Michael Anthony Duarte, the California-based food creator known online as FoodWithBearHands, died on November 8, 2025, in Castroville, Texas. He was 39, according to the Medina County Sheriff’s Office. Early reports described his death only as a “horrible incident” or accident, but later reporting attributed a more detailed account to authorities, who said Duarte was fatally shot by a deputy during a disturbance involving a knife. That account remains an official law-enforcement version of the encounter, not a finding tested in court.
Duarte built an audience of more than two million people across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube with videos about barbecue, grilling, large-format meals, and approachable recipes. His death was followed by conflicting early descriptions, an investigation into the deputy-involved shooting, and questions about what evidence will become public.
What happened to Michael Duarte?
According to an account from the Medina County Sheriff’s Office reported by KSAT, deputies were dispatched shortly before 11:30 a.m. on November 8 to an area near the 1500 block of Houston Street in Castroville, Texas. The call involved a male subject with a knife who was reportedly acting erratically.
The sheriff’s account said Duarte threatened to kill everyone, ignored repeated commands to get on the ground, and then ran toward a female deputy while yelling, “I’m going to kill you.” The deputy fired twice. Duarte was taken to University Hospital in San Antonio, where he was pronounced dead.
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Those details are allegations and an account of the encounter supplied by law enforcement. Public reporting does not establish that the account has been independently adjudicated or tested at trial. It is therefore more accurate to say that Duarte died in a deputy-involved shooting, while clearly identifying the sheriff’s account when describing the moments leading up to it.
Why the first reports described an accident
The first wave of coverage on November 11 and 12 did not identify a police shooting. Reports based on a family fundraiser and early agency statements described Duarte’s death broadly as an accident or a “horrible incident” and said the cause was not initially known. TMZ’s initial report reflected that limited information, while later reporting from Telemundo described the subsequent law-enforcement account.
The change in coverage does not necessarily mean that the family’s first statement was intended to provide a complete account of the death. It was made before the public release of the sheriff’s description of the encounter. The later account is the more detailed explanation currently reported for the circumstances, but it should remain attributed to authorities rather than presented as an independently established finding.
Investigation, autopsy classification, and what remains unresolved
The Texas Department of Public Safety said Texas Rangers were investigating the police-involved shooting. That investigation is separate from the medical examiner’s determination of how Duarte died.
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Later reporting citing the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office said Duarte died from a gunshot wound and that the manner of death was classified as homicide. In medical-examiner terminology, “homicide” is a manner-of-death classification. It indicates that the death resulted from the actions of another person; it is not, by itself, a criminal charge, a determination of intent, or a verdict that the deputy acted unlawfully.
That distinction matters in this case. The public record described in available reporting includes the sheriff’s account, the medical examiner’s classification, and the Texas Rangers investigation. It does not establish criminal wrongdoing by the deputy.
Reports also characterized the original 911 call as a mental-health disturbance and separately referred to Duarte’s previous public discussion of mental-health struggles. Those references do not establish a diagnosis or explain why the encounter unfolded as it did. They should not be treated as a medical finding about Duarte or as a substitute for the investigative record.
Body-camera footage was not required to be released
In February 2026, KSAT reported that the Texas attorney general’s office ruled the Medina County Sheriff’s Office was not required to release body-worn-camera footage from the shooting.
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The ruling does not mean that body-camera footage confirms the sheriff’s account, nor does it necessarily establish that no recording exists. It means the footage was not required to be released under the public-records dispute described in the ruling. Unless additional records become available, the public understanding of the encounter remains based on official statements, reporting, medical-examiner information, and statements from Duarte’s family or representatives.
Who was FoodWithBearHands?
Michael Duarte was a California-based food and barbecue creator whose online identity was FoodWithBearHands. His Instagram account was identified as @foodwithbearhands. Reports placed his combined following across major social platforms at more than two million, with one later account citing approximately 2.1 million. Social-media numbers change over time, and outlets used different dates and measurements, so no single figure should be treated as permanent.
His videos focused on grilling, smoking, barbecue, large-format meals, and recipes designed to be shared. Examples associated with his work included smoked lamb, pulled pork, Cajun surf-and-turf ramen, and other substantial dishes prepared for groups. His public-facing mission emphasized using food to help and share with people in need, rather than presenting cooking only as a private or restaurant activity.
Before becoming a full-time creator, Duarte reportedly worked in Southern California restaurant management, including positions connected with Dave & Buster’s and Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Us Weekly reported that he learned to cook as a teenager while working at his uncle’s restaurant in Brawley, California. Those employment and biography details come from media reporting and are presented here as reported background, not as independently verified employment records.
