PEOPLE magazine reports that they discovered Baena at his Los Angeles home on Friday morning (3 January) at approximately 10:30 a.m. and declared him dead at the scene.

The cause of death remains unknown.

Baena was born in Miami, Florida, and studied cinema at New York University before relocating to Los Angeles.

He was most known for his various writing and directorial credits, which include Life After Beth, Joshy, Spin Me Round, and I Heart Huckabees.

After dating for ten years, Baena and Plaza, known for her roles in Parks and Recreation and The White Lotus, wed in 2021.

The couple mostly concealed their romance, and followers only learned of their marriage when Plaza referred to Baena as her “husband” in an Instagram post.

I am incredibly proud of my wonderful husband, @jeffbaena, for creating a new film that transports us to Italy and unleashes even more chaos. I’m thrilled to reunite with the brilliant @alisonbrie (who also co-wrote this one!), @theofficialsuperstar, @sordociego, and @lauren_weedman, along with so many other fun folks in this film. Preparati!!” She wrote in 2021.

Plaza subsequently told GQ in November 2022 that the couple married in a low-key ceremony.

The duo has collaborated on several projects, including Cinema Toast, in which Plaza made her directing debut.

Plaza has recently discussed her experience working on the project with her spouse.

“It was very hectic while we were making the show because we were quarantined, and Jeff, he created the show; it was his idea,” Plaza said to PEOPLE in 2021.

“Our house became this strange post-production facility, and he’s downstairs on his Zooms or on his sessions, and I’m upstairs editing; we’re just going back and forth.”

Plaza’s representatives informed Deadline that the family is distraught and requests privacy during this difficult time.

His mother, Barbara Stern, stepfather, Roger Stern, stepmother, Michele Banea, brother, Brad Banea, and step-siblings, Bianca Gabay and Jed Fluxman, survive him.