NYPD Blue Child Actor Austin Majors Dead at 27

Angela Weiss/WireImage Austin Majors

Former child star Austin Majors has died. He was 27.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner's website indicated that Majors, born Austin Setmajer, died on Feb. 11. At this time, the manner of his death is unknown. The case has also been deferred, "pending additional investigation."

TMZ was the first to report the news, saying that Majors died while "staying at a homeless housing facility in Los Angeles." Though the outlet indicated that there's "no foul play suspected," it's "believed he may have ingested a fatal amount of fentanyl."

In a statement to PEOPLE, Majors' family said he was "a loving, artistic, brilliant, and kind human being. Austin took great joy and pride in his acting career. He was an active Eagle Scout and graduated Salutatorian in High School. He went on to graduate from USC's School of Cinematic Arts with a passion of directing and music producing."

"Austin's younger sister, Kali, says her fondest memories with Austin were growing up on set with him, volunteering at events with 'Kids With a Cause', and backpacking together," the statement continues. "Austin was the kind of son, brother, grandson, and nephew that made us proud and we will miss him deeply forever."

Clear Talent Group, who represented Majors, also issued a statement to PEOPLE on his sudden death.

"It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the passing of our talented client, Austin Majors. Most people will remember him as young Theo Sipowicz on ABC's NYPD Blue and the voice of Young Jim in Disney's Treasure Planet, but we will remember him as the caring, generous, and kindhearted individual that he was," they wrote. "A graduate from USC's School of Cinematic Arts with a passion for directing and music producing, Austin's talents were boundless. Our hearts, prayers, and condolences go out to his family."

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ABC/getty Austin Majors on NYPD Blue

Born in California, Majors was best known for his role as Theo Sipowicz on NYPD Blue. He appeared in 48 episodes airing between 1999 to 2004.

Per his official website, Majors received the 2002 Young Artists Award for best performance in a television series for his work on NYPD Blue.

Outside of NYPD Blue, he appeared in several other television shows like ER, According to Jim and Desperate Housewives. He also starred in films, including Dead Silence, The Ant Bully and Nevada.

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Majors's final acting appearance was in a 2009 episode of How I Met Your Mother, where he played a 12-year-old version of Barney Stinson's (Neil Patrick Harris) former grade school nemesis, Matthew Panning (Steven Montfort). He later worked as an editor and cinematographer on the 2015 short film Hero.

The former actor's website also states that Majors would help "numerous charitable organizations" when not in front of the camera.

Majors was relatively active on Instagram ahead of 2023. However, his final post was shared on Dec. 28, featuring a photo of Joe Pesci to promote the new "seasonal jam" he made under his musical name, Pope!

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Previously describing the work he created under his musical alias, Majors explained that it was "a non-denominational rebellion against exclusivity, 'genre' & cult-like thinking; a celebration of life, in all of its intrinsic, very necessary polarities (many traditional faiths & tethers to the divine are power centrically antiquated)."

"We're all looking to, wanting & saying the same thing at the day's end & the quicker we 'become one' (not as cliche' to say as I wish), while still maintaining our individuality, the better chance our future spirit has of having a planet to inhabit at all," he shared on Instagram in September, promoting his single, titled 'It's Just a Ride,' featuring Bill Hicks. "Like any religion, love & acceptance must be practiced, continually challenged & improved upon with new expressions of ourselves & our connection to the Source."

Majors also had a YouTube channel called "AwesomePerfected," in which he shared funny videos. In the wake of his death, his family has been watching the clips, telling PEOPLE that they have "been bringing a smile to our faces."

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