Claudine Longet, a popular singer and actress, became part of a tragic incident on March 21, 1976, when she killed her boyfriend, Vladimir “Spider” Sabich, a former Olympian alpine ski racer. This event changed the course of her life forever.
Claudine Longet’s Early Career and Marriage
Longet gained fame in the 1960s with her hit songs like “Hello, Hello” and “Love Is Blue.” She also made a name for herself in acting, appearing in the 1968 film The Party and guest-starring in TV shows like Hogan’s Heroes and McHale’s Navy.
In 1961, she married famous singer Andy Williams, and together they had three children: Noelle, Christian, and Robert. Though they separated in 1970 and divorced in 1975, they stayed on friendly terms.
Claudine’s Relationship with Vladimir Sabich
After her divorce from Williams, Longet began a relationship with Vladimir “Spider” Sabich, whom she met in 1972 during a celebrity ski race in California. Sabich had competed in the 1968 Winter Olympics and was one of the top earners in the professional skiing circuit during the 1970s. However, a back injury in 1973 affected his career.
The Tragic Incident
On March 21, 1976, the police were called to Sabich’s home in Aspen, Colorado, where they found his body with a gunshot wound in his abdomen. Sabich, who was 31, died before reaching the hospital due to heavy blood loss.
Longet, then 34, was arrested and charged with his death. She claimed that it was an accident while Sabich was showing her how to use the gun. At her trial in 1977, Longet testified that the gun accidentally discharged while she was holding it flat in her palm, and she did not point it at Sabich.
She stated that after the gun went off, Sabich called her name three times before losing consciousness.
The Trial and Legal Outcome
During the trial, errors made during the investigation, such as the mishandling of evidence, worked in Longet’s favor. She was initially charged with reckless manslaughter, which required the jury to prove that she had acted with a conscious disregard of the risk that led to Sabich’s death.
The jury also had the option to convict her of criminally negligent homicide, a lesser charge meaning that she had acted in a way that a “reasonable person” would not have. In January 1977, Longet was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide and sentenced to 30 days in jail. She was allowed to serve her sentence at her own convenience.
Civil Lawsuit and Life After the Trial
Following the trial, Sabich’s family filed a civil lawsuit against Longet, which was settled privately.
Years later, Longet, now 84, lives in Aspen, Colorado, with her second husband, Ronald Austin, whom she married in 1985. He had served as her defense attorney during the trial. Longet has kept a low profile and has not spoken publicly about the incident since her trial.
