An American fitness influencer and YouTuber, Connor Murphy, has died in a drowning incident in Thailand, according to local police and media reports. The 32-year-old’s body was recovered from a lake in the Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan province, south of Bangkok, on 7 July after emergency responders received reports of a foreign man entering the water while behaving erratically. Rescue divers located the body approximately 20 metres from the shore following a 30-minute search. An initial examination found no visible signs of assault, and the body was sent for a full post-mortem and toxicological analysis.

Thai authorities have not publicly confirmed the identity of the deceased, but multiple local outlets, citing police sources, have named Murphy. Investigators are examining witness statements describing a sequence of events in which the man appeared distressed, shouted, rolled on the road, and made praying gestures before running towards the lake and swimming until he became exhausted and submerged. A video reportedly recorded by a residential employee is being reviewed. Police have stated that they had no prior encounters with the individual and have not determined what triggered the episode.

A search of the luxury rental property where Murphy had been staying revealed extensive damage, including paint splashed across walls, furniture, and appliances. Officers also reported finding two unused syringes in a vehicle and unidentified white pills in a waist bag. Packets of the prescription antidepressant Stablon, which is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration but is available in Thailand, were visible in photographs of the apartment. Authorities have not linked any of these items to the cause of death. Murphy’s 22-year-old girlfriend, identified in reports only as Bee, told investigators she had never witnessed him using drugs during their three-year relationship and described his behaviour that day as entirely out of character.

Murphy, a Texas native, built a large online following through bodybuilding and fitness transformation content before shifting his focus around 2020 to spirituality, prolonged fasting, and psychedelic experiences—a change that drew concern from some followers. He was also associated with the “looksmaxxing” subculture. A video circulating on social media after his death, in which he says he feels he is “dying every second,” was later clarified to be an old recording and is not linked to the events leading up to his death.

The US Embassy has been notified, and Thai police say the investigation remains open. The final cause of death will depend on the results of the autopsy and toxicology tests, which are still pending.