Whitney Houston: Funeral to Be in Newark New Jersey

UPDATE: Whitney Houston's funeral is set to take place on Saturday at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey.

Whitney Houston, who tragically passed away at the age of 48 in Beverly Hills on Saturday, is set to be buried in her home state of New Jersey this week. The signer's autopsy was completed on Sunday, and her body was released to her family on Monday, CNN reported.

Houston's body arrived in New Jersey Monday night at Teterboro airport on a plane owned by actor-producer, Tyler Perry. A gold hearse and police escorts awaited to transport her body to the Wingham funeral home in Newark, the singer's home town, according to the UK Telegraph. Wingham funeral home has previously handled funeral arrangements for Houston's family, including her father in 2003, and her aunt, Ann Drinkard Moss.

NBC News said Houston's wake will be held on Thursday, and her funeral will be held Friday in downtown Newark at the Prudential Center, an events-sporting arena that seats 18,000. Seating is expected to be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Houston passed away Saturday afternoon at a Beverly Hills Hotel. The singer was known for her beautiful voice, but also for her struggle with drugs. The Thursday before her death, Houston performed Yes, Jesus Loves Me, for a crowd at a Hollywood club with R&B singer Kelly Price. Houston's daughter, Bobbi Kristina, was also in the crowd.

TMZ said the Los Angeles County coroner believes Houston's cause of death could be a combination of prescription drugs, including Xanax, and alcohol. Although Houston's body was found in a bathtub, drowning is not at present thought to have caused her death. Authorities have not yet released the cause of death. A toxicology report is expected in six to eight weeks.