Mindy McCready, Country Singer, Dies In Apparent Suicide

Mindy McCready, the country music star who publicly confronted her issues on reality television, was found dead in Arkansas. While the police have not confirmed her death, NBC correspondent Andrea Canning tweeted, "Just got a call from Mindy McCready's best friend that she shot and killed herself this evening. My heart breaks for her two boys. RIP" and her brother confirmed that she died to the Daily News. She was 37.McCready has had a troubled life, in spite of her success. Her VH1 Celebrity Rehab bio reads, "[Her] four albums have sold over 3 million copies, while 12 of her singles have appeared on Billboard's country singles charts. With her success has come very public relationships, including an engagement to actor Dean Cain, an underage affair with Major League Baseball star Roger Clemens, and a very violent association with aspiring country singer, Billy McKnight. Although she was arrested and jailed for trying to buy OxyContin with a false prescription and attempted suicide with an overdose of drugs and alcohol, Mindy believes her only true addiction is to violent relationships."

E! Online reports, "Just a little over a month ago, McCready's boyfriend, David Wilson, died at the age of 34 with no cause of death or details surrounding his passing being revealed, however continues to be under investigation." Shortly after that, "McCready's two children, Zander, 6, and Zayne, 9-months-old, were taken from the singer's Heber Springs, Ark., home by authorities."

She later checked into an in-patient facility. A source had said, "Mindy needs to get help and we all care and love her and we want her to get the right help so she can move on. She is in a bad state right now, depressed and unhappy. It is not good," and her father said, per court documents, "Since boyfriend (David Wilson) shot himself she has been in bed for 3 wks. Sleeps all day. Drinks all night and is taking Rx drugs. Not bathing or even helping take care of her 2 children." But then McCready suddenly decided to go to out-patient treatment.

McCready had spoken with Canning for a Dateline interview. In a segment broadcast on the Today Show, McCready said that Wilson, the father of baby Zayne, was her "soulmate" and outright denied that she killed him, "Oh, my God, no. Oh, my God, no," she answered. "He was my life. We were each others' life."

McCready had released five albums; her song "Guys Do It All The Time," from her double-platinum debut album, Ten Thousand Angels, hit #1 on Billboard's country charts.