DWTS Alum Aaron Carter Dead at 34

Getty Karina Smirnoff and Aaron Carter

Aaron Carter has died, according to TMZ and The Hollywood Reporter; TMZ was the first outlet to report the news. The 34-year-old singer and actor was a contestant on “Dancing With the Stars” season nine.

Here’s what you need to know about his death:

Aaron Carter Was Found Dead in His Los Angeles-Area Home on Saturday, November 5

Law enforcement sources told TMZ that Carter was found dead in his bathtub on Saturday, November 5 in his Los Angeles-area home in Lancaster, California. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department told The Hollywood Reporter that there was a suspicious death at Carter’s residence, but there is no word yet on if foul play is suspected and no word yet on cause of death.

Carter was a pop star whose second studio album, “Aaron’s Party (Come Get It”) was certified three times platinum. He charted three singles in the U.S. and several more in Australia, Germany and the U.K.

On “Dancing With the Stars,” Carter finished in fifth place with his partner Karina Smirnoff. In a December 2021 podcast interview on Steve-O’s podcast “Wild Ride!,” Carter said that he and Smirnoff were involved during their time on the show.

“I stole Karina Smirnoff, my partner, from the other guy on the show, Maksim Chmerkovskiy. I basically stole her from him and then they broke off their engagement,” said Aaron, going on to say that when it didn’t work out between them, they both started sabotaging their chances.

“Karina and I just didn’t click and we were about to win and she got mad at me because I basically didn’t want to be with her-with her and was like stomping my feet on purpose during live performances, with those heels and all,” said Carter, adding, “She would knee me in the balls real quick [when we were dancing] just ’cause she didn’t want to be on [the show] anymore with me and she was mad and she’s Russian.”

Carter Welcomed a Son a Year Ago

Carter and his ex-girlfriend Melanie Martin welcomed their first child together in November 2021.

In an Instagram post, the singer shared a picture of himself cutting the baby’s umbilical cord and wrote, “Emergency C Section after 13 hours of labor but my fiancé is in great health thank you lord and the incredibly sweet loving staff here.”

He added, “Prince is precious, I love you son. Your mommy loves you as I drop tears on the phone. This is me cutting his umbilical cord my precious family #TheCarters @missmelaniemartin I’m so proud of you hunny you did it I Love you with all my heart my beautiful blessings from god.”

Carter told TMZ at the time that they named the baby boy Prince in honor of the singer Michael Jackson, saying that he considered Jackson a mentor and a friend. Jackson’s son Michael Jr. is called “Prince” by his family.

Carter & Martin Split Shortly After the Birth of Their Son

Carter and Martin split shortly after their son was born. Carter said that it was because he and his sister Angel were conspiring behind his back.

“Due to personal reasons Melanie Martin and I have decided to go our separate ways. There has been a very big lie and my sister communicating [with] my ex fiancee ruined everything considering she knew what Angel tried to do to me in court thanks Angel you ruined my family. God bless,” wrote Carter on Twitter at the time.

He added in a second tweet, “I have the most conniving deceiving family and Melanie has been lying to me the whole time communicating with my twin sister and the family members who tried to put me in prison and who tried to get a conservatorship on me in court. I’m in shocked (sic) this is horrible.”

Aaron is one of five Carter siblings along with Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter, his twin sister Angel, from whom he is estranged, and Bobbie Jean, plus a sibling named Leslie who died of a drug overdose in 2012, according to ABC News. They also have two half-siblings named Ginger and Taelyn.