David Murphey, a software engineer who appeared in TLC’s “90 Day Fiancé” franchise, has died.
Murphey died at his Nevada home Dec. 11 after “experiencing health issues over the last several years” of his life, his family announced Wednesday in a statement posted to Instagram and Facebook. He was 66.
“He will be deeply missed by his family, friends and fans,” his loved ones said.
Murphey appeared on Season 4 of the “90 Day Fiancé” spinoff series “Before the 90 Days,” which chronicled his relationship with Ukrainian girlfriend Lana. When his season debuted in 2020, Murphey was preparing for retirement and a life on the road.
“I can’t wait to start this new life living in the RV full-time and I want to share that with someone,” he said at the time.
Several years prior to his “90 Day Fiancé” spotlight, Murphey struck up a connection with Lana, whom he met on an online dating site. After several attempts to meet in person, Murphey and his now-ex reunited in Ukraine, starting their road to a life together that would eventually prove complicated. As the season progressed, Lana, then 28, admitted she didn’t spark a connection with only Murphey and had been talking to other men. Despite this, Murphey proposed to Lana in the season finale.
“I have my girl now, I really have her … she’s now mine,” he said in a confessional interview shortly after the proposal. “I have my other half now. I did it.”
The engagement, however, didn’t mean happily ever after for the couple. In 2022, during an appearance on “90 Day Diaries,” Murphey confirmed his romance with Lana was over.
In the following years, Murphey turned his focus to traveling across the nation, sharing his road trips with fans on Instagram. He told social media followers in 2022 that he was hospitalized and detailed several health issues — including blood clots in his lungs and blockages in his liver and pancreas.
Murphey’s final post, shared before the family’s Wednesday statement, was a 2023 video of him telling fans he has been living with “more of the same problems” from his hospitalization. “My liver’s not working right,” he said, adding that doctors “can’t figure it out.”
“I’ve been really out of commission. I’ve been canceling all these trips,” he added. Later in the Instagram Live session, Murphey admitted he “never felt any heartache” over his ex-girlfriend and distanced himself from his time on the series.
Before his death, Murphey retired from the Clark County Treasurer’s Office, his family said. He previously worked at H&R Block and gaming company IGT. Beyond his career and “90 Day Fiancé” stardom, Murphey was known for his “fierce” love for cats, his family said.
“He always made an effort to adopt cats and give them a good loving home,” said the statement, which added that donations in Murphey’s name could be made to the Animal Foundation in Las Vegas.
Murphey is survived by two sisters and his cat, Gamera.
___
© 2024 Los Angeles Times
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
