Real Housewives Of Beverly Hillbillies Taylor Armstrong’s Ex-Husband Commits Suicide!
According to TMZ Chankla’s ex Russell Armstrong who turned out to be a woman beater committed suicide last night. The 47 year old hung himself at his apartment in Mulholland Drive and was pronounced dead at 8:16 PM on Monday.
That’s some crazy shit I don’t even know what to say.
My condolences to the Armstrongs.
Thanks Momtoo for the heads up!
UPDATE! Russell was stressed out over money and Chankla leaving him. From TMZ:
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Russell Armstrong was at his wits end over his impending divorce from Taylor in the days leading to his death — and he was inundated with debt.
Russell’s lawyer Ronald Richards tells TMZ, Russell had been staying at a friend’s house on Mulholland Drive in L.A. — the same house where authorities found his body hanging last night.
Richards tells us, “I feel bad because his credit cards weren’t working … He had tremendous financial problems.”
Richards adds, “He was also extremely bummed out about the divorce with Taylor. As far as a will, even if he does have a will, they don’t have any assets, so I’m not sure what there would be left to leave. I am extremely saddened … I had no idea he was depressed.”
As we previously reported, Russell — an investor who made his money in the 90s during the dot com boom – filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2005, claiming he had less than $50,000 in assets … and debt somewhere between $1 and $10 million.
UPDATE UPDATE!Chankla hasn’t even told her little daughter about her father yet! And she’s been hysterical since finding out.
From Radaronline:
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Taylor Armstrong is beside herself with grief that her estranged husband Russell Armstrong killed himself RadarOnline.com is exclusively reporting.
Russell was found hanging in the bedroom of a friends home in Los Angeles Monday night and was pronounced dead at the scene. He was 47.
Taylor “has been up all night. She is hysterical, and can barely speak. She has no idea why Russell would do this. She doesn’t know how she is going to be able to tell her daughter, Kennedy,” a source close to the situation tells us exclusively.
Taylor had recently filed for divorce, and their marriage had been in trouble for some time.
The upcoming season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was going to feature the former couple going to marriage counseling in an attempt to save their marriage.
No word on if Bravo plans on airing those sessions in light of his tragic death.
Russell had “been dealing with a lot of financial stress in recent months,” our insider tells us.
Story developing…..
UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE! We’re going to be on this story all day and I’m too lazy to post another blog on this. Russell’s ex blames his death on Chankla Face and says she drove him to suicide with her famewhoring, greedy antics. Also the roomate of Russel who found him hanging says Russell confided in him that reality TV ruined his life (duh!) :
The ex-wife speaks to Radaronline:
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Russell Armstrong took his own life on Monday night, and his ex-wife tells RadarOnline.com she blames his now estranged wife, Taylor Armstrong.
“I don’t care for her at all. I think she’s the reason for this,” Russell’s ex, Barbara Frederickson, told RadarOnline.com in an exclusive interview.
“She’s not who she says she is and I told him to please be careful with this woman… I warned him! She’s bad news and she drove him into this.”
Sadly, Russell left behind a teenage son with Barbara who she says will be turning 14 this week, and will be “devastated” when he hears the news about his father.
“He’s always been a great dad to my son. He was very close to Aiden and he’s going to be absolutely devastated,” Barbara said.
“For years he saw Aiden twice a month and had him all the summers. It wasn’t until the issues with this Taylor girl that it got bad.”
Russell, 47, was married to Barbara in 1997 and separated shortly after their son was born.
“I don’t think it was the show,” Barbara said of the hit Bravo Real Housewives franchise.
“I think she [Taylor] drove him into financial stress and it just ruined him.”
Barbara tells RadarOnline.com that while she and Russell had their issues in the past, “what happened is in the past and Russell and I had a good relationship.”
Here is what Russell told his roomate about reality TV ruining him:
Russell Armstrong broke down just days before he committed suicide and admitted to a friend that reality TV had destroyed his life.
In an exclusive interview with RadarOnline.com Tom Vickers reveals how in his final days Russell was ‘somber’ and ‘withdrawn’ and blamed Real Housewives for turning his life upside down.
