R2-D2 builder Tony Dyson dies at 68

Professor Tony Dyson, the man best known for building R2-D2, has died at the age of 68.

According to the BBC, Dyson was discovered by police on Friday in his Maltese home after a concerned neighbor noticed that the academic turned visual effects master's door had been left open.

Dyson, a name unfamiliar to most not engrained in the Star Wars franchise, was commissioned to make eight versions of the famous droid, which was drawn up by conceptual designer Ralph McQuarrie. Dyson had previously told the BBC that it was one of the most exciting times of his life.

Although R2-D2 is Dyson's most famous creation, the owner of The White Horse Toy Company worked on a handful of other projects, too.

Dyson contributed creations to Superman II, Moonraker and Dragonslayer, and even earned an Emmy nomination for his outstanding achievement in the field of visual effects.

Although an autopsy will be carried out, it's believed that Dyson died of natural causes.