Brittany Murphy's husband found dead by his mother-in-law - five months after she discovered her daughter's body

By Sara Nathan

Shock: Brittany Murphy's widower Simon Monjack was discovered dead by the actress's mother Sharon, pictured with her son-in-law holding her daughter's favourite photo of herself


The English husband of Brittany Murphy has died only five months after her - in eerily similar circumstances.

Simon Monjack was found unconscious on Sunday at the LA home he shared with the Hollywood actress until her death in December.

The 39-year-old scriptwriter is thought to have had a heart attack and paramedics were unable to revive him.

He was found by his mother-in-law Sharon, who had discovered her daughter's body at the same address.

Mrs Murphy had moved into the house after her daughter died.

By Mr Monjack's bed police found prescription drugs similar to those Miss Murphy, 32, had been taking.

Sources indicated that he may have died from an accidental overdose.

Miss Murphy, best known for her starring role in the 1995 comedy Clueless, was ruled by the LA county coroner in February to have died of pneumonia, complicated by an iron deficiency, anaemia and 'multiple drug intoxication'.


Tragic: Miss Murphy and Mr Monjack in 1997. Mr Monjack is believed to have died from an accidental drug overdose
Mr Monjack, who was left nothing in his wife's will, said the couple were planning to start a family and her death had 'destroyed his world'.


But his setting up of the Brittany Murphy Foundation to remember her was disastrous.

A celebrity fundraiser - with ticket prices of £692 per individual or £69,250 per corporation - was called off amid accusations of bad taste.


Flashback: Mr Monjack is told the news of his wife's death in December


It then emerged that Mr Monjack - soon dubbed 'Con-Jack' - had not registered the foundation as a charity. He promised to return all donations.

Miss Murphy's death had already led to questions about his past and rumours of drugs, alcohol and eating disorders.

Last night, a source revealed that Mr Monjack had kept a low profile since his wife's death, apart from one bout of bizarre behaviour.

'He had barely been seen for months,' he said. 'Nobody seemed to leave the house - or come in.'

Mr Monjack was once seen lying on the driveway outside the house, said the source.
'The car door had opened and he'd just collapsed out of it,' he recalled. 'He was lying flat out on his back, but when I went back five minutes later he had gone. It was weird. I just put it down to grief.'

Mr Monjack's biggest writing success came with a credit for the film Factory Girl, starring Sienna Miller.

He also wrote and directed Two Days, Nine Lives, a 2001 drama starring Luke Goss.

His first marriage was to Simone Bienne, GMTV's relationship and sex therapist.

They wed in Las Vegas in 2001 after a three-month romance only to split up five months later.

Mrs Bienne, 36, pursued him through the U.S courts over their divorce settlement and he was forced to pay her £19,000 in February last year.

Mrs Bienne, who has remarried, declined to speak about her life with Mr Monjack, although one of her closest friends revealed: 'She suffered hell with that man.'

Mr Monjack, who was born in Hillingdon, West London, leaves a young daughter, Jasmine, from another relationship.


The Hollywood Hills home where Monjack died yesterday; his wife collapsed in the shower in December


source :dailymail