Model and actress Stefanie Sherk, wife of Oscar nominee Demian Bichir, has died

Canadian model and actress Stefanie Sherk has died. According to People, the L.A. County Medical Examiner-Coroner ruled her death a suicide. She was 43.

Her passing was confirmed by her husband, 55-year-old Mexican-American actor Demian Bichir, in a heartbreaking Instagram post.

"Dear friends, On behalf of the Sherk and the Bichir Nájera families, it is with inconceivable pain that I announce that on April 20, 2019, our dearest Stefanie Sherk, my beloved and loving wife, passed away peacefully," he captioned a photo of Sherk.

He continued, "It has been the saddest and toughest time of our lives and we don't know how much time it will take for us to overcome this pain. Stefanie's beautiful, angelical and talented presence will be immensely missed. We will hold Stefanie in our hearts forever."

"We thank everybody beforehand for their prayers and we respectfully ask for your understanding so we may grieve in peace and privacy in these incredibly difficult times. It is our sincerest hope that our beautiful Stefanie, my angel and love of my life, will rest in eternal peace," Bichir concluded his post.

Bichir, who earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in 2012 for his role in A Better Man, was first linked to Sherk in 2010. In 2016, they later co-starred in Un Cuento de Circo & A Love Song, which Bichir also wrote and directed.

Our thoughts are with Sherk and Bichir's loved ones during this difficult time.

If you or anyone you know needs immediate support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or via lifeline.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.