Why Would Russell Kill Himself? 'Real Housewives of Bev Hill Update

rew Mackieand Jon Warech

The apparent suicide of Russell Armstrong, husband to "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Taylor Armstrong, offers us a moment to think about the nature of reality television and the "Real Housewives" franchise in particular. Regardless of location, the show often portrays its cast members' lives as over-the-top glamorous and exceptionally dramatic. But the reality behind this "reality" is that sometimes, these women are living well beyond their means, and the true drama in their lives can be complicated, heartbreaking and tragic.

The depiction of Taylor and Russell's marriage was not

sugarcoated during the season in which they appeared together last year, thus making news of their divorce in July unsurprising. However, the decadent lifestyle they led betrayed the truth about their financial status. At the time of Russell's tragic death, the onetime couple was being sued for $1.5 million by MyMedicalRecords.com. His lawyer also told People, "Russell was in a lot of debt and he had legal problems. His credit cards were used up. He had serious financial problems. And that no doubt caused him a lot of stress."

Debts & Legal Problems

"Each month was a challenge for him to cover their lifestyle," adds Richards. "Russell was in a lot of debt and he had legal problems. His credit cards were used up. He had serious financial problems. And that no doubt caused him a lot of stress." 

And a source close to Taylor and Russell says the stress was catching up to him. 

"He was depressed," the source says. "He had a lot going on these past few months. The split from Taylor was a long time coming but it still took a big toll on him. He had no money; he was failing in business. It all added up." 

Richards, however, blames the reality show for escalating Armstrong's stress level. 

"When his wife and him first started the show, I warned them that it would cause undue stress on their marriage," he tells PEOPLE. "Being thrust in the spotlight didn't do any favors for Russell and Taylor." 

You may find the original posting on adamfoxie* of early yesterday click on link below:


At 47 Russell Armstrong Commits suicide: adamfoxie*