Laurin Bell made a strong impression on viewers with her gameplay. During her appearance, she competed against Blaine Smith and returning Jeopardy! champion Kendra Westerhaus.
A spokesperson for the Florida Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that Bell passed away on March 23 at the age of 41. Her death has been ruled a suicide. “An autopsy has been performed, and toxicology testing is underway,” the spokesperson stated. No further details were released.
Following her passing, Bell’s cousin, Kristen Joyner, shared a heartfelt tribute on Facebook. She posted a photo of Bell, several images of her 14-year-old dog, Kinley, and a screenshot of Bell’s final private Facebook post. The message appeared to foreshadow her death, as she cryptically wrote, “Well everyone, I’m signing off from life. See you on the other side.”
Joyner mourned her cousin in an emotional message on March 24, writing, “It is with a heavy heart that we have to let everyone know Laurin Bell decided to end her life last night.” She described Bell as a “brilliant, funny, and beautiful soul” and asked for thoughts and prayers for those grieving this loss.
She also shared that Kinley was taken to a shelter in Polk County, Florida, and is in need of a new home. The dog is friendly with people and cats but does not get along well with other dogs. Joyner urged anyone interested in adopting Kinley to reach out, noting that the senior pup has only ten days to find a loving home.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “help” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
