[Drew68]

"This is terrible and I'm in shock," a close friend of Ledger's tells Usmagazine.com. "But to tell you the truth... we saw it coming."

Interesting. I don't think many people realized he had a substance abuse problem. In this day of camera cell phones and internet updates it is a lot harder for stars to keep their addictions under wraps like they could in the old days.

[SkyPilot]

Here is more, from the British papers:

Last night, sources told Mail Online that Ledger had been battling substance abuse problems - including an addiction to heroin - for some time. "He had a stint in rehab late last year when he was treated for heroin," a source told The Daily Mail, adding that Ledger was increasingly introverted at the time of his death. A housekeeper at Ledger's New York City apartment made shocking discovery of his lifeless body face down on a bed at 3.35pm local time on Tuesday afternoon. It is understood that at this time, the star was unconscious but still alive. Minutes earlier, the housekeeper had opened the door to a mausseuse, who had an appointment with the actor.

Weird - look at the apartment building - it looks empty in the upper floors.