“It’s terrible news,” said the photographer, who forged a friendship with Russell over recent months and last spoke to him on August 4. “But during our phone call he didn’t sound like the Russell that I knew.
PHO“He was down in the dumps over the latest allegations that he had abused Taylor. I told him people don’t believe everything they read and he told me; ‘It’s funny how a reality show can ruin your entire life.’”
At the time of his death he was facing divorce drama with Taylor who accused him of physically abusing her.
But while he vehemently denied laying a finger on her, Vickers said he didn’t feel up to telling his side of the story.
“He told me the allegations were absolutely not true and that he wanted people to hear that from him. But he admitted he was too emotional and that there was too much to handle.
“He said: ‘I hope when I’m ready to speak people will be kind to me.’
“I don’t know what has happened with him in the past, but I do know that he seemed like a really good man. He was always cheerful and he had a real Southern charm about him.
“It’s a really sad time and I’m sure there will be a lot of people who will miss him.”
Russell was found hanged in a house in Beverly Hills on Monday night.
Another update on the family counselor’s reaction to Russell’s death:
Dr. Charles Sophy, board certified psychiatrist, who worked with Taylor and Russell Armstrong as they tried to save their marriage, is shocked about Russell’s tragic suicide.
“I am shocked and deeply saddened to hear about the untimely death of Russell. My condolences go to his family and loved ones. My immediate concern is for Taylor and her daughter to make sure they get the support they need to get through this difficult time,” Sophy tells RadarOnline.com exclusively.
The marriage counseling sessions were filmed for the upcoming season of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Taylor is “hysterical” about her estranged husband’s suicide, according to our source. No word on if Bravo will now air the marriage counseling sessions between Taylor and Russell in the wake of his suicide.
And Camille Grammar sends her condolences the other housewives are said to be speechless about the whole thing:
Taylor Armstrong’s cast mates on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills are reaching out to her and her young daughter in wake of her estranged husband’s shocking suicide.
Camille Grammer tweeted Tuesday: “My sympathy and condolences go out to Taylor and Kennedy. My thoughts and prayers are with them.”
Bravo’s Andy Cohen – who oversees the “Real Housewives” franchise – likewise tweeted his condolences.
“I am so very sad about today’s news. My prayers and thoughts are with Taylor Armstrong and her family.”
Following Cohen’s tweet, a Bravo spokesperson released this statement:
“All of us at Bravo are deeply saddened by this tragic news. Our sympathy and thoughts are with the Armstrong family at this difficult time.”
Bravo star Patti Stanger tweeted, “@taylorarmstrong Sweetie, I am so sorry for your loss, please note I am here for you… Prayers & condolences to you and your family!”
Real Housewives of New Jersey star Caroline Manzo tweeted, “So sorry 2 hear about Russell Armstrong’s death. I hope @taylorarmstrong’s privacy is respected during this difficult time.”
Peggy Tanous of the Real Housewives of Orange County tweeted, “I’m very saddened by the news of Russell Armstrong. My thoughts and prayers are with Taylor and Kennedy and the family.”
Armstrong’s co-star Adrienne Maloof tweeted, “My heart goes out to @TaylorArmstrong and Kennedy during this devastating time. You will be in my thoughts and in prayers.”
Stay tuned for more reaction from the other ‘Housewives’…
And finally here the last happy picture of Russell with Taylor and their daughter Kennedy:
UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE! Russell was scared of a tell all book:
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Russell Armstrong may have been driven to suicide by fear of an impending tell-all book, sources exclusively tell RadarOnline.com.
“Russell was recently informed that a tell-all book was being written and that many of his secrets were going to be made public,” a source with inside information said.
“He had expressed great concern about the book.”
According to the source, the book was going to reveal extensive details about Russell’s sexual indiscretions and preferences along with sordid secrets which could be deemed by some as deviant behavior.
“He’d been told that several of his exes were going on the record to expose the skeletons in his closet,” the source told RadarOnline.com.
“A few of those close to Russell knew about the book and knew he was really upset about it. Some friends think it was the final straw for him.”
