MIKE Starr, who was the original bassist for rock band Alice in Chains, was found dead today at his home in Salt Lake City, TMZ reported.

"It's a terrible shock and tragedy," Starr's father told the celebrity website about the death of his 44-year-old son.

The cause of the musician's death, reported to police shortly before 2pm local time, was not yet known.

Starr's death occurred less than a month after he was arrested on suspicion of drug possession in Utah.

The rocker, who was treated by Dr Drew Pinsky for heroin addiction on the third season of the VH1 reality show Celebrity Rehab, was caught by police with six pills of Opana, a painkiller, and six pills of Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug.

Starr was the original bass player for Alice in Chains when they formed in 1987. He was kicked out of the Seattle-based rock group in 1993 for drug abuse.



Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/original-alice-in-chains-bassist-mike-starr-dead-at-44/story-e6frfku0-1226018279086#ixzz1G3Y4pAz5