Kellie Pickler’s husband, songwriter Kyle Jacobs, was found dead in an apparent suicide at the singer’s home in Nashville, Tennessee on Friday (February 17).
Metropolitan Nashville Police Department received a 911 call on Friday afternoon, per Variety. Upon arrival, the fire department “located Jacobs, 49, deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in an upstairs bedroom/office. His death is being investigated as an apparent suicide,” a statement from law enforcement reads. “Mr. Jacobs’ wife, Kellie Pickler, reported that she awoke a short time earlier, did not see her husband, and began looking for him. After she and her personal assistant were unable to open the door to the upstairs bedroom/office, the assistant telephoned 911.”
Jacobs and Pickler eloped in 2011 after two and a half years of dating.
Pickler is best known for placing sixth place on American Idol in 2010 and went on to release four albums. During his career as a songwriter, Jacobs co-wrote Garth Brooks’ No. 1 song “More Than a Memory” as well as Tim McGraw’s “Still.” He also produced four No. 1 country airplay singles for Lee Brice: “Hard to Love,” “I Drive Your Truck,” “Drinking Class” and “Rumor.” In addition to collaborating with his wife, Jacobs worked with Kelly Clarkson, Scotty McCreery and Darius Rucker. In 2015, the couple starred in a CMT reality show about their relationship, titled I Love Kellie Pickler.
If you or anyone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.