Chyna, the WWE star who during the 1990s became one of the best-known and most-popular female professional wrestlers in history, has died.
Police in Southern California found the former wrestlers body at her Redondo Beach apartment after responding to a 911 call from one of her friends.
On Wednesday the friend had gone to check on Chyna, whose real name is Joan Marie Laurer, after she had failed to answer her phone for a few days. The friend told the 911 operator Laurer wasnt breathing.
The 46-year-old Laurer was dead when officers arrived, police said. Neither police nor coroners officials have released any cause of death.
A coroners investigator was still at the location with Laurers body late on Wednesday night, according to Los Angeles County coroners Lt. Larry Dietz. He said he had no further information on the death.
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The tall, muscle-bound, raven-haired Laurer billed herself as the 9th Wonder of the World because her wrestling predecessor Andre the Giant had already called himself the eighth.
She was a member of the wrestling squad that dubbed itself D-Generation X, often wrestled against men and at one point was the WWE womens champion.
On her official website a statement posted on Wednesday night read: Today we lost a true icon, a real life superhero. Joanie Laurer aka Chyna, the 9th Wonder of the World has passed away. She will live forever in the memories of her millions of fans and all of us that loved her.
Laurer was a native of Rochester, New York and graduated from the University of Tampa in Florida before taking up wrestling.
Source: Here
Police in Southern California found the former wrestlers body at her Redondo Beach apartment after responding to a 911 call from one of her friends.
On Wednesday the friend had gone to check on Chyna, whose real name is Joan Marie Laurer, after she had failed to answer her phone for a few days. The friend told the 911 operator Laurer wasnt breathing.
The 46-year-old Laurer was dead when officers arrived, police said. Neither police nor coroners officials have released any cause of death.
A coroners investigator was still at the location with Laurers body late on Wednesday night, according to Los Angeles County coroners Lt. Larry Dietz. He said he had no further information on the death.
The tall, muscle-bound, raven-haired Laurer billed herself as the 9th Wonder of the World because her wrestling predecessor Andre the Giant had already called himself the eighth.
She was a member of the wrestling squad that dubbed itself D-Generation X, often wrestled against men and at one point was the WWE womens champion.
On her official website a statement posted on Wednesday night read: Today we lost a true icon, a real life superhero. Joanie Laurer aka Chyna, the 9th Wonder of the World has passed away. She will live forever in the memories of her millions of fans and all of us that loved her.
Laurer was a native of Rochester, New York and graduated from the University of Tampa in Florida before taking up wrestling.
Source: Here