You were the dirtiest of hobos.

From Mike Johnson at PWInsider:

I am extremely sorry to report that Michael “Trent Acid” Verdi was found dead this morning by his mother. He was 29 years old.

Under his Trent Acid ring name, Verdi was one of the can’t miss prospects of the Philadelphia independent scene during the early part of the decade, first as one half of the Backseat Boyz with long-time friend and partner Johnny Kashmere and then later as a singles competitor.

Acid held just about every title there was in Combat Zone Wrestling, which was really his home promotion in many respects and later on main evented for Ring of Honor in a great feud against Homicide.

In watching him at that point, there was no doubt he was going to go on to make a lot of money for a larger promotion, but personal problems bogged him down and he never seemed to overcome them.

The early belief is that Verdi’s death was drug-related, but nothing official has been ruled at this time.

I’ll be writing alot more about Verdi in the days to come, but I just don’t have the heart to look back on his career right now. He was someone who, deep down, had a great heart for the business and his friends – all of whom, myself included – were pushing for him to get back to being the performer he used to be and to find some happiness in his life. It really, truly breaks my heart that it’s never going to happen.

I am sure a lot of people are going to write about his drug issues and arrests in recent years, but I’d prefer to remember the Trent Acid who made so many independent shows fun with his antics and in-ring work, the “How is Gee” chants that no one but the old NYC bus trip crew got, the incredible series against Teddy Hart, and a time period where Trent Acid was poised to take on the world. That’s the Michael Verdi I want to remember.

Like I wrote, I’ll have more on this in the days to come, but right now, I just don’t have the heart to write anything more.

I’ll never forget how Gabe Sapolsky hated your guts. Thoughts, prayers. – Dusty