Ronni Chasen...murder stuns Hollywood power-players!

Shortly before she was murdered the other evening in Beverly Hills - gangland-style - Ronni Chasen posted a "to do" list of chores to carry out the next day at her upscale PR office just a heartbeat away from the site of the ghastly slaying.

And, earlier that evening - the charismatic publicist mingled with the power elite (at a chi-chi after-party for the feature film "Burlesque" starring Cher) - seemingly without a care in the world.

According to industry-insiders, the sixty-four-year-old blond - familiar and well-known in show-biz circles - was well-liked, too.

But, for some inexplicable reason, an assassin plugged her body with half-a-dozen-or-so bullets at approximately 12:28 a.m. on Whittier Drive on a quiet tree-lined drive the other evening.

A neighbour who heard the shots - and glanced out the window a few seconds later - reported that the victim was alone in the car and that no one was spied fleeing from the scene.

Which begs the question.

Was it a spontaneous killing triggered by road rage, perhaps?

Or, was it a planned attack, carried out with expert precision by an unknown assailant?

Ms. Chasen started her professional career as an actress on a soap opera, and over the years, ended up landing a post as a top publicist at MGM Studios.

A seasoned pro in the publicity end of the business, Chasen was considered a top dog, when it came to garnering attention (and much-needed publicity) for a film project.

In recent years, the once-married high-profile Hollywood publicist, worked on successful campaigns for celebrated flicks such as the Oscar-winner "Hurt Locker".

Randall Wallace, the director of "Secretariat" (a current box-office hit), confided to a reporter that he was slated to meet with Ms. Chasen yesterday afternoon to launch an Oscar campaign for that sure-fire contender.

For the most part - friends and business associates recalled that Chasen was a likable individual - and a real down-to-earth charmer.

Meanwhile, one producer - Irwin Winkler - fessed up in an interview with a daily just yesterday, that Chasen tended to be fiercely protective and overly-devoted to her clients.

Apparently, Chasen screamed at the Foreign Press Association (Golden Globe Awards), when they passed over his project "De-Lovely".

Maybe there was an enemy or two lurking in the shadows?

News at 11!

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