'Naked And Afraid' Contestant Melanie Rauscher Has Died At 35 & The Case Is Mysterious

Melanie Rauscher, a former reality TV star on the show Naked and Afraid, has been found dead at the age of 35 under bizarre circumstances in Arizona.

Rauscher appeared in a season of Naked and Afraid and then returned for a spinoff called Naked and Afraid XL the following year.

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She was found dead near some cans of dust cleaner at a home in Prescott, Arizona, TMZ reports. A police spokesperson told TMZ that Rauchser had been dog-sitting for the homeowners and they discovered her when they returned from vacation on July 17.

Police said there were no signs of foul play, drug use or notes left behind.

Rauscher's obituary says she "passed away suddenly" at the age of 35. It adds that she served in the U.S. Navy during the Iraq War and was working at a veteran's affairs medical facility in Prescott at the time of her death.

"She was an avid outdoor enthusiast who loved nature and all creatures big and small," it said. "Melanie also had a passion for challenging herself which led her to participate on Naked & Afraid and XL."

Discovery Channel's Naked and Afraid challenges contestants to survive in the wilderness without clothes or tools of any kind.

Jeremy McCaa, one of Rauscher's fellow contestants on the show, paid tribute to her after news of her death broke.

"We had such chemistry on the show and it blossomed into a friendship that goes beyond (what) words could describe," McCaa wrote on Facebook.

He also said she was an "amazing" friend with a "one of a kind" laugh.

"She was my 'swamp wife,' a best friend, a strong woman, an amazing person and I'll always cherish our moments together."

The Yavapai County Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy to determine her cause of death.