David Murphy, a software engineer who appeared on TLC’s “90 Day Fiancé,” has died.
Murphy died on Dec. 11 at his home in Nevada after “having been experiencing health issues over the past several years,” his family said in a statement posted on Instagram and Facebook on Wednesday. He was 66 years old.
“He will be deeply missed by his family, friends and fans,” his loved ones said.
Murphy appeared in Season 4 of “Before the 90 Days,” a “90 Day Fiancé” spin-off series about his relationship with his Ukrainian girlfriend Lana. When the 2020 season started, Murphy was preparing for retirement and a life on the road.
“I can’t wait to start my new life living in an RV full time, and I want to share it with others,” he said at the time.
A few years before he was thrust into the spotlight on “90 Day Fiancé,” Murphy met Lana on an online dating site. After several attempts to meet in person, Murphy and his ex-girlfriend reunited in Ukraine and began a life together that would ultimately prove complicated. As the season progressed, Lana, then 28, admitted that she wasn’t just in a relationship with Murphy and was also talking to other men. Despite this, Murphy proposed to Lana in the season finale.
“I have a girlfriend now. I really do have a girlfriend… She’s mine now,” he said in a confessional interview shortly after the proposal. “I have the other half now. I did it.”
However, this engagement did not mean eternal happiness for the two. In 2022, Murphy appeared on 90 Day Diaries and admitted that his romance with Lana was over.
Over the next few years, Murphy focused on traveling around the United States, sharing her road trips with fans on Instagram. He revealed to his social media followers in 2022 that he had been hospitalized and detailed several health issues, including blood clots in his lungs and a blockage in his liver and pancreas.
Murphy’s last post, shared before her family’s statement on Wednesday, was a video in which she told fans she would be living with “more of the same issues” due to her hospitalization in 2023. “My liver isn’t working properly,” he said, adding that doctors “can’t figure it out.”
“I’ve been really taken off duty. I’m canceling all these trips,” he added. Later in the Instagram Live session, Murphy admitted that he has “never had my heart broken” over his ex-girlfriend, and has distanced himself from her since appearing on the series.
Murphy’s family said he had retired from the Clark County Treasurer’s Office before his death. He previously worked at H&R Block and gaming company IGT. In addition to his career and stardom on “90 Day Fiancé,” Murphy was also known for his “fierce” love of cats, according to his family.
“He always tried to adopt cats and give them good, loving homes,” the statement said, adding that donations can be made in Murphy’s name to the Las Vegas Animal Foundation.
Murphy leaves behind two sisters and a cat, Gamera.
