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News

Beverly Hills Police Declare Ronni Chasen Murder Solved

By  Lindsay William-Ross
Published Jan 19, 2011 11:00 PM
Ronni Chasen (AP Photo/Chasen and Company)
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The Beverly Hills Police Department reported late yesterday that the murder of Hollywood publicist Ronni Chasen has been solved, says the Hollywood Reporter, and the killer was Harold Martin Smith, the man who committed suicide in front of the police using the same gun he used to kill Chasen.Smith "acted alone" in the November 16th murder of Ronni Chasen, and, emphasizes BHPD Chief David Snowden, there was "no conspiracy." Adds Snowden: “I know a lot of people don’t like to see it end like that -- they’d rather have something more dramatic, but that’s just the way it is. The facts are the facts.”

All of the evidence has been reviewed, and the detectives have confirmed that Chasen was shot by Smith in an attempted robbery. Smith "used a bicycle to get to and from the scene of the crime," believe the authorities. Snowden says the case will be formally closed in the next few days, and that at that time, the BHPD will issue a press release.

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