Hollywood Publicist’s Murder Was a Botched Robbery, Police Say

L.A. police have announced they now believe Ronni Chasen’s slaying was a random act.

The Chasen case has taken another twist. Despite earlier speculation to the contrary, the police say they’re confident that the publicist’s murder was a robbery gone bad. A leaked coroner’s report had suggested Chasen was the victim of a professional killer. Then, when police went to question a suspect at his apartment last week, the man shot himself in the building’s lobby. It was reported that the gun he used to kill himself was not the murder weapon, but now police say it probably was. They believe the man, named Harold Smith, rode his bike up to Chasen’s car while she drove on Sunset Blvd. and shot her. Authorities did not explain why he didn’t take any of Chasen’s valuables.