastNews)
(Image: PacificCoastNews)
In August 2017 it was alleged the actor had tried to take his own life before accepting a plea bargain on the child porn case.
It's said that the shamed Glee star cut his wrists in an attempted suicide in the bedroom of his LA home on August 22.
Salling apparently "freaked out" after doing it, before screaming for his roommate who found him bleeding and called for emergency services.
Paramedics rushed to his home where they treated him before taking him to hospital, reported TMZ .
* Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org
