Junior Edwards, a longtime cast member of the History Channel's reality series Swamp People, has died at the age of 49. His grandson and fellow cast member Willie 'Little' Edwards announced the news on Facebook, writing: 'Rest easy pawpaw….i know your probably running your hoop nets or doing something crazy inside those pearly gates.'
No cause of death has been released, but a Facebook post from earlier this month suggested the alligator hunter had been facing health problems. In that post, 'Little' Willie Edwards asked fans to keep his grandfather in their thoughts and prayers, writing: 'Get better for us papa we love you!!!'
Edwards featured in Swamp People from its premiere in 2010 through Season 6, and returned for Season 12 in 2021. Over his tenure he appeared in 100 episodes of the program, which documents the lives of alligator hunters in the Atchafalaya River Basin of Louisiana. The show's Season 16 finale aired in April, with a new season expected in 2026.
Tributes have been paid by fellow cast members. Ronnie Adams wrote on Instagram: 'Praying for the Edward's in this time of need!!! Rest in peace Junior!!!' Ashley 'Deadeye' Jones, Edwards's hunting partner, described him as 'a legend' and 'one of the greatest alligator hunters there is.' She added: 'He was real hardcore outdoorsman! I watched this man bring in MONSTER gators.'
