Sad news this evening… iconic singer Whitney Houston has passed away in Los Angeles, California.

Details…

VIDEO: CNN’s Don Lemon Announces Whitney Houston Death

According to the Associated Press:

Houston, who ruled as pop music’s queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, has died. She was 48.

Houston’s publicist, Kristen Foster, said Saturday that the singer had died, but the cause and the location of her death were unknown.

Houston’s death comes on the heels of her erratic behavior at an LA nightclub just a few days ago.

[READ: Spotted: Whitney Houston ~ Wasted & Bloody… PHOTOS]

News of Houston’s death came on the eve of music’s biggest night – the Grammy Awards. It’s a showcase where she once reigned, and her death was sure to case a heavy pall on Sunday’s ceremony. Houston’s longtime mentor Clive Davis was to hold his annual concert and dinner Saturday; it was unclear if it was going to go forward.

Houston leaves behind a daughter, Bobbi Kristina.

R.I.P. Whitney Houston

*Update #1 2/11/12 9:45pm*

Houston was found unresponsive in a suite at the Beverly Hilton Hotel and was pronounced dead around 3:55pm PST. There have been many reports that her longtime friend Ray-J was the person who found her in the suite, however a publicist for Ray-J has denied the claim.

CNN is now reporting that her bodyguard “Ray” found her unresponsive and police say there is “no obvious signs of foul play”

*Update #2 –  2/12/12 3:12am*

TMZ is reporting the Whitney may have drowned in a bathtub following an overdose of prescription meds.

No illegal drugs have been found in the hotel room where Whitney Houston died — at least not yet — but prescription drugs were present, and it’s possible the singer drowned in the bathtub.

Sources tell us … when EMTs arrived Whitney’s body was already removed from the bathtub so it will take an autopsy to determine if she OD’d, drowned or died from some other cause.

Informed sources tell us … Beverly Hills cops — who were still searching the room at the time this story was posted — found various pill bottles. There was no evidence that Whitney was drinking alcohol in the room.

Whitney’s body was just removed from the room on a gurney.  It will go to the morgue for an autopsy to determine cause of death.

Story developing…

Where were you when you heard the disturbing news?

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