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Family and tributes
Duarte is survived by his wife, Jessica Duarte, and their daughter, Oakley. According to reports, Michael and Jessica had celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary three days before his death.
Jessica later said she intended to preserve and share her husband’s stories and legacy. His talent agency, Alooma Media Group, described him in a tribute as a devoted husband, loving father, loyal friend, and valued client, and praised his warmth, creativity, professionalism, and generosity. Those are commemorative statements from people and organizations close to Duarte, rather than independently measurable character findings.
The tributes also place the online cooking persona in a broader context. For viewers, FoodWithBearHands was associated with generous portions, outdoor cooking, and food made for other people. For his family and colleagues, his legacy included his work as a husband, father, restaurant professional, and creator.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.The Food With Bear Hands cleaver project
Before his death, Duarte was working with The Cooking Guild on a branded kitchen knife called the Food With Bear Hands Nomad San Mai Cleaver. Us Weekly reported that Duarte’s team viewed the project as part of his legacy and that he had been excited about it.
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The Cooking Guild’s product page describes the cleaver as featuring Japanese SLD tool steel, San Mai-style construction, a full-tang design, a hand-drawn bear-hand engraving, and a magnetic gift box. The referenced page listed a price of $149.95 and described the knife as made to order. Price, availability, production status, shipping information, and product specifications can change, so those details should be checked directly on the product page rather than treated as permanent.
The documented collaboration should not be confused with an Amazon listing. The available reporting does not establish that Duarte’s branded cleaver was sold through Amazon, and the knife is included here as part of his culinary and brand legacy—not as a claim that he endorsed unrelated kitchen products.
A timeline of the publicly reported developments
| Date | What was reported |
|---|---|
| November 8, 2025 | Duarte died in Castroville, Texas, at age 39, according to the Medina County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities later said a deputy shot him during a disturbance involving a knife. |
| November 11–12, 2025 | Early reports based on a family fundraiser and agency statements described a “horrible incident” or accident and did not disclose a cause of death. |
| November 12, 2025 | KSAT reported the sheriff’s account that Duarte allegedly threatened people, ignored commands, ran toward a female deputy, and was shot twice. |
| After the shooting | Texas DPS said Texas Rangers were investigating the deputy-involved shooting. |
| Later reporting | Reporting citing the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office said Duarte died from a gunshot wound and that the manner of death was classified as homicide. |
| February 14, 2026 | KSAT reported that the Texas attorney general’s office ruled the Medina County Sheriff’s Office was not required to release body-worn-camera footage. |
What can—and cannot—be said with confidence
- Confirmed in the available reporting: Michael Anthony Duarte, known as FoodWithBearHands, died on November 8, 2025, in Castroville, Texas, at age 39.
- Reported by authorities: Deputies responded to a disturbance involving a knife, and a female deputy shot Duarte after he allegedly threatened her and ran toward her.
- Reported by the medical examiner’s office through later coverage: Duarte died from a gunshot wound, with the manner of death classified as homicide.
- Still unresolved in the public account: The full evidence surrounding the encounter, including any body-camera footage that has not been released, and the final investigative or prosecutorial disposition.
- Not established: That the deputy committed criminal homicide or acted unlawfully. The medical classification does not make that legal determination.
Duarte’s death therefore has two separate dimensions: the loss of a food creator whose recipes and generosity reached a large online audience, and an unresolved fatal police encounter whose most detailed public narrative comes from law enforcement. Keeping those facts distinct is essential to accurately describing what happened to FoodWithBearHands.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Michael Duarte’s cause of death?
Later reporting citing the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office said Duarte died from a gunshot wound. The medical examiner classified the manner of death as homicide, which is a medical classification and not a criminal verdict against the deputy involved in the shooting.
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As reported by KSAT in February 2026, the Texas attorney general’s office ruled that the Medina County Sheriff’s Office was not required to release body-worn-camera footage. The ruling does not establish whether footage exists or whether it confirms the sheriff’s account.
Who was FoodWithBearHands?
FoodWithBearHands was the online name of Michael Anthony Duarte, a California-based food and barbecue creator known for grilling videos, large-format meals, and recipes such as smoked lamb, pulled pork, and Cajun surf-and-turf ramen. Reports placed his combined social-media following at more than two million.
The Bottom Line
Michael Duarte, the creator known as FoodWithBearHands, died at 39 in a November 8, 2025, deputy-involved shooting in Castroville, Texas. Authorities’ account describes a confrontation involving a knife and threats, while later medical-examiner reporting classified the death as homicide. Because body-camera footage was not required to be released and no criminal finding against the deputy is established in the available reporting, the circumstances should be described as an official account under investigation—not as a court-proven conclusion.
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