Publicist Ronni Chasen, a revered figure among
the Hollywood elite, gained fame by promoting
the Oscar-winning film "Driving Miss Daisy." |
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Police Investigate Slaying of Hollywood Publicist
Beverly Hills cops on the case, but there are few leads
by
David Lohr
AOL News
November 17, 2010
Police in Beverly Hills, Calif., are looking for surveillance video and checking computer and phone records as they try to determine who killed Ronni Chasen, a prominent publicist who was gunned down as she drove on Sunset Boulevard.
Chasen, 64, was found inside her black Mercedes-Benz E-350 at about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, after the luxury vehicle crashed into a light pole near the intersection of Whittier and Sunset Boulevard, in a posh western part of Los Angeles County.
According to The Associated Press, Chasen was struggling to breathe and was bleeding from her nose and chest.
What was initially thought to be a traffic accident quickly turned into a criminal investigation when responding officers discovered Chasen had been shot five times. The publicist was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, police said.
Nahid Schekarchian, who lives in an apartment near the crash site, told the AP she heard several shots fired before she saw the wrecked Mercedes-Benz. |
"I heard the 'Boom! Boom! Boom!' of gunshots, ran up to the window, and there was the back of the car," Schekarchian said.
According to police, the driver-side window of the car was broken, but nothing, including Chasen's purse, had been taken.
Before the shooting, Chasen had attended the red carpet premiere of the film " Burlesque" at the historic Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. After the screening, she reportedly attended an after-party at Drai's Hollywood Nightclub, located in the W Hotel on the corner of Hollywood and Vine.
"We were all on such a high," songwriter Diane Warren told CNN. "And then she left -- I'm guessing about 10 minutes before I did. What on earth? What happened? Why?"
When she left the star-studded after-party, Chasen was reportedly traveling down Sunset Boulevard en route to her Westwood home. It was on that stretch of highway that the unexplained shooting occurred.
Chasen, a revered figure among the Hollywood elite, made her claim to fame after promoting the Oscar-winning film "Driving Miss Daisy." She was also known for representing a number of Hollywood heavy-hitters, including the late actress Natalie Wood, director John Schlesinger and actor Michael Douglas, the Los Angeles Times reported.
According to CNN, Chasen did not show any signs of being nervous or upset at the premiere or the after-party. The cable news network also reported she left a voice-mail message at her office just minutes before the shooting and did not indicate she was in danger.
Beverly Hills detectives did not immediately return calls for comment from AOL News today. According to the Los Angeles Times, detectives have several leads but have not been able to determine if Chasen's death was a premeditated attack or a random act of violence.
Investigators have reportedly seized computers from Chasen's firm, Chasen & Co. According to the L.A. Times, the firm is known for its promotion of many highly successful films, including "An Inconvenient Truth," "Slumdog Millionaire," "No Country for Old Men" and "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
Investigators are also reportedly examining Chasen's phone logs for leads in the case.
Beverly Hills Police Sgt. Lincoln Hoshino told CNN the investigation is "wide open." He also said police are asking to look at surveillance footage from residents of the Beverly Hills stretch of Sunset Boulevard. Hoshino said "quite a few residents" along the highway have security cameras, and investigators hope the shooting was captured on video.
The Palm Springs International Film Festival is offering a $100,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for Chasen's slaying, The Desert Sun reported .
Meanwhile, many within the Hollywood community remain stunned by the senseless act of violence.
"Ronni Chasen brought respect and class to all of the Hollywood publicists. She could charm you with her stories of the 'old Hollywood' that no longer exists," Hollywood media image consultant Michael Sands told AOL News. "Ronni was a solid 10 and her spirit will live on in all those she touched."
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