Police: Chasen slaying started as robbery

Chasen, 64, was gunned down Nov. 16 as she drove home after a party celebrating the Cher-Christina Aguilera movie "Burlesque." Smith fatally shot himself Dec. 1 as police attempted to serve a search warrant in the lobby of a Los Angeles apartment building.

The Hollywood Reporter quoted Beverly Hills Police Chief David Snowden as describing the investigation as "open and active" in a press conference Wednesday.

"We believe Mr. Smith acted alone; we don't believe it was a professional hit," Snowden said, adding preliminary police ballistics tests confirm the gun employed in Smith's suicide and Chasen's slaying is the same firearm.

"This was a random act of violence; we believe it was most likely a robbery gone bad," Detective Mike Publicer said, the entertainment industry trade newspaper reported.

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