Legendary record producer Phil Spector was today charged with first degree murder in connection with the death of a woman.
The charges came after the 62-year-old was arrested at his home in the Los Angeles suburb of Alhambra earlier today.
Police found a woman, who has not yet been publicly identified, shot dead inside Spector's mansion. Spector was taken into custody for questioning and later charged.
A spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department told PA News: "Mr Spector has been booked and charged with murder." Bail has been set at $1 million and Spector is expected to appear in court for arraignment later this week.
Police arrived at Spector's home after neighbours heard gunshots and called 911 around 5 a.m. Pacific Time (1 p.m. Irish time) today. There officers found the rock music impresario, who was taken to Alhambra Police Department, and the dead woman.
The connection between Spector and the woman is not yet clear and police have released no details about her, other than that she is a white woman.
During his long career in the music industry, Spector produced such music greats as Tina Turner and the Ramones, plus records for Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Tina Turner, the Righteous Brothers and the Crystals.
He produced a string of memorable 1960s hits, including the Crystals' Da Doo Ron Ro and Then He Kissed Me, and the Ronettes' Be My Baby.
He also produced the last Beatles album Let It Be, worked with John Lennon on Imagine and helped Yoko Ono produce Lennon's work after he was killed in 1980.
Spector also created the 'Wall of Sound' effect which involved overdubbing scores of musicians to make a massive roar and which changed the way pop records were produced.
A father-of-five, he was once married to Ronnie Bennett, a member of the Ronettes. She was his second wife but the couple divorced in 1974.
Spector's father, Benjamin, committed suicide in 1949. Spector later visited the grave and used the inscription To Know Him Was to Love Him as the basis for one of his best known hit songs.
PA