Chad Ollinger, a Discovery Channel reality personality from Mystery at Blind Frog Ranch, has been charged with open murder after his cellmate died in a Las Vegas detention facility, authorities said.
The 41-year-old was rebooked on murder charges after corrections officers found a male inmate “lying motionless inside a cell” during a routine check, according to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police. The inmate was unresponsive and later died from his injuries.
Authorities have not released the victim’s name. Emergency aid was provided, but the inmate succumbed to his injuries.
LVMPD homicide detectives found evidence of a physical fight inside the cell before the inmate’s death. Detectives said, “a fight appeared to have taken place between Ollinger and the victim.”
Ollinger was rebooked on an open murder charge and remains held without bond while the LVMPD Homicide Section continues the investigation.
In Nevada, open murder charges allow prosecutors to decide later if the case is first- or second-degree murder, depending on the investigation’s outcome.
Jail records from Clark County Detention Center indicate that, prior to recent events, Ollinger had been incarcerated since October, when he was taken into custody as a fugitive from another state. He was also facing a contempt of court charge and was sentenced on that offense on Dec. 18.
Before the new charge, detention records show Ollinger had been scheduled for release on Jan. 12, 2026. Following his rebooking, his next court hearing is scheduled for Dec. 30.
Ollinger rose to prominence through Mystery at Blind Frog Ranch. This Discovery Channel reality series follows Ollinger and his father, Duane Ollinger, as they search for a rumored treasure believed to be buried on their family’s property in eastern Utah. The show has aired since 2021 and centers on claims that the land may conceal an ancient Aztec fortune.
Duane Ollinger, an oil and gas entrepreneur, owns the Blind Frog Ranch and has described his son as relentless in pursuing dangerous tasks featured on the show. “He doesn’t have an ounce of quit in him,” Duane said in his son’s biography on Discovery’s website.
Earlier in his recent legal troubles, in November 2024, Ollinger was arrested by Amarillo police in Texas after allegedly fleeing officers on a motorcycle before continuing to evade arrest on foot. The evading arrest charge was filed in Potter County, where a grand jury later indicted him in January.
This was followed by another incident in February, when Ollinger was also booked into the Gray County Jail on a charge of driving while license invalid, according to court records.
Even earlier in 2024, Ollinger’s family had reported him missing while he was traveling in New Mexico. He was entered into the National Crime Information Center as a missing person before being located safely in Albuquerque a short time later, authorities said.
Ollinger has acknowledged the risks involved in his on-screen pursuits, despite the show’s adventurous premise. In a 2024 interview with TV Insider, he reflected on the dangers of the team’s underground explorations. “I don’t want to push it too far where I die,” he said. “Though without risk there is no reward.”
He added that one cave expedition nearly ended in disaster: “It got really scary really fast, and we had to get out of there,” Ollinger said. “That was a close call.”
Ollinger remains held without bond as authorities continue investigating his cellmate’s death. Police said more information will be released as the case progresses.
