Ryan De Nino, who appeared on the Lifetime reality series Married at First Sight, has died at the age of 40.
A family member told TMZ that De Nino died suddenly earlier this week in New Jersey. His family has not shared details about the circumstances surrounding his death.
De Nino became known to television viewers when he appeared on Season 2 of Married at First Sight in 2015. He was 29 years old at the time and was described on the show as a businessman.
Married at First Sight is a reality dating series that pairs strangers who agree to get legally married the first time they meet. Relationship experts match the couples based on factors such as their personalities, lifestyles and what they are looking for in a partner. The couples meet for the first time at their wedding ceremony, then live together as husband and wife. At the end of the experiment, they must decide whether to remain married or get divorced.
Jessica
During Season 2, De Nino was matched with Jessica Castro. The two met for the first time at the altar and agreed to marry.
Although De Nino and Castro chose to remain together on Decision Day, their relationship later fell apart and eventually ended in divorce.
According to a 2015 PEOPLE report, Castro filed for a restraining order against De Nino as their marriage was falling apart. Her attorney, Marc Rapaport, said at the time that Castro feared for her safety.
The petition alleged that De Nino threatened Castro on two occasions. Her attorney said one alleged threat was captured by a microphone while Married at First Sight was being filmed. The allegations also included threats against members of Castro’s family.
Following the taping of the show’s reunion episode, Castro was reportedly offered security by the production.
A temporary restraining order was issued, with a court hearing scheduled to determine whether the order should be extended.
Kinetic Content, the production company behind the series, said at the time that it could not comment on the specific allegations. The company explained that participants underwent background and psychological checks before being matched and legally married.
The company also said producers could document the couples’ relationships but could not control their actions after filming ended. It said support and aftercare resources had been offered to those involved.
De Nino could not be reached for comment by PEOPLE at the time. However, per the Sun Ryan disputed the allegations at the time.
Following news of his death, De Nino’s sister, Melissa, shared an emotional tribute to her brother.
“Life as I know it will never be the same,” she wrote, according to TMZ.
De Nino was 40. His family has not announced a cause of death.