Screenwriter widower of actress Brittany Murphy found dead

THE British-born husband of late actress Brittany Murphy has been found dead.

Sergeant Louie Lozano, of the Los Angeles Police Department, said that the body of screenwriter Simon Monjack was discovered at his home in the Hollywood Hills on Sunday night.

Sgt Lozano said the cause of death was not yet known and officers were still at the scene. His wife died five months ago.

The Los Angeles County coroner's office ruled that Murphy died of pneumonia complicated by an iron deficiency, anaemia and multiple drug intoxication.

Coroner's officials said the actress had gone into cardiac arrest because of "drug intake" and her death on 20 December was classified as an accident.

Los Angeles police later confirmed the death and said the preliminary cause of death was "natural causes".

Earlier this year Monjack, who was 39, launched a charitable fund – along with Murphy's mother – in the name of his late wife, with an event at which guests were asked to give thousands of dollars. However, within days it emerged that it had not been registered as a not-for-profit body and the Brittany Murphy Foundation offered to refund donors.

Monjack's film credits include the low-budget Two Days, Nine Lives, which he directed, starring Bros's Luke Goss, and more recently Factory Girl starring Sienna Miller.