Looksmaxxing influencer Connor Murphy has died after drowning in a lake in Thailand, according to local reports. He was 32.
The Texas-born bodybuilder was known for posting stunts and skits on his social media accounts and his YouTube channel, where he had more than 2.4 million subscribers. He chronicled his looksmaxxing journey — going to extreme lengths to “optimize” his appearance — and gained attention for building out his jawline with sculpting facial exercises. In recent months, however, Murphy sparked concern from fans by sharing erratic videos in which he dressed as a wizard and claimed to see hallucinations.
Local Thai outlets, the Bangkok Post and Thai Rath, report that Murphy drowned Tuesday night after he jumped into a lake near where he was staying in Samut Prakan, a province just south of Bangkok. Police told the Bangkok Post that Murphy had hired a driver to take him to his luxury rental home, but began behaving strangely and offered the driver money before rolling around on the road.
When authorities arrived on the scene, Murphy reportedly became frantic and ran away from officers before jumping into the nearby body of water.
The fitness vlogger swam until he appeared to become tired and slipped under the water, witnesses said. Rescue divers searched for about 30 minutes before they recovered his body about 65 feet from the shore.
When investigators went to Murphy’s rental house, where he had been staying with his 22-year-old girlfriend for three months, they found the property trashed and vandalized, with furniture and decorations ruined. Pictures obtained by the Bangkok Post showed black and yellow paint smeared onto the walls of the house, as well as on appliances in the kitchen.
His girlfriend, who did not return The Independent’s request for comment, told investigators that Murphy had not behaved unusually before his death, and she said that she did not know about any potential drug use.
A search of Murphy’s car found two unused syringes and several mysterious white pills inside a bag, according to the Bangkok Post.
Samut Prakan police did not immediately return The Independent’s request for further comment.
An online influencer whose name on Instagram is Jon Skywalker Brannon paid tribute to Murphy as his longtime friend in a social media post Tuesday, writing, “I will always remember you as the young kid who came up in this industry at the same time as me; thrown into a toxic industry and into the unforgiving spotlight of social media with no guidance and no mentor.”
Brannon continued, “Only God knows the mental and emotional weight you carried throughout the years… the expectations and pressure placed on your shoulders by millions of people who only ever witnessed a facet of your life. What saddens me the most is that the world will probably never know who you truly were behind the persona. Rest in peace my brother. May angels guide you to a better place.”
