Image Credit: Allen Berezovsky/PR Photos
The Los Angeles Police Department has confirmed that Russell Armstrong, estranged husband of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast member Taylor Armstrong, has died of an apparent suicide. Officials tell EW that Russell, who appeared on the show’s first season, died Monday. UPDATE: Read Taylor’s statement after the jump.
Portrayed throughout the first season as a relatively inattentive husband, Russell found himself back in the spotlight in recent weeks after the couple decided to split in July. Taylor told People that she decided to divorce Russell after suffering verbal and physical abuse during their six years together. Russell had said he once pushed Taylor “in the heat of the moment,” but denies her claims that he had pulled her hair. “It was during a time in our lives that was not characteristic of who we were,” he told People. “This show has literally pushed us to the limit.”
Russell had one child with Taylor, 5-year-old Kennedy. The second season of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, in which Taylor will appear, is set to premiere Sept. 5.
Bravo, the cable network that airs The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, released the following 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.”
Via her representation, Taylor herself released a statement this afternoon: “Taylor Armstrong is devastated by the tragic events that have unfolded. She requests privacy at this time so that she may comfort her young daughter” and sends her “thoughts and prayers” to Russell’s 11- and 13-year-old sons from previous relationships.
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So sorry for their little girl.
So sad when someone gives up on life! But they really shouldn’t put articles like this on here! The hurtful comments are coming………….
I agree, they should disable commenting on things like this because there will be people who say horrible things and don’t realize that the real victim in this is their daughter.
Should be great for ratings though.
@Amy and Kerri. I doubt the little girl is reading these comment boards.
Now the upcoming season will need heavy editing.
Which is a shame, because the Taylor storyline looked very interesting.
Are you kidding? They’ll dump footage on the other housewives now to add more stuff on Russell and Taylor. Everybody will tune in to look for hints about why Russell killed himself. Bravo is going to push Taylor to the front like they did Camille when her marriage to Kelsey was falling apart. Bravo wants ratings.
Oh no. Their poor little daughter.
That poor little girl. I am so incredibly sorry for her.
So sad. Her mom is very self-centered. Getting them on the show, trying to make herself look like such a sad, ignored housewife, and then getting a People magazine interview by selling out her family.
Honestly Bravo has some reflection to do — they have a place in this as well. These reality shows bring out the worst in people.
Woah, that’s so disturbing. Poor little Kennedy! I had so strongly disliked this man, but it’s clear now that he wasn’t just unlikable, he needed help. It’s very sad.
Oh my god. o.o I always knew something like this was bound to happen with the dumber aspects of reality TV (if it hasn’t already; pardon my lack of knowledge). I feel bad for him, honestly, and his child, it’s just disturbingly tragic. -_-
I don’t think we can assume reality TV is behind the suicide. The combination of a divorce and financial disaster is terribly stressful.
Anyway, a shame for the little girl. Two self-absorbed parents, one of whom would rather die than be a parent.
But would these events have happened if they hadn’t chased fame, and their lives weren’t on display?
Would rather die than be a parent? What a stunningly insensitive way to frame what must have been the most tormenting and painful time of his life. I’m willing to be that if he was in that much pain, he had the mindset that his family would be better off without him.
It is not reality tv that is the issue. Of couse, the spotlight is on these folks when they are on tv. Their lavish lifestyles, coupled with the financial woes and reports of domestic abuse is news – and all of their business is out front. I’m sure it did not help Russell in his thought process on ending his life.
He always came across as such a sweet guy – thrown into a tank full of barracudas and sharks.
RIP Russell
I feel really bad for his family but what show were you watching??
Exactly.. I feel bad that he killed himself too, but he was horrible to his wife. Or at least that’s the way he was portrayed..
@’Lish
Pretty much. The show portrayed him as a douche to his wife. Sucks that he went out like that though.
Yes, Russell came across as horrible to Taylor, but she is pretty horrible herself. She got a relatively good edit and Russell got a bad one.
They’re both pretty horrible people.
This is sad; yes the show protrayed him as an uninterested husband; did not engage in the show at all but Taylor came off as a bully picking the weakest member and as a two faced person. (Sorry)
Taylor isn’t any better than he was. She’s a huge b****. I don’t think Russel came off any worse than she did.
And yet there she’ll be all season playing the victim and the grieving housewife. Sorry, but anyone that would go on a show like that is mentally unstable.
sweet? really? I thought he came accross as demeaning and disrespectful and a bully to his wife.
Taylor is no prize! She’s not to blame for his actions. I feel for Russell’s kids, especially little Kennedy.
100% disagree. he’s just not outgoing as she is, and didn’t feel comfortable in front of the cameras. He never wanted to BE on the show. Imagining my dad or uncles trying to be on a show like this, they’d come across so weird and not like themselves. And they’re wonderful, loving people in private.
This show needs to take some responsibility, definitely.
Kudos SaraS for pointing out what should be obvious to everyone and sadly isn’t. The guy was berated for not having the time to be a socialite, when clearly he was more concerned with trying to be a good father and support his wife’s excessive spending habits. Rather than appreciate all of the stress that he was under and show him support, she threw him under the bus on national television.
I recall a quote that went something like “we have this wonderful life and I just wish that he had more time to enjoy it with me” well hello, who do you think enabled that lifestyle. I never saw her offer to cut back her spending so that he could work less but rather eagerly spent $15K birthday party for a 4 year old. Disturbing how self-centered AND amazing that this is not obvious to viewers.
