Cameron County Justice of the Peace Cyndi Hinojosa declared actor RJ Mitte dead about 1:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, at what she believed was his home in Brownsville, Texas. Mitte was 34. His representatives confirmed that he died by suicide.
Hinojosa said she was unable to provide a cause, and said an autopsy would be performed. Brownsville police received a call at about 12:50 p.m. on Oct. 12, and officers who responded found Mitte dead at his home, the department said.
Mitte played Walter White Jr. on AMC’s “Breaking Bad,” the teenage son at the center of the Albuquerque meth saga, and he appeared across all five seasons of the Emmy-winning drama.
Statement From His Representatives
Mitte’s representatives said in a statement: “It is with profound sadness we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte.”
They continued: “RJ Mitte was best known for his role as Walter ‘Flynn’ White Jr. on AMC’s critically acclaimed, award-winning series Breaking Bad. Drawing from his own experience living with cerebral palsy, Mitte brought authenticity to the role and built a platform on disability awareness and inclusion.”
The statement added: “Beyond entertaining friends and family around the world, he served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s.”
A Platform on Disability Inclusion
Mitte had cerebral palsy, which doctors diagnosed when he was three. He spent much of his career pushing for broader representation of people with disabilities on screen and became one of the industry’s most visible advocates for disabled performers.
Mitte told BBC Newsnight in 2015, in a conversation about how he broke into the film business and what it meant to work as an actor with a disability: “Disabled or not, everyone deserves an opportunity.”
In 2019, Mitte told TMZ about a shortage of roles and recognition for disabled actors, arguing that the industry needed far more representation than it was offering.
Mitte was born and raised in Jackson, Miss. He moved to Los Angeles in 2006 and landed “Breaking Bad,” one of television’s most decorated dramas, in 2007. He later appeared in the ABC Family series “Switched at Birth,” produced several independent films and served as president of his own Mitte Foundation. His other credits include “The Oak Room,” “The Recall,” “The Guardians of Justice (Will Save You!),” “Triumph” and “Standing Up for Sunny.” Before his death, he was actively promoting a new movie, “Talking to Strangers.”
Mitte was engaged to Kennedy Suarez, and he proposed after the two dated for years. On Oct. 4, he took a hot air balloon ride with “Breaking Bad” costar Luis Moncada at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, and the balloon company said he smiled throughout the flight. Moncada said on “TMZ Live” on Oct. 13 that Mitte had recently been “dealing with heavy issues.”
Costars Pay Tribute
Tributes from fans and fellow performers circulated as word of his death spread, many of them describing a young actor in a part written around a disability he lived with and arguing that the business had room for more people like him.
Bryan Cranston, who played Mitte’s on-screen father, wrote on Instagram: “I’ll miss you, son.” Cranston also wrote: “All that promise and potential now is such a loss. It is especially devastating to hear that he took his own life. Why?” He said he and Mitte “were texting each other just a few weeks ago, figuring out when we could meet for lunch.”
Aaron Paul, who played Jesse Pinkman, told The Hollywood Reporter: “I am at a loss. I am heartbroken over this news. RJ, I love you my friend. You will be missed. And to whoever happens to be reading this, please know you are loved, and you are not alone. Always remember that.”
Dean Norris, who played Mitte’s onscreen uncle, wrote on X: “Oh my God! Was working just found out about RJ I am heartbroken Though RJ didn’t play my TV son, I always looked out for him as a young kid on set. He was a sweetheart of a young man and will be greatly missed.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline operates 24 hours a day. People can call or text 988, and an online chat option is also available.
