Posted on 12/02/2010 4:16:20 PM PST by ColdOne
The person of interest in the murder of Hollywood publicist Ronni Chasen, who fatally shot himself in an apartment late Wednesday as Beverly Hills as police were serving a search warrant, was identified in a report Thursday.
The Beverly Hills Courier identified the man as Harold Smith, citing a law enforcement source. Residents at the apartment complex previously identified him as Harold.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
ping
This woman was very influential and well liked in the film industry. She was one of the top 2 or 3 PR women in Hollywood. I worked in the film industry a few years back and most of the publicists were well liked. It's a difficult job, but you have to have a way with people...just the nature of the job. You can't be a jerk or people will not do you favors, which is basically what the job is all about. So, when I read about the murder I wondered who would put a hit on her...being that she was not married (!).
The “person of interest” that killed himself doesn't seem a likely hit man. Really odd.
I'll share what I thought after first reading about her murder: She propelled somebody into receiving an Academy Award and another somebody feels they lost because of her efforts. I think it was somebody BIG. Egos in the film industry can be massive yet frail. This combined with unlimited amounts of $$$ and being able to buy anything...well, I'll just say that is my outrageous guess. This should be an interesting story to follow. The lady was lovely and I feel very badly for her family to have lost her so violently.
I won't be surprised to hear that this poor woman was murdered by a jealous celebrity. Maybe we should put OJ on the hunt for the killer...I hear he's good at that.
I miss so many things about L.A. but a kot of them arent there any more, like Schwabs, Chasens and that nutty cult restaurant on Third & Fairfax, The Golden Temple. I miss the freedom of driving around to so many peculiar places in the hills, and the life on the studio lots.....
I missed Schwabs, but went to Chasen’s a few times. It was always good to people watch in. The other was, I think it was called Mateos in Westwood. Boy...all the old, old Hollywood stars would go their and get wasted...And there was a kind of fancy/divey place in Hollywood, Italian, where all the gangsters and their hookers would go. That was a hoot. Lots of fun dinners. The food in the cafeterias on the studio lots was really good, too.
I'm glad I don't live there now. Last time I went to my old neighborhood, Sherman Oaks/Encino/Tarzana...uggggg...Ventura Blvd was a pit. I guess S. of the Blvd. is still nice...but that 3rd world crap has arrived.
Eventually this story will be made into a movie. Hope they catch the guy.
Ping!
Just wondered what you thought about this case, since you live in the area.
There is really good video of this guy blowing his head off...
Watch for it on utube in the future.
Yeah yeah, and Phoenix is the kidnap capital of the entire country....
If he was involved, they're gonna find who wanted the unliked woman dead. Nobody like her....A real bitch according to those close to her.
And 10k for a high end hit is dirt cheap....
so far, the Phoenix area hasn’t been too scary.........
You’re thinking of Dan Tana’s. I lived in Hollywood, hardly ever went to Wrstwood or your part of the Valley. Worked at Paramount and MGM.
We used to go to La Scala Boutique, next door to La Scala in BH for their amazing chopped salad, but its not there anymore. Cant remember any other Italian place.
The Italian place I mentioned was on Vine...it was worthy of a movie being written about it. REAL gangsters, old and losing their mojo, with the chatty call girls. The food was good, but it was hard to concentrate with all that was going on. I also liked LeDome, with all the music people...the Cock ‘n Bull with all the English rock star types. Heck, I even liked Pinks...the hot dogs were/are not that good, but it was fun.
But, the winner for the nostalgia award: Formosa Cafe. I saw some stuff in there in the late ‘80’s that should be written about. Or maybe not. To get back to the topic....I never heard this woman was unliked, but am not in the loop, other than speaking with friends, some still in PR. A post up thread mentioned she was unliked. Odd, I can't think of any p.r. person I disliked. Well, at least the ones that had important clients. It's their bread and butter to garner friends. Very interesting crime. Sad that this woman was so brutally murdered.
It will most likely come back as the gun he used to kill himself is the same gun that was used to kill her. The case will be closed.
Something tells me that this is not the case.
I'm very interested in this story. Something hinky here!
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