Actor Robert F. Chew, who is best known for his role as Proposition Joe on the HBO hit show The Wire, died from heart failure on Thursday.

Fifty-two-year-old Chew died in his sleep in his Baltimore home, his sister Clarise Chew confirmed to the local paper.

David Simon, creator of The Wire, wrote a “lengthy” email to The Baltimore Sun praising Chew for his acting and his dedication to service in his community.

“Robert was not only an exceptional actor, he was an essential part of the film and theater community in Baltimore,” Simon wrote. “He could have gone to New York or Los Angeles and commanded a lot more work, but he loved the city as his home and chose to remain here working.”

[image: People]