Luke Bell performs at Tree Town Music Festival in Forest City, Iowa on May 27, 2017. Courtesy Tree Town Music Festival.

The family of country artist Luke Bell issued a statement on Friday, following the discovery of his body earlier this week in Tucson, Arizona. Bell, 32, was reported missing in August.

“We have lost our beloved son, brother and friend and we are heartbroken,” the statement reads. “Luke had a gentle heart, a wanderer’s spirit and a musical gift that he was fortunate to share with us and the world. We are so grateful to his friends and fans for embracing Luke and his music. We would like to thank all of Luke’s fans, friends and family who have been sharing stories and photos of happy times with him.

“Unfortunately Luke suffered from the disease of mental illness, which progressed after his father’s death in 2015. Luke was supported through his disease by a community of loving family and friends. Despite this, he was unable to receive the help he needed to ease his pain. Our hearts go out to the millions of people affected by mental illness who, like us, understand the devastating disappointment of a system that consistently fails to provide caring solutions to those who suffer.”

A cause of death has not yet been announced.

“As we navigate our heartbreak we respectfully ask for privacy to allow us room to grieve and honor his memory,” the family statement continued. “Our only comfort comes in the fact that our Luke is finally free and at peace.”

Bell was born in Kentucky and raised in Wyoming. After moving to Austin, Texas in 2012, he recorded and self-produced his self-titled debut album. After moving back to Wyoming he followed with sophomore album Don’t Mind If I Do two years later. His final album, in 2016, was also self-titled. Released on indie label Thirty Tigers, it was his most successful, garnering acclaim from country critics. He went on to open shows for Dwight Yoakam and Willie Nelson. His final release was a cover of John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy” in 2021. According to the Arizona Daily Star newspaper, Bell was last seen getting out of a friend’s vehicle on Aug. 20. His body was found in the same area, police told the newspaper.