Crime History, March 21, 1976: Singer arrested for killing Olympic alpine skier

Claudine Longet

On this day, March 21, in 1976, singer Claudine Longet, the former wife of Andy Williams, was arrested for the death of former Olympic skier Spider Sabich.

Longet, a French-born pop music singer who co-starred with Peter Sellers in “The Party,” had been living with Sabich in Aspen, Colo.

Sabich had returned from skiing and was preparing for a shower when he was fatally shot in the bathroom. Longet said the gun discharged when he was showing her how to use it.

Critical mistakes by the local police resulted in inadmissible evidence, including Longet’s incriminating personal diary and her blood test, which indicated cocaine use.

She was convicted of misdemeanor negligent homicide.

Longet, now 72, never performed publicly again.

– Scott McCabe