Russell Armstrong reportedly blamed reality television for destroying his life.
The 47-year-old star of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was found dead last night after an apparent suicide.
He is survived by his estranged wife Taylor who also starred on the reality show, their five-year-old daughter Kennedy and his two sons from previous relationships.
Taylor had filed for divorce from Russell last month after eight years of marriage claiming that he abused her.
The investment banker and venture capitalist was said to be suffering from terrible financial problems and was millions of dollars in debt.
Russell was found hanging in the bedroom of a house he was sharing with a friend in the Mulholland Drive area of Los Angeles.
The 47-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene and it is reported that no drugs, alcohol or suicide note were found.
Russell’s friend Tom Vickers told RadarOnline that in his final days he was “sombre” and “withdrawn”.
“It’s terrible news,” Tom said, sharing that he last spoke to Russell on August 4. “But during our phone call he didn’t sound like the Russell that I knew.”
“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.’”
Russell’s ex-wife Barbara Frederickson told the site that she blames Taylor for Russell’s death.
“I don’t care for her at all. I think she’s the reason for this,” Barbara claimed. “She’s not who she says she is and I told him to be please be careful with this woman… I warned him! She’s bad news and she drove him into this.”
The former couple have a teenage son together who will turn 14 this week. She said he will be “devastated” when he hears about his father’s death.
“He’s always been a great dad to my son,” she said of Russell. “He was very close to Aiden and he’s going to be absolutely devastated.”
Russell and Barbara married in 1997 but separated soon after their son was born. She added that she doesn’t believe the show was the cause of his demise but believed Taylor “drove him into financial stress and it just ruined him”.
Russell also had an 11-year-old son, Griffin, with former fiancée Milette Fields.
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