Bassist, 44, was found dead in his Salt Lake City home on Tuesday. By Gil Kaufman Mike Starr Photo: Steve Jennings/ WireImage The original members of Alice in Chains reacted to the death of the band’s former bassist Mike Starr . Guitarist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney released a statement on Tuesday in which they said, “Jerry and Sean are mourning the loss of their friend and ask that the media respect their privacy — and the privacy of Mike’s family — during this difficult time. Their thoughts & prayers are with the Starr family.” Starr, 44, was found dead Tuesday afternoon in his Salt Lake City home. A co-founding member of the pioneering Seattle grunge band, Starr appeared on VH1’s “Celebrity Rehab” in 2009. He was arrested on February 18 for felony possession of a controlled substance. Salt Lake City police said he had several painkillers on him when he was arrested. The bass player’s death unleashed a flood of comments from Alice in Chains fans and fellow rockers including former Guns N’ Roses members Steven Adler and Matt Sorum , as well as ex-Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, M