Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss Dead: Ellen DeGeneres’ DJ Dies At 40

The DJ who famously appeared alongside the comedian on her talk show died by suicide at a Los Angeles hotel.

(UPDATE: 12/14/2022 AT 6:51 P.M. ET): Stephen “tWitch” Boss died by a self-inflicted “gunshot wound to the head”, the coroner’s report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner obtained by HollywoodLife confirmed. The report also stated that there was no suspected foul play involved in his death. The case was closed on Wednesday, Dec. 14.

(ORIGINAL STORY): Stephen “tWitch” Boss has died at age 40, according to TMZ. The DJ was well-known for providing music on Ellen and was host Ellen DeGeneres‘ sidekick. A Los Angeles Police Department Sergeant Borihana told HollywoodLife that police responded to an ambulance call to a motel on Tuesday, December 13. “The decedent’s death was ruled a suicide and no foul play was involved. The body was handed over to the LA County Coroner,” he said.

Stephen married Allison Holker, 34, who he competed alongside on So You Think You Can Dance, in 2013. The pair had two children together, and Stephen adopted Allison’s daughter from a previous relationship. Allison had reportedly told police that the DJ had left their home without his car. Allison mourned his loss in a statement to People. “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us,” she said. “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 myself and especially for our three children.”

The legacy that tWitch leaves behind includes him bringing so much joy and light to fans through his gift for dancing. Born in Alabama, Stephen had a varied musical career. He studied dance in college at Chapman University, and he began competing on a wide variety of reality dance shows, including Star Search and The Wade Robson Project, both of which he was a runner-up on. After his first appearances, tWitch did some choreography for K-pop artists and had small acting roles in films like Blades of Glory and Hairspray.

Stephen rose to fame when he competed in season four of So You Think You Can Dance.  He finished as the runner-up to Joshua Allen. Despite placing second, tWitch became a major part of the competition going forward — stars of the show posted tributes to him, following his death — and his legacy carried on through the show, with him making many appearances in seasons that followed.

Stephen began to DJ on Ellen in 2014. He began as a guest, before being brought on full-time. He served as a DJ and another voice on the show until the series came to an end in May. He was such an integral part to the show that Ellen named him as a co-executive producer in 2020. Outside of the talk show, tWitch also appeared alongside Ellen on her other show Ellen’s Game of Games from 2017 to 2020. Following his death, she released a statement, saying, “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.”

After joining Ellen, tWitch participated in a number of projects which brought light and highlighted so many joyous occasions. He hosted Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings along with his wife to celebrate different people’s marriages, and he also had appearances in popular movies like Magic Mike XXL and Modern Family. His final role was in the Disney+ holiday special The Hip Hop Nutcracker in November 2022.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.