Billy Mays Dead at 50; Investigation Ongoing

Billy Mays was found dead today in his home in Tampa, Fla., this morning.

The 50-year-old TV pitchman was discovered unresponsive by his wife Deborah at 7:45 a.m., according to the Tampa Police and numerous online reports.

His body has already been removed from his home.

Billy Mays had just returned from Philadelphia, where he shot a new OxiClean ad. He was a passenger aboard a plane that suffered a blown front tire upon landing.

He told a local TV station:

"All of a sudden as we hit you know it was just the hardest hit, all the things from the ceiling started dropping. It hit me on the head, but I got a hard head."

Mays was at his home around 6:00 p.m. last night, and according to a source, was "acting fine and normal ... he was talking business with his father-in-law."

Renowned TV pitchman Billy Mays (1958-2009).

According to police, there are no signs of forced entry to the residence and no foul play is suspected. The Medical Examiner's office is expected to complete the autopsy by tomorrow afternoon, at which point more will be known.

Billy Mays' wife Deborah said in a statement: "Although Billy lived a public life, we don't anticipate making any public statements over the next couple of days. Our family asks that you respect our privacy during these difficult times."