Disgraced former music producer Phil Spector has died aged 81.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has confirmed he died of natural causes on Saturday evening.

TMZ says the 81-year-old was diagnosed with coronavirus four weeks ago and was transferred from his prison cell to a hospital.

It is understood he recovered enough to return to prison but relapsed, had trouble breathing and was taken back to the hospital, where he died.

A California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation statement said: “His official cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner in the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office.”

In 2009, he was jailed for a minimum sentence of 19 years for murdering actress Lana Clarkson.

The 40-year-old died of a gunshot fired into her mouth while she was in Spector’s mansion in 2003.

He always maintained his innocence and claimed Clarkson died from accidental suicide.

Known for his Wall of Sound production method, he worked with a number of stars in the 1960s, co-writing the Righteous Brothers hit You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.

He produced The Beatles’ album Let It Be in 1970.