The shocking murder of famed Hollywood publicist Ronni Chasen has yet to be explained and in the days following the senseless crime, police have few leads. Chasen was gunned down early Tuesday morning after leaving the after party for the premiere of the movie BURLESQUE. The event took place at the W Hotel in Hollywood and Chasen is believed to have left the hotel around midnight driving her car down Sunset Boulevard. She maintained a condominium on Wilshire Boulevard where she was presumed to be headed for the evening.
The story I read in the LA Times stated that sometime around 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday Chasen was shot multiple times near the intersection of Whittier Drive and Sunset Boulevard. Following the shooting, she wrecked her Mercedes striking a light pole.
“Ronnie Chase was a good customer at Ma Maison,” Patrick Terrail told me in an email. Terrail was the owner of the world-famous LA restaurant Ma Maison in 1970s and 1980s. “When she first arrived in LA, she [Chasen] worked at a Hollywood PR firm before she moved over to MGM and later opened her own PR firm.”
Chasen found great success working on campaigns for Oscar winning films like DRIVING MISS DAISY. According to Forbes online, Chasen was recently working on the Michael Douglas supporting Oscar campaign for his work in the WALL STREET sequel.
“She was well liked and respected by both her various clients and the Hollywood Press.” Terrail remembered. “She loved what she did with passion.”
While the Hollywood community fondly remembers Chasen some according to reports are event trying to help find the killer. According to an entry on laist.com, a fund has been established by fellow Hollywood Publicist Michael Levine with a reward for the apprehension of the offender.
Police seem baffled by the possibly random crime. No reports have surfaced that Chasen had received any threats on her life. One theory reported online was that this could have been an outgrowth of a road rage incident. Such a theory points to the randomness of the crime and isn’t that far fetched in that there have been no stories to date concerning any type of theft or other more typical explanation. Surveillance videos from the area have been collected by Police to review. The investigation continues.
“Her ebullient personality will be terribly missed by her friends, her coworkers and the Hollywood community.” Terrail lamented. “It is a terrible ending for someone so nice.”