Me too!! He was always so unsociable @ parties and made Taylor leave when she wanted to stay:-( he definitely was a Bully!!
I don’t know about sweet but I never saw him as a bad guy. I remember him trying to give a funny speech at Taylor’s birthday party and her ‘correcting’ him as if he got something wrong. I think he was making a joke and she was the dumbass that didn’t get it. Granted, he probably didn’t have much of a sense of humor but I think he was trying.
RIP
I could not stand Russell on the show. Now I feel so bad. I realize he was just a troubled soul, and nobody is at their best when in that state of mind.
RIP and I hope that adorable little girl is able to move beyond this.
Now….for Taylor…that money grubbing self centered fame whore. Cannot stand her!
But if she were to commit suicide, then she’d be the best, right?
spot on, ‘Lish. spot on.
Not really a troubled soul. Russell and Taylor are scammers without any assets but trying to live the high life. It was starting to catch up to them, and Taylor threw Russell under the bus to try to save herself.
It is sad that it ended like this, especially for their little girl.
My heart goes out to Taylor and her daughter at this horrible time. I will pray for your family. God be with you. …
Note to self; sccrtah Chris Robison of Black Crowes off my to buy list. Gee . sad that an only marginally successful moron who hasn’t written, performed and recorded a 10th of the successful music that Taylor has, to try to smear her reputation as the most creatively complete package of writing and performing arts to come along in ages!In 20 years, let’s see who remembers who Chris? who? even is! Let alone the Black Crowes. Whereas Taylor is already able to be installed into the Music hall of fame at 20yrs old!!! haha ..
I have no sympathy. These people have so much – health, money, influence – and they choose to spend it on $60,000 birthday parties for toddlers. When I look at the recent pictures from Somalia, the behavior of the RH and their husbands seems even more obscene. I think it would behoove the planet if all the people took themselves out of the equation.
…these people.
Wow – so basically anyone who is well off and can enjoy the finer things in life should die? You are twisted.
Well, Russell and Taylor never had the money. Russell has filed for bankruptcy multiple times. There’s nothing wrong with rich people who can pay the bills – it’s people who can’t pay the bills but still spend who are the problem (i.e. Teresa Guidice).
If they never had money, why were they throwing extravagant birthday parties for their daughter?
They’re scammers. Google “taylor armstrong scams” and “taylor armstrong financial problems”. Teresa does/did the same thing – spending money like there’s no tomorrow while racking up $11 million in debt.
Really?How much did you spend on a computer? what are you paying for internet service? How many starving Somalis could be fed with the money YOU spend on nonessentials? And what are you doing posting on this site instead of working at a soup kitchen?
I was so sad when I read the news. I’ve been lonkiog at photographs of her on various sights, and she was a true beauty. Poised, elegant and refined.
The new season is coming out soon…how is Bravo going to do this?
I doubt “tastefully” is on the table.
lmao
I’m sure Bravo will re-edit episodes so that Russell does not look so bad – and they should! The man took his life, so Bravo does not need to shed a more negative light on him.
He might not even be in the new season too much. They split up a while ago.
I think they will delay it and re-edit it. They really seemed to be focusing on Taylor’s marriage drama/counseling, etc. in the trailers. They can’t really air that now….
Diggity – Taylor only filed for divorce in July. I think the Taylor/Russell stuff was going to be a big focus this season.
The delay is my guess as well.
Yeah I realize that now. They didn’t red-edit any Atlanta footage after candi’s finace was killed so maybe they will also leave this as is?
I don’t watch Atlanta….but wasn’t he murdered (or died after a fight)? I think there’s a difference between that and Russell killing himself. Especially when it’s extremely likely that his relationship with Taylor (and financial problems) contributed to his decision to kill himself.
I think Bravo has to handle this extremely carefully. A lot of people will give them part of the blame for his death (fairly or unfairly).
Saw the headline “Husband of ‘Real Housewives’ reality star found dead” on Yahoo News.
He was the first person that came to mind…RIP.
I pray that Kennedy will heal from her fathers death (suicide). Russell should have thought about all of his kids before taking his life. It is unfortunate that he has a history of domestic abuse and restraining orders – and that is his legacy.
This financial situation makes sense on how he acting on the show. I thought he was cheating but if my financial situation was as bad as his I would be more distance than him on the show. I know that suicide is not ultimately a thought out decision but I had a feeling that Russell felt that his purpose to his family was to provide financial for them and he felt he blew it. But I could tell his daughter never cared for that and liked him for more than that. I don’t hate Taylor. She just wasn’t his type of girl and he wasn’t her type of man.
On the show, he seemed “wound too tight” and very controlling, passive-aggressive in spoiling his wife’s fun. They appeared to never relax in each other’s presence. To blame the pressures of a reality show for your decision to assault your partner is just self-serving and ridiculous; showing a real lack of insights to your own issues. Maybe his image was more important to him than his objective reality–you don’t have to perpetrate a false image of wealth to consider yourself worthwhile; if you have a real sense of self-esteem.. Inner resources never fail, fade or dwindle–unlike transients like status, beauty, wealth, and TV fame.
Don’t you get it. He was busy trying to support the his wife’s life-style and didn’t have time or the mental energy to spend night after night partying and socializing. Awkward, well of course, he was thrown into his wife’s clique and unlike the other wives that hung out with their husbands, she bailed on him the minute they walked in the door.
This is shocking. I too feel bad for the little girl. But hindsight is 20/20-Russell always seemed the quiet type to never express him emotions. Too bad he couldn’t get help. Taylor will need all the help she can get as she is already very fragile.