Witness describes bloody scene where suspect in Ronni Chasen slaying took his own life

A resident described a bloody scene when she approached the Hollywood aparment lobby where a suspect in the slaying of Hollywood publicist Ronni Chasen took his life.

Terri Gilpin, 46, she said stepped out of the elevator on the ground level of the apartment building and saw blood splattered on the floor. Earlier, Gilpin said, she had heard what she thought was a car backfiring.

"I really didn't think anything of it," she said, "because I was kind of drowsy."

Then a neighbor knocked on the door saying someone had been shot and police were in the building.

Gilpin said the entryway had been cordoned off as LAPD officers gathered near the door.

The shooting occurred around 6 p.m. at the Harvey apartments on Santa Monica Boulevard, where detectives believed the suspect lived, according to four law enforcement sources.

The man's exact connection to the slaying was not immediately clear, but the sources said detectives believe he was involved in the killing of Chasen, who was found shot multiple times in her Mercedes coupe on a Beverly Hills street.

The sources, who spoke on the condition that they not be named because it was ongoing investigation, said detectives received information suggesting that the man would be in his apartment this evening. The man had been under surveillance for some time, they said.

When police approached the man at the lobby of the apartment complex, he backed up and refused their orders to raise his hands. He then pulled out a pistol and shot himself in the head, the sources said. He was declared dead at at the scene.

RELATED:

Suspect in Ronni Chasen slaying had been under police surveillance

Ronnie Chasen slaying suspect takes own life

-- Abby Sewell in Hollywood and Andrew Blankstein

Photo: Police outside the apartment building. Credit: KTLA News

Comments

[Rich Kappler]

Be careful who you screw over in Hollywood. There's always someone who will come popping up for revenge after the fact.

[RobesPierre]

AMEN

[Trip]

It's interesting the so-called peaceful interested movie industry is composed of mafia like killers. I imagine celebrities, we peasants are lectured to by ad nauseum, at a peace protests while paying kill for hire, what's that?

[SB]

The scary thing about "screwing people over" is that its all a matter of perception and interpretation. If you're dealing with a paranoid wacko, he's gonna think the tooth fairy, the sky, the grass, and bozo the clown are all screwing him over too. The reality is that we're all fair game and susceptable to a wacko's interpretation.

Watch your backs!

[Charles Grandison Finney]

Yes, the truth will slowly come out, and it will open a window on Hollywood that was supposed to stay firmly closed.

[bdflatlander]

SB;

Unfortunately, you're right.

You can't reason with an unreasonable person, and there are a lot of deranged people walking around.

It will be interesting to learn more about this guy who killed himelf. My initial impression is that he was a hired hit man. But, if that's the case, hired by who?

[bb]

bdflatlander:
while information on the suspect is being kept confidential at this point, it is highly unlikely that this particular man was a professional hit man. a pro wouldn't remain in a dumpy apartment in l.a. after the shooting and certainly wouldn't shoot himself like that. that is sloppy and not the m.o. of a pro. i am sure eventually we will learn how this suspect was allegedly involved. i wouldn't rule out the possibility that there was a pro involved, but i highly doubt it was this guy...
trip:
what? please refrain from drunk-posting...i cannot even guess at what you think you are saying - it makes no sense.
charles grandison finney:
i suppose you (and you alone) know the "truth" that will allegedly "open a window on Hollywood that was supposed to stay firmly closed"??? in my experience, people that are privy to such truths expose them to the public. what are you afraid of? that the aliens posing as hollywood agents will swoop down from their deathstar and imprison you in space if you post the "truth". gimme a break.

[JTL11]

Somebody is sweating in Hollywood. The reason the Police were omto this guy is possibly phone records or e-mails. This would mean that possibly this was a contract murder. not coincidental he was waiting for $10,000. Business continuity, key person or just refular life insurance. BHPD is following the money.

[MikeRRR]

I just think it's hilarious that they have a photo of the coroner wheeling a body out of the apartment building under a sign that says, "Now Renting." (Not this story - saw that pic on Yahoo.)

[Cara D]

If someone in the industry hire this guy to make a hit they sure didn't use their thinking cap. Unless, they know he was so far over the edge he'd kill himself. Very sloppy work and the neighbors in that crack apartment building he was staying at don't appear very credible. This is too simple an end to the story. Time for a re-write.