Ronni Chasen was shot before her car crashed in Beverly Hills, police and witnesses say

Beverly Hills detectives investigating the slaying of Hollywood publicist Ronni Chasen believe she was shot moments before her car crashed and came to rest off Sunset Boulevard early Tuesday morning.

Authorities on Wednesday stressed they have few leads in the case and are unclear about the motive for the attack.

But they are focusing heavily on forensic evidence gathered from the spot where Chasen was found shot several times in her Mercedes coupe. Residents who heard the crash found Chasen slumped over the steering wheel bleeding, with the passenger-side window of her car shattered.

Beverly Hills police Sgt. Lincoln Hoshino said that although investigators are still not sure exactly where the shooting occurred, their working theory is that it happened before the crash. Police are also trying to determine whether the shattered window was caused by gunshots or by some other type of force.

One resident who lived next where Chasen’s car came to rest said she heard several shots, followed moments later by what she believed was the sound of a car crashing.

The woman, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said she and several other people raced outside to see Chasen’s car crashed into a light pole. At least two witnesses have said the interior of Chasen’s car appears to have little visible damage or evidence of gunshots.

Moreover, they said they found no shell casings either near the car on inside it. Police would not say whether shell casings were found at the scene.

Calling the investigation “wide open,” detectives are also seeking video surveillance footage from businesses and residents along Sunset Boulevard, hoping it might shed clues on what happened. Chasen had attended an after-party for the premiere of the movie “Burlesque” at the W Hotel in Hollywood.

She is believed to have left the event for home sometime around midnight, traveling west on Sunset Boulevard. Friends believe that she had planned to head south to her condominium on Wilshire Boulevard near the grounds of the Los Angeles Country Club.

The 6-mile drive would have taken Chasen along the Sunset Strip, an area stocked with potential surveillance video as well as mansions with sophisticated security systems that include surveillance cameras. That could allow investigators to pick up crucial clues.

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--Andrew Blankstein in Beverly Hills and Richard Winton in Los Angeles

 

Comments

[one]

It seems to me that someone who knew her route to her home was waiting for her at Sunset and Whittier. She was shot and the killer just run away by car.

[pasadena jag]

Sad but Hollywood is a cesspool of the dregs of humanity. Work in it and pay the consequences.

[AJ Buttacavoli]

Sounds like she was targeted.

[Liz]

My theories are: attempted carjacking gone bad, she cut someone off and road rage developed, or if she had valet parking at the event prior to being murdered, could be one of the valet workers. Older woman, expensive car, and I would assume expensive jewelry on. One of the workers could have even called a friend, told him about the car, and then they followed her. I just hope to God they find the person/persons.

[Anono Mouse]

I would like to offer my condolences to her family, loved ones and friends.
I wonder what the motive was for this unhuman act of violence.
Ronni Chasen will be mourned and missed by many people, as she has many fans of her writing accomplishments.
@}}}~~~

[DG3]

maybe simple road rage?

[chicagoan]

This has all the earmarks of what we in the Midwest call a "smash 'n grab." Criminals look for a woman alone in a car, stopped at a red light, smash the passenger window open and grab her purse or briefcase. It could also be an attempted carjacking. There is nothing more frightening than random crime; we always want to think there was a motive or a "reason." This tragedy calls to mind the deaths of Ennis Cosby and Michael Jordan's father, James Jordan - a nice car, a driver out alone at a late hour, and a predator who saw an opportunity. Sincere condolences to all the family and friends of this lovely, hard-working lady.

[Joe Shea]

There's an interesting link in The American Reporter to another story about how six casting directors received death threats on Nov. 7.

[Borat]

Let's not be naive people. She was a big fish/scout for Holywood as well. Not to mention she promoted heavily the Wall Street movie. It could of easily been a hit by agencies or groups, we, the normal people don't even know; oh yeah... it was an "accident", "hijacking gone wrong", etc... etc...excuses excuses excuses....

[todd sputnik]

Brilliant finding by the police that she was shot before she crashed. Did she die before or after she was killed?

[paul]

I have read a lot about this murder. This is more than a "smash and grab." The stories keep saying Ronni "didn't have any enemies." Well, obviously she did. Something odd is going on in the land of liberal elites. Days before this murder, six casting directors are threatened with murder, Randy Quaid goes on a tirade about "Hollywood whackers," and then, Ronni turns up dead. Just a coincidence?

[kojak]

STOP all Immigration into the U.S.A. ~~!

BUILD the Mexico Border Fence~!

[Bee Gomez]

Her purse was in the car. The shooter wasn't in another car, unless it was parked around the corner. But how did anyone know what route she was going to take, if she was personally targeted?

Could be random nut, could be mistaken ID. Road rage on a little traveled city street past midnight?

[Katherine]

I go to L.A. a lot. You have to be really careful there. I don't like driving after night and we stay in large groups and we always stay at the same hotel where everyone knows us. It's a dangerous city and no woman should be out by herself so late Sad but true.

[sd]

To the person who asked how did anyone know what route she was going to take, if she was personally targeted? Hey, have you considered an insider tip-off or a combination of this with GPS tracking device. Wake up folks; wake up artists!