I think watching true crime documentaries is an absolute favorite pastime for many of us! But when it comes to diving into the crime cases of celebrities, it’s a whole different level of fascination. There’s something about the glitz and glamor of Hollywood mixed with dark, real-life mysteries that just grabs our attention. Los Angeles is the heart of Celebrityville, the breeding ground for famous Hollywood actors. But in the hustle and bustle of Hollywood, some cases are so shocking that they leave you feeling confused and disturbed. Take, for instance, the case of Phil Spector and the small-time actress Lana Clarkson. Lana was found shot dead in Phil’s mansion. But what really happened? Was it murder? An accident? Or suicide? This left the police confused till the end. What will be the final verdict? Let’s find out from this explainer of the first episode of the series Homicide: Los Angeles, named “Hunting Phil Spector.”
Why did Lana go to Phil’s house?
When the episode starts, we get to know that in Alhambra, a middle-class residential town in the Los Angeles area, there is a huge mansion belonging to Phil Spector. But that mansion became the crime scene of the death of Lana Clarkson, who was shot. You might wonder, how did she end up there? Well, when the documentary starts, we hear Phil making a crazy phone call, being uncooperative with the police, and saying that Lana just came into his house out of nowhere and committed suicide in front of him. He claimed she was manic and used to follow him around. But no, she didn’t just come out of nowhere. Phil Spector was a famous 80s pop music artist and producer. From Leonard Cohen to John Lennon, everyone worked with him. He was that influential and talented. On the other hand, Lana Clarkson was a struggling actress who did commercials and small roles on television but nothing noteworthy. After a wrist fracture accident, she couldn’t act much and became a hostess at the famous bar named House of Blues. One day, with his chauffeur Adriano De Souza, Phil went to that very bar. The police learned from Adriano during an interrogation that Phil came out of the House of Blues completely drunk. Being the gracious and helpful hostess, Lana accompanied him to the car to help him get in. When she was about to bid him goodbye, he told Lana that he wanted her company and asked her to come to his house to see his mansion. At first, the girl said no, but then she hopped into the car. Maybe she thought networking with a celebrity like Phil would benefit her in the future. But she went with him. Little did she know that she would end up dead within two hours of reaching there.
Was this a murder or suicide?
While investigating the case, the police had their reservations. Investigating such a high-profile case involving a famous celebrity clearly affected everyone involved. What if they came to the wrong conclusion? The whole thing would be really bad. At first, they thought the way Phil reacted after Lana’s death made it seem like maybe it was a suicide. After all, Lana was a struggling actress working in a bar to make ends meet. But why would she die in a celebrity’s house? After talking to her friends, colleagues, and family members, the police learned that Lana was a very jolly headstrong girl who would never have thought of committing suicide. So, what might have happened to her? According to Adriano’s description, after Phil and Lana came to the house, he didn’t hear any noise for a while until he heard a gunshot. When he rushed to see what happened, he saw Phil standing with a gun while Lana was lying on the floor, dead. Phil then confessed nervously that he might have killed her! Adriano feared for his life and ran away and then called the police. By the time the police arrived, Phil had had time to stage the crime scene. There was a holster in his cupboard that fitted the gun he used to kill Lana. There was a moist cloth with blood on it and a jacket he wore that had blood splattered on it. The cloth seemed to have been used to clean the gun and wipe the blood from Lana’s wound. It was horrible!
Was Phil Spector found guilty?
Now, you might wonder, why would he kill her? After this incident, other women, even some celebrities, came forward to share their experiences with Phil Spector. They said Phil was extremely controlling and always carried a gun. Whenever things didn’t go his way, he would threaten to shoot the other person if they didn’t listen to him. Multiple women described how he’d picked them up from bars or other places, taken them home, and kind of held them hostage. If they didn’t want to have relations with him or do as he pleased, he would threaten to shoot them. Many came forward to share their experiences, which further proved that Phil was the murderer. It was not suicide; it was indeed murder. Maybe he used the same tactics with Lana. Maybe she didn’t want to comply, and that’s why he killed her in a rage. He might not have intended to, but his anger and need for control drove him to do it.
Even though all the evidence was against Phil, with his contacts he just wanted to drag the case on for as long as possible. The case went on for so long that he even got married in the meantime. The whole case became a complete circus. His PR team made horrible claims against Lana by painting her as an attention seeker obsessed with Phil as they tried to hide the true story. His wife would laugh in the courtroom to mock Lana as if pretending that her husband wouldn’t lay an eye on that “horrible B-rated actress.” The jurors themselves were really confused, which is why the first trial failed. But the detectives of the homicide bureau and the lawyers against Phil put the case together from scratch and assembled an entirely new jury team. This time, Phil was finally found guilty! He was held accountable for second-degree murder. Even though Phil really wanted to avoid prison, money and fame couldn’t save him. Finally, justice was served.
