A former hairstylist on the reality TV series “Project Runway” was found dead on Tuesday, the Associated Press reports.
Police told the AP that George Ortiz was discovered in his Manhattan apartment by his roommates. He was 45.
Ortiz’s death is being investigated by police as a suicide.
NYPD lieutenant Thomas Antonetti said that Ortiz was last seen alive on Sunday.
People reported that a spokeswoman for the New York City chief medical examiner’s office attributed Ortiz’s death to asphyxia by covering of head with a fastened plastic bag and displacement of oxygen by nitrogen.
According to Ortiz’s IMDb profile, he took part in 53 episodes of the series, ranging from 2006 to 2010.
Ortiz’s other credits include “Models of the Runway” and “Rachael Ray.”
Lifetime had no comment for TheWrap on Ortiz’s reported death.