Charemon Jonovich was a 25-year-old woman who died of a gunshot wound to the head on March 15, 1999, at the Hollywood home of her boyfriend, actor Robert Pastorelli. Pastorelli was best known for his role as Eldin, the house painter, on the popular sitcom Murphy Brown. The circumstances of Jonovich’s death remain unclear and controversial, as some sources claim it was a suicide, while others suggest it was a murder.
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The Night of the Incident
According to Pastorelli’s testimony, he and Jonovich had an argument on the night of March 15, 1999, and she suddenly produced a handgun and shot herself in the head. He said he tried to stop her, but it was too late. He then called 911 and reported the incident as a suicide. The couple’s one-year-old daughter, Gianna, was sleeping in the next room at the time of the shooting. [according to Wikipedia]
The police arrived at the scene and found Jonovich’s body on the floor of the bedroom, with a .38-caliber revolver next to her. They also found a small amount of cocaine and marijuana in the house. Pastorelli was questioned by the police, but he was not arrested or charged with any crime. He claimed that the gun belonged to Jonovich, and that he did not know where she got it from. He also said that they had a happy relationship, and that he did not know why she would kill herself. [according to New York Post]
The Investigation and the Controversy
The Los Angeles Coroner’s Office conducted an autopsy on Jonovich’s body and declared the cause of death as undetermined. They said that the gunshot wound was consistent with either suicide or homicide, and that they could not rule out either possibility. They also said that Jonovich had traces of cocaine and alcohol in her system, but that they did not contribute to her death. [according to Wikipedia]
The case was initially investigated as an accident or suicide, but it was later reopened by the Los Angeles Police Department in 2003, after new evidence emerged. The police obtained a tape recording of a phone conversation between Pastorelli and Jonovich, in which they argued about money and drugs. The police also interviewed Jonovich’s friends and family, who said that she was afraid of Pastorelli and that he was abusive and controlling. They also said that she was planning to leave him and take their daughter with her. [according to Reddit]
In April 2004, The National Enquirer reported that the police had concluded their investigation and were about to charge Pastorelli with murdering Jonovich. The tabloid claimed that the police had found evidence that Pastorelli had staged the scene to make it look like a suicide, and that he had a motive to kill her. The Enquirer also alleged that Pastorelli knew that the police were closing in on him, and that he was under pressure. [according to Reddit]
The Death of Robert Pastorelli
However, before any formal charges were made against Pastorelli, he died of a drug overdose on March 8, 2004, at his home in Hollywood Hills. He was 49 years old. The Coroner’s Office reported that he died of a fatal blood concentration of morphine, and that he also had cocaine, heroin, and antidepressants in his system. He was found by his girlfriend, Jalee Carder, who was the mother of his second daughter, Giannina, born in 2000. [according to Wikipedia]
Pastorelli’s death was widely seen as a tragic end to a troubled life and career. He had struggled with drug addiction for years, and had gone to rehab several times. He had also faced legal troubles, such as a lawsuit from his former manager, and a tax evasion charge. His career had declined after Jonovich’s death, and he had only appeared in a few minor roles. He had also suffered from depression and guilt over Jonovich’s death, and had expressed his desire to reunite with his daughter, Gianna, who was living with her grandparents. [according to Wikipedia]
Pastorelli was ultimately exonerated of responsibility for Jonovich’s death, and received public expressions of sympathy from his friends and colleagues in Hollywood. He was remembered as a talented and charismatic actor, who had a promising future before his personal problems took over. He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, next to Jonovich. [according to Find a Grave]
The Legacy of Charemon Jonovich
Charemon Jonovich was a young woman who had a bright and beautiful smile, and a passion for life. She was born in 1973, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Dick and Karen Jonovich. She had a brother, Chad, and a sister, Chantel. She graduated from Brighton High School in 1991, and attended the University of Utah, where she studied communications. She moved to Los Angeles in 1995, to pursue a career in modeling and acting. She met Pastorelli in 1996, and they fell in love. She gave birth to their daughter, Gianna, in 1998. [according to Find a Grave]
Jonovich’s death was a devastating loss for her family and friends, who loved her dearly. They described her as a kind, generous, and fun-loving person, who had a great sense of humor and a zest for adventure. They said that she was a devoted mother, who adored her daughter, and that she had a lot of dreams and goals for her future. They also said that she was a victim of domestic violence, and that she deserved justice. They have kept her memory alive by creating a website, a foundation, and a scholarship in her name. They have also fought for the truth about her death, and have demanded that the case be reopened and reexamined. [according to Find a Grave]
Charemon Jonovich’s cause of death remains a tragic mystery, that may never be solved. Whether she died by her own hand, or by someone else’s, she left behind a legacy of love, hope, and courage, that will never be forgotten.
