Chester Bennington dead: Linkin Park singer's death being investigated as suicide, LA coroner confirms

The nu metal pioneer was 41

A Los Angeles county coroner has confirmed that the death of Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington is being investigated as an apparent suicide.

His date of death and placed of death are listed as '07/20/2017' and 'RESIDENCE' respectively, with the 41-year-old having, according to law enforcement officials, apparently hanged himself in his bedroom at his home in Palos Verdes near Los Angeles sometime before 9am when his body was discovered.

Linkin Park DJ Joe Hahn headed to Bennington's home on Thursday afternoon, while guitarist Mike Shinoda tweeted: "Shocked and heartbroken, but it's true. An official statement will come out as soon as we have one."

The band's official Twitter account posted a photo of Bennington singing at a show surrounded by fans, as rappers and rockers alike paid tribute.

The band had recently embarked on their One More Light world tour, the next scheduled stop being the Xfinity Center on 27 July in Mansfield, Massachusetts.

A spokeswoman for the Palos Verdes Estates police last night declined to answer questions about whether Bennington had been found dead. She told The Independent: "At 8.56am officers were called to the 2800 block of Via Victoria."

Bennington, who had long struggled with addiction to drugs and alcohol, married Talinda Bentley in 2006, having previously been wed to Samantha Olit from 1996 until 2005.

The singer had six children from both of those wives, as well as a previous relationship with Elka Brand. One of the children is adopted.

Reports said that word of Bennington’s suicide came on the day of his late friend Chris Cornell’s birthday.

The Soundgarden rocker killed himself in May and Bennington performed a cover of Leonard Cohen's 'Halleljuah' at his funeral. Cornell would have turned 53 on Thursday.