Porn star Kagney Linn Karter found dead aged 36

The much-loved porn actress Kagney Linn Karter has died at the age of 36, following a long battle with mental health issues.

She passed away at her home in Ohio on Thursday, according to online records seen by TMZ.

The file confirms that her body was received by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s office that day.

Police officials have since told the celebrity news site that Karter appears to have taken her own life, which has been corroborated by friends of the adult movie star.

The Texan-born entertainer performed in countless films after beginning her career in the adult industry as an erotic dancer in Missouri, her IMDb biography states.

She eventually signed with top modelling agency L.A. Direct Models, which led her to grace the cover of magazines including Penthouse and Hustler and to pose for the esteemed erotic photographer Holly Randall. She even appeared in the 2012 Louis Theroux documentary 'Twilight of the Porn Stars'.

Throughout her career, she won several accolades, including an AVN Award for Best New Starlet, and an XBIZ Award for New Starlet of the Year.

Kagney appears at the AVN awards back in 2010(Getty Images)

However, those who loved her do not remember her for her work in this field, but for the “brightness of her soul”.

Two of her friends, named as Megan Lee and Rachel, have now set up a fundraiser on behalf of Karter’s mother Lisa.

In a blurb on the GoFundMe site, they describe the 36-year-old as “a woman who wore many hats”.

“She was a performer, a singer, a dancer, a daughter and a friend,” they said, explaining that she had been a dedicated member of the fitness studios that they own.

According to Megan and Rachel, Karter also set up her own pole fitness studio, which became “a safe space for so many students, friends, and loved ones”.

“Now,” they said. “She [became] a small business owner, an instructor, and an integral part of our Ohio pole community.”

They wrote that she did “all she could to build a little community of her own, something of which she could be proud, somewhere she could feel safe and wanted. The best version of herself.”

Kagney's friends remember her for her kind and loving soul(Megan Lee/GoFundMe)

However, they went on: “Unfortunately, despite all of her many impressive accomplishments and talents, Kagney struggled with mental health issues as the years passed by.

“Even in her darkest days, however, she still showed up to the studio, always ready to learn, contribute, better herself in whatever small way she could manage.

They continued: “As alone as she undoubtedly felt within the confines of her own head, she continued to make an effort to show up for her friends and the community who cared about her.

“She fought her own battles with the same tenacity and drive she showed in every other area of her life, with as much strength as she could.”

Megan and Rachel said she took her final class with them on 7 February, “less than two weeks before Kagney tragically took her own life in her home.”

“The news sank like a stone in our hearts,” they said, adding: “Because more than her beauty, her lovely dancing, her singing, her dazzling performances, her business savvy and instructor certifications and loyal fanbase... Kagney was kind. Kagney was generous.

“As cold as the world could be, Kagney brought with her a light.

“On her good days, when she was most herself, she could warm up a room with her radiant smile, get others laughing in no time at all. She was all brightness and bubble, with never a cross word to say about another.

“She forgave easily, gave second chances, saw the value in the small details.”

Kagney had a passion for pole fitness, eventually setting up her own studio in Ohio(flyingspreadies76/Instagram)

The friends ended their tribute by asking readers to help them raise funds for Karter’s mother, Tina, to cover the cost of laying her to rest.

They confirmed that 100 per cent of the funds would go towards preparations for her memorial services, with any leftover given to a local animal rescue charity, “as Kagney had a pure adoration for all of God's creatures”.

The GoFundMe has raised more than $15,000 (around £11,900) in just two days, including a $2,000 (around £1,580) donation from the porn site Brazzers.

News of Karter’s death is just the latest in a string of tragedies surrounding the adult film industry – or, more specifically, female performers.

Earlier this month it emerged that the popular actor and influencer Emily Willis had been rushed to hospital after suffering an alleged overdose.

So far there have been no updates on her condition, but she was understood to be fighting for her life. She is just 25 years old.

Emily Willis was rushed to hospital at the start of February after suffering an alleged overdose(emilywillisx3/Instagram)

Just weeks earlier, in January, Jesse Jane was found dead, at the age of 43, alongside her boyfriend Brett Hasenmueller at their home in Oklahoma.

Then in November last year, the iconic British entertainer Sophie Anderson died at the age of 36, just two weeks after the death of her partner, fellow porn actor Oliver Spedding.

It later emerged that Spedding had allegedly subjected Anderson to months of extreme physical and emotional abuse, stabbing her and forcing her into sex trafficking.

At one point she reportedly told friends that she thought he was going to kill her.

And yet, despite all her suffering Anderson, like Karter, is remembered for her warmth and generosity towards others.

In their GoFundMe tribute, Megan and Rachel wrote: “As much as we have all cried for [Kagney], we know she would have cried for us tenfold. That was just who Kagney was.

“She loved deeply. And, because of that, she will be missed just as deeply.”

If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offer support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

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