Ronni Chasen Murder Case NOT Closed, But Beverly Hills Cops Still Think Homeless Man Harold Martin Smith Did It

By Dennis Romero Fri., Jan. 21 2011 at 11:51 AM

Ronni Chasen with Morgan Freeman.

Not so fast, Hollywood Reporter. The publication ran an "exclusive" declaring that the sensational Ronni Chasen murder case is "now solved."

However, police told the Beverly Hills Courier that the Reporter got it wrong: The case is still open. Detectives do believe -- as they have said since last month -- that homeless man Harold Martin Smith acted alone when he allegedly gunned the Hollywood publicist down in Beverly Hills Nov. 16.

Here's what BHPD Lt. Tony Lee told the Courier:

"We still believe the case has been solved and that Martin was the one and only suspect, and we hope the case will soon be closed, just like we said in the Dec. 8 press conference. There is nothing additional or new ... I believe the Hollywood Reporter took the chief's comments out of context."

Here's what BHPD Chief David Snowden told THR:

"That man is the man that shot her, there is no conspiracy, nothing else was involved," Snowden said. "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."

Indeed, that's not really declaring the case closed or adding much to what's already been said.

Cops believe Smith, who was a transient in Hollywood, biked over to the west side of Beverly Hills near the Los Angeles Country Club and shot Chase as she drove her Mercedes-Benz E Class coupe down Whittier Drive in an attempted robbery.

It's still a bizarre scenario, as we've written. (Smith, who had been bragging about the murder and money owned to him, killed himself at a funky Hollywood apartment building as police approached).

But it looks like the BHPD is going to shove this one under the covers. Case not officially closed, though.

(We called to talk to Lt. Lee but he was out for training).

Tags:

Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills Courier, Beverly Hills police, BHPD, David Snowden, Harold Martin Smith, Hollywood Reporter, murder, Ronni Chasen

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Blackjacky61

I called Beverly hills Detectives early this year to tell them what I know about Harold Smith. I must have called them about two dozen of times, but they never called me back. The last time I talked to them, they told me the Ronnie Chasen case was closed. They were not interested to talk about the case, maybe they have nothing to said... Beverly hills police Dept. are not experience with murders cases, after all, they only have maybe five or six murders cases in their whole life time...If Harold Smith needed to rob someone, then he didn't have to go far to get what he wanted...all he had to do, just walk to the Prime time Pub and robbed us or anybody there, and he would had more cash than he could get out of Ronnie Chasen. The Prime Time Pub only take cash, and most business in the area are the same...I was working that evening and we always have 300.$ in the change box, that is not included my sales for the evening plus my own money, we also don't have Security. Smith was a friend of Rex Thomson, a veteran that hang around Prime Time everyday. Rex died of mysterious death on Thanks given weekend, one week before Harold Smith commit suicide...

Frogprince

sounds like a cover up by someone with POWER. the fall guy has been silenced. the case is written off as a robbery.

but what money or jewels were taken. this sounds like a begining of a mystery paperback. Mike Hammer ....... where are you????

Pat

Let's face it. The BHPD don't know what really happened the night Ronni Chasen was killed and it's doubtful they ever will, regardless of what they say about Harold Martini Smith being the one who did it. So they'll simply throw up their hands and file it away, declaring the case "closed".