Chyna: Former professional wrestler Joanie Laurer dies aged 45

Los Angeles: Former professional wrestler and reality television personality Chyna was found dead in her Los Angeles-area home on Wednesday, police said. She was 45 years old.

Officers were called to Chyna`s Redondo Beach apartment after a friend found her in bed not breathing, the city`s police department said in a statement. She had not answered her phone in several days, police said.

A post on Chyna`s official Facebook page confirmed the entertainer, born Joanie Laurer, had died.

"It is with deep sadness to inform you today that we lost a true icon, a real life superhero. Joanie Laurer aka Chyna, the 9th wonder of the world has passed away," the post said.

Chyna became a World Wrestling Entertainment star in the late 1990s and later appeared in both mainstream and pornographic films. She was also appeared on reality television shows, among them VH1`s "Surreal Life" and "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew."

The cause of death was not known.