Claudine Longet, the French-born singer and actor whose career became overshadowed by one of the most widely publicized celebrity trials of the 1970s, has died at age 84.
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Her nephew, Bryan Longet, announced her death Thursday in a social media post, calling her "a true inspiration" and "another star in the sky." Reached by The Associated Press, he confirmed her death but did not provide a cause.
Longet was born in Paris and began performing as a child before rising to fame in the 1960s as a singer and television personality. She released several successful albums, including Claudine, and became known for her soft, bossa nova-style vocals. Among her most recognized performances was "Nothing to Lose" from the 1968 film The Party, which starred Longet alongside Peter Sellers.
She was previously married to singer Andy Williams, whom she met while performing in Las Vegas. The couple divorced in the mid-1970s, after which Longet began a relationship with Olympic skier Vladimir Sabich.
On March 21, 1976, Sabich was fatally shot at the couple's home near Aspen, Colorado. Longet told authorities the shooting was accidental and occurred while Sabich was showing her a Luger pistol. Sabich, 31, died from a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
The case drew international attention and became one of the most closely followed celebrity trials of its era. Longet was charged with reckless manslaughter, though legal complications — including questions surrounding evidence collection — became central to the proceedings.
In January 1977, a jury convicted her of negligent homicide rather than manslaughter. She received probation, a small fine and a brief jail sentence that was later served intermittently.
The trial effectively ended Longet's entertainment career. She later married her defense attorney, Ron Austin, and remained largely out of public view in Aspen for decades.
