Ben Saunders Dies: Dutch Winner Of First-Ever Version Of ‘The Voice’ Was 43

Ben Saunders, the London-born Dutch singer who won the first-ever incarnation of The Voice, was found dead Tuesday, September 15, in a popular Netherlands recreational lake. He was 43.

His death was announced on Instagram by his brother Dean, who wrote, “My dear little brother died today. I have never felt such pain as I feel now. What a dreadful day for us all.” (See the post below.)

A cause of death has not been disclosed, but police do not suspect foul play.

Saunders was the winner in 2011 of The Voice of Holland, the first edition of the TV talent show that would go on to become a hit franchise around the world, including in the U.S. as NBC’s The Voice.

The news was first reported by local newspapers De Telegraaf and Dutch News, the latter noting that police do not suspect foul play. Saunders had been reported missing earlier in the day on Tuesday.

Saunders’ body was recovered at the Rijkerswoerdse Plassen on Tuesday afternoon. The lake is located in Elst on the border of Arnhem South in the Netherlands.

Born in London, Saunders moved to the Netherlands as a child with his parents, growing up in the town of Hoorn before moving to Arnhem, where he operated a tattoo parlor. (His body was initially identified by its distinctive tattoos.)

Saunders auditioned for The Voice of Holland with a cover of the Kings of Leon song “Use Somebody.” His show-winning song was “Kill for a Broken Heart,” which became a Dutch Top 40 single and was included on his chart-topping first solo album You Thought You Knew Me By Now.

Dean Saunders won the TV contest program Popstars shortly after his brother’s Voice victory. The two had often performed together, representing the Netherlands in the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest.

According to Dutch News, Ben Saunders struggled with health issues and had various run-ins with law enforcement over the years, including a 2016 community service sentence for abusing a traffic official. He was a member of the biker club Satudarah, which reportedly has ties to “organized violence and drug dealing,” according to the news organization.