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Gun from suicide also used to kill publicist Ronni Chasen
The scene Wednesday, December 1, 2010 outside the Los Angeles apartment house where a man authorities wanted to question about the murder of publicist Ronni Chasen killed himself as police approached.
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Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
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The gun recovered from a man who committed suicide at a Hollywood apartment building appears to be the same one used to kill publicist Ronni Chasen.
That from a law enforcement source to the Los Angeles Times today. Harold Smith, 43, committed suicide Dec. 1 in the lobby of the Harvey Apartments as Beverly Hills police approached him to discuss the Chasen murder.
Police said a tip from the television show "America's Most Wanted" led them to Smith, and investigators labeled him a "person of interest" in the case.
At least one resident of the Harvey Apartments said she had heard Smith brag about killing the publicist.
Beverly Hills police said yesterday they asked the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department to conduct ballistics tests on the gun Smith used to kill himself to determine if there was any connection to Chasen's killing. According to a story posted on the Times' website, an unnamed law enforcement official said ballistics tests conducted on Smith's gun appeared to be the same one used to kill Chasen.
Smith had a lengthy criminal record, with crimes ranging from drug possession to disturbing the peace to robbery.
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