Los Angeles, Jan 8 (IANS): Silvio Horta, creator of the popular series "Ugly Betty", was found dead in a Miami motel room in an apparent suicide. He was 45.

He was found dead in the motel on Tuesday.

Sources say that Horta died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, reports variety.com.

A representative for Horta confirmed his death, but declined to comment on the nature of it.

The American version of "Ugly Betty", which starred America Ferrera, ran for four seasons from 2006 to 2010 and was adapted from the hit Colombian telenovela "Yo soy Betty, la fea".

Horta served as showrunner and head writer on the comedy-drama.

Ferrera posted on Instagram about his death, saying "His talent and creativity brought me and so many others such joy and light."

The show centered on Betty Suarez, a young, smart Mexican American woman from Queens who lands a job in an upscale fashion magazine in Manhattan. The show won two Golden Globes, one for best comedy series and one for Ferrera.

The original series was created in 1999 by Fernando Gaitan and ran until 2001.

Horta's most recent credit was for writing the 2015 TV movie "The Curse of the Fuentes Women."