The DJ—who made his mark on Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show–was found dead by police officers at an L.A. hotel, per TMZ. The outlet notes that it appears to be suicide. His wife, Allison Holker, reportedly ran to an LAPD station on Tuesday to report that he left his home without his car, adding that something seemed off. Soon after, police got a call for a shooting at a hotel, where he was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. These details have not been confirmed by the family. His wife released a statement confirming his death shortly after the outlet broke the news. In 2003, the skilled dancer was a semifinalist on MTV’s The Wade Robson Project and a runner-up on Star Search, before making a splash as a runner-up on So You Think You Can Dance in 2008. In addition to the role he carved out for himself on The Ellen Show in 2014, he went on to become executive producer on the series in 2020 before it wrapped up its run in May 2022. Stephen also appeared in several films where he showed off his dancing, including the Step Up franchise and Magic Mike XXL. He choreographed for South Korean pop/R&B singer, Se7en, per IMDB, and taught dance classes and workshops around the world. He also hosted Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings with his wife on Disney+. The couple frequently shared dancing videos on their respective social media channels, having brought plenty of smiles to the public throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. He is survived by his three children—daughter Weslie (14), son Maddox (6), and daughter Zaia (3)—along with his wife. The couple wed in 2013 and celebrated their ninth anniversary this past Saturday. Celebrities, including Ellen, paid tribute to the dancer, host, and father after his death was announced. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. This is a developing story.
