MTV Reality TV Star Chris Pearson Dead at 25: What We Know

Chris Pearson, an MTV reality star, died on Oct. 10. following a violent scuffle in Los Angeles. Law enforcement sources told TMZ that an assailant stabbed Pearson — who appeared on MTV’s Ex on the Beach —  at around 2 a.m. local time that morning. He was rushed to a hospital but died at 3:30 a.m. as a result of his injuries.

Pearson was on the first season on Ex on the Beach back in 2018 and has continued to work as a professional DJ in southern California ever since. He was out in the San Fernando Valley area on when he got into some kind of altercation, according to the local police and his friends. As the fight escalated, the other person stabbed Pearson. At the time Pearson’s death was reported, the attacker had not been identified. However, police said that they have leads and they believe it is a “solvable case.”

In the meantime, Pearson’s friends are doing their best to help his family deal with this tragedy. They have organized a GoFundMe campaign in the hopes of helping to cover the cost of the funeral, including transportation of Pearson’s remains back to Colorado. The crowdfunding page describes Pearson’s death as a “tragic encounter.”

One of Pearson’s fellow MTV stars was among the first to post about his passing on social media. Taylor Selfridge of Teen Mom commented sad face and pray hand emojis under his most recent Instagram post, adding: “this is heartbreaking.” As news of his death spread, fans began to leave similar messages there. 

“Rest in peace, I’ll never forget your great soul and your positive energy,” one fan wrote. A friend added: “This is how I’ll always remember you. Handsome and full of God’s amazing potential. I love you forever and I’m content knowing the lengths you took to turn things around for your life, and for the better. I see it, God sees it. This is what matters.”

Pearson was popular among fans of Ex on the Beach during his season for his authenticity; he seemed to be one of the few who did not have prior TV experience. He was made to confront two of his exes during the show and was reduced to tears as he reflected on one of those romances gone wrong. He appeared in 11 total episodes of the series.

Pearson was just 25 years old at the time of his death, with a burgeoning career in the music industry. He is survived his mother, many friends and other family members. More details on his passing are expected as the investigation goes on.