December 15, 2022
By Dr. Valerie Wardlaw
Contributing Writer
DJ Stephen' tWitch' Boss, the former DJ, choreographer, and co-executive producer with The Ellen DeGeneres Show, was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on Tuesday. He was 40 years old. Boss was husband to fellow dancer Allison Holker and father of three. According to his social media post, Boss celebrated his ninth wedding anniversary with Holker a few days ago.
His wife, Allison Holker, shared a statement about his death, saying:
"It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us," she said. Stephen lit up every room he stepped into. He valued family, friends, and community above all else, and leading with love and light was everything to him. He was the backbone of our family, the best husband and father, and an inspiration to his fans. To say he left a legacy would be an understatement, and his positive impact will continue to be felt. I am certain there won't be a day that goes by that we won't honor his memory. We ask for privacy during this difficult time for me and especially for our three children. Stephen, we love you, we will miss you, and I will always save the last dance for you," her statement read.
TMZ was the first news outlet to report that Boss died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
In their report, TMZ stated that "his wife went to an LAPD station to report that Boss had left home without his car, which worried her. Shortly after, police were called to an LA hotel and claimed they found him there, deceased."
A spokesman for the Los Angeles Police department confirmed that Boss was found dead in a room at the Oak Tree Motel in Los Angeles, a 15-minute walk from his home, on Tuesday at approximately 11:15 AM. The motel staff said a maid discovered his body after performing a welfare check when he failed to check out of his room,
Ellen DeGeneres speaking of her heartbreak, said, "I'm heartbroken. tWitch was pure love and light. He was my family, and I loved him with all my heart. I will miss him. Please send love and support to Allison and his beautiful children-Weslie, Maddox and Zaia."
In 2014, comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres invited Boss to her show as a guest DJ, a role that became permanent until the show ended this past spring. Boss hyped the studio crowd with a pre-show dance session, eventually co-hosting with DeGeneres and becoming a co-executive producer. Boss also served as her sidekick on Ellen's Game of Games spinoff show.
In 2008, Boss competed on the dance show, So, You Think You Can Dance, where he was a runner-up, returning as an All-Star and judge in 2022. Boss showcased his love of the dance in his social media feed, and one of his final posts was a video of himself and his wife dancing in front of their Christmas tree two days before his death.
An LAPD spokesman confirmed to DailyMail.com that the incident is being handled by the LA County Coroner's office as there were no signs of foul play.
If you or anyone you know needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention at 1-800-273-8255.