French pop singer Claudine Longet, whose glamorous music career became forever tied to one of the most shocking celebrity scandals of the 1970s, has died at the age of 84.
Her nephew, Bryan Longet, confirmed the news in an emotional social media tribute honoring the late singer and actress.
“You have been a true inspiration in my life and you will always be… another star in the sky,” he wrote. “Thank you for everything, my aunt.”
Longet rose to fame in the 1960s after charming audiences with her soft, dreamy pop sound and elegant French style. She released several albums during the height of her career, including Claudine, and became known for songs like “Nothing to Lose.” Her music and beauty quickly made her a fixture in Hollywood and on television.
But despite her success, Longet’s name became permanently linked to tragedy after the shocking 1976 death of Olympic skiing star Vladimir “Spider” Sabich.
Sabich, one of America’s most famous skiers at the time, was just 31 years old when he was fatally shot at the Aspