Former Bachelorette contestant Julien Hug, reported missing Monday, was found dead yesterday in Southern California.
Hug, 35, competed on season five of the reality dating show. His father, well-known restauranteur Bertrand Hug, confirmed to local news sources that the body located in a car in a remote area was that of his son, Julien:
Bertrand Hug told 10News Julien was on his way to help manage the family’s newest restaurant in Palm Desert, Augusta Modern. He said two days ago his son’s phone went dead while he was driving somewhere on Highway 74 in Riverside County, which was the last time anyone had heard from him.
Cause of death for Hug was not immediately known, but law enforcement officials say that that information should become available by Friday. Former contestants and the titular Bachelorette spoke to press about Julien and his unexpected death:
I will always remember Julien’s gentle demeanor and kind heart, which will be sadly missed,” Jillian Harris, the show’s object of desire in 2009, told TMZ.
“He was one of the most positive, selfless people I knew,” castmate and friend Kiptyn Locke told Radar Online. Locke said he’d known Hug before the two were on the show.
Hug was eliminated from the contest during the second episode of season five.
