A man arrested in 1985 and responsible for the assassination of television producer Barry Crane in Los Angeles

May 11, 2019, 3:34 UTC

By Phil Helsel

A man awaiting extradition in North Carolina was indicted Friday by Los Angeles prosecutors for the murder of veteran television producer Barry Crane in 1985.

Edwin Jerry Hiatt II, 52, was arrested by the FBI on Thursday for the murder of Crane, 57, whose body was found by a housekeeper wrapped in bedding on the floor of his garage. residence in Studio City, authorities said. He had been clubbed and strangled and his car stolen, the police said.

Hiatt is charged with murder with a special allegation that he used a deadly and dangerous weapon, a large ceramic statue, during the murder, the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office said Friday in a statement.

If sentenced, Hiatt would face a maximum sentence of life in perpetuity, said the prosecutor's office, adding that DNA evidence had established a link between Hiatt and the crime, announced the prosecutor's office.

It was not immediately clear whether Hiatt, who is waiting for extradition from North Carolina, has a lawyer.

Police announced on Thursday that she had arranged a forensic match against Hiatt last year, prompting them to send detectives to North Carolina in March this year. In an interview with the Los Angeles police, Hiatt "admitted to killing Barry Crane," the Los Angeles police department said in a statement.

The motive for the assassination has not been revealed.

Hiatt told reporters in North Carolina while he was escorted to jail that "all I am today is a lifestyle totally different from the one I was in before" and "I do not have any memory at all, guys, it just brought me small pieces," according to a video posted by Charlotte's affiliate ABC WSOC.

When asked if he could have killed Crane in 1985, Hiatt said, "It's possible – anything is possible," according to the video posted online. According to the WSOC, Hiatt also said: "Everything is possible at the time because I was a big drug lover."

Crane was a long-time television producer and director, with credits as a director, producer, and assistant producer in shows such as "Mission: Impossible," "Mannix," "John Trapper," "CHiPs," "The Incredible Hulk "," Hawaii Five ". -O "and many other series.

But he was better known as a contract bridge player and was widely described in his obituaries as one of the best players in the world. He was seen alive for the last time the day before his body was found at a regional team tournament in Pasadena, California.

The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office said on Friday that the case was still under investigation by the homicide-robbery division of the Los Angeles Police Department.