Singer Claudine Longet set off a life-altering sequence of events when she killed her Olympian boyfriend, Vladimir “Spider” Sabich, on March 21, 1976.
Prior to the incident, Longet’s singing career took off in the 1960s, with hits such as “Hello, Hello” and “Love Is Blue.” She also made her mark as an actress in the 1968 film The Party and with guest roles on TV shows including Hogan’s Heroes and McHale’s Navy.
Longet received additional attention due to her marriage to Andy Williams. The couple tied the knot in 1961 and shared three kids, Noelle, Christian and Robert. Longet and Williams ultimately separated in 1970 and divorced in 1975, but they remained friends.
Following her split from Williams, Longet moved on with Sabich, whom she met at a 1972 celebrity ski race in California. The alpine ski racer competed in the 1968 Winter Olympics and became the top earner on the pro circuit in 1971 and 1972. Despite injuring his back in 1973, he continued to compete until 1976, though his career suffered a major setback due to his physical ailments.
? SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox ?
On March 21, 1976, police were called to Sabich’s Aspen, Colorado, home, where they found his body on the master bathroom floor with a gunshot wound in his abdomen. After losing a significant amount of blood before an ambulance arrived, Sabich died en route to Aspen Valley Hospital. He was 31.
Longet, then 34, was arrested and charged with Sabich’s death, though she claimed it was an accident. At her 1977 trial, Longet testified that the gun accidentally discharged while Sabich was showing her how to use it. She also denied pointing the weapon at Sabich, alleging that the weapon was lying flat in her palm.
“I would like you to tell me more about the gun and what the safety means,” she alleged she told Sabich, claiming that after the weapon discharged, Sabich “called my name three times” and then slipped into unconsciousness.
Multiple errors made during the investigation into Sabich’s death contributed to Longet’s defense at trial, including a blood sample and diary that were taken from her without warrants as well as the authorities’ mishandling of the gun.
Prior to her trial, Longet was charged with reckless manslaughter rather than homicide. To convict Longet of reckless manslaughter, the jury had to be convinced she exhibited a “conscious disregard” of a “substantial risk” in her actions that resulted in Sabich’s death, per a 2013 British GQ report on the case.
However, the judge also gave the jury the option to convict Longet of criminally negligent homicide, a misdemeanor that meant Longet showed a “gross deviation from the standard of caution that a ‘reasonable person’ could be expected to exercise” in an incident resulting in death.
In January 1977, the jury found Longet guilty of criminally negligent homicide, which carried a maximum sentence of two years behind bars and a $5,000 fine. The judge ultimately sentenced Longet to 30 days in jail to be served at a time of her choosing.
Sabich’s family later filed a civil suit against Longet, which was settled out of court.
Five decades after Sabich’s death, Longet, now 84, continues to live in Aspen with her husband, Ronald Austin, whom she married in 1985 after he served as her defense attorney in the case. She maintains a low profile and has not spoken out about Sabich’s death since her trial.
Hence then, the article about singer killed her olympian boyfriend 50 years ago today and shockingly only served 30 days in jail was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Singer Killed Her Olympian Boyfriend 50 Years Ago Today — And Shockingly Only Served 30 Days in Jail )
Also on site :
- The Wailers and The Pogues Confirm Australian Tours Despite Bluesfest Collapse
- Joseph Duggar's Wife Kendra Duggar's Mugshot Revealed After Arrest
- Mathura cow vigilante ‘Farsa Wale Baba’ run over by ‘smugglers’ during chase