Tupac Shakur's Former Bodyguard Found Dead in Murrieta Home

--Pop Culture News contriubted from our sister Patch in Georgia

The former bodyguard of the late rap star Tupac "2Pac" Shakur was found dead in his Murrieta home Sunday, authorities confirmed.

Frank Alexander, 54, also known as Big Frank, was pronounced dead by a Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner’s official at 5:42 p.m. Sunday at his home in the 42000 block of Shaw Lane in Murrieta, sheriff-coroner’s Sgt. Curt James confirmed Thursday.

Though some news reports indicate his passing involved a gunshot wound, James said the manner of death was still pending.

At 5:24 p.m. Sunday, Murrieta police responded to a 911 call regarding a possible suicide that had just occurred on Shaw Lane, according to Murrieta police Lt. Tony Conrad.

“I can confirm his death,” Conrad said Thursday. “It is under investigation.”

"The death is being investigated to determine if indeed it was a suicide," Conrad wrote in an emailed response. "It does appear to be a suicide but the Coroner’s Office will make the final determination."

Alexander’s website states he worked as Shakur’s personal bodyguard in the year leading up to the controversial 1996 Las Vegas killing of the legendary rapper. Prior to that, his clients included rapper Snoop and The Dogg Pound.

The bodyguard served as a Marine, was an amateur bodybuilder and at one time worked for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, according to his Amazon.com profile.

After Shakur’s death, Alexander co-authored the book, “Got Your Back,” about his relationship with the hip-hop star. He also produced documentaries about the friend he called 'Pac.

"...I accepted him, he accepted me and we became friends," Alexander wrote in his online bio.

Originally from Chicago, Alexander resided in a rural area of western Murrieta, near the foothills of the southern end of the Santa Ana Mountains.

He leaves behind a wife, but whether he had other family members was not immediately known.