Nevada brothel owner, TV show star, and candidate for the state legislature, Dennis Hof, has died, according to his campaign manager.
Nye County officials have confirmed the death.
Campaign manager Chuck Muth announced the death Tuesday morning. He says he passed away at his Love Ranch South brothel.
Just arrived on-scene at Love Ranch Vegas. Dennis died quietly in his sleep. Ron Jeremy found him this morning when he went to wake him to go to a meeting in Pahrump. Investigation still going on.— Chuck Muth (@ChuckMuth) October 16, 2018
The coroner took hof’s body from the brothel at about 1:45 p.m. Adult film star and close friend Ron Jeremy stayed at the ranch Monday night. Jeremy was in town attendig Hof’s political rally at the Pahrump Nugget.
As Jeremy describes it, Hof went to his room around midnight with one of the girls working at the brothel, and after she left his room between 1:30 and 2 a.m., Hof spoke with a staff member before going to bed.
Hof was scheduled to make an appearance at a senior center in Pahrump Tuesday morning, but when he didn’t come out of his room Ron went in and found him just before 11 a.m.
“This thing’s such a shock; out of nowhere,” Jeremy said. “I’m looking at this guy that’s been my friend for 25 years on the bed — you know, stiff; you know cold, eyes at half mast. I’s like what the heck?”
Hof’s othr longtime close personal friend and former madam Heidi Fleiss was among the mourners who were at the brothel Tuesday afternoon.
Nye County investigators have only confirmed Hof’s death at the brothel, but have not released any other details. The cause of death will be released by the Clark County Coroner’s Office which handles autopsies for Nye County.
He was known nationwide for his role in the HBO series “Cathouse,” which documented the lives of the workers in his half-a-dozen Nevada brothels.
His brothel empire started with his purchase of the Moonlite Bunny Ranch in 1992. He was well-known for his proposing that the brothels be taxed by the state. Nye County officials had recently closed the Love Ranch South brothel which was reopened after a win in court.
Hof was recently ran a successful campaign in the primary election for Assembly District 36. He was facing Democrat Lisa Romanov in the November general election.
He was 72 years old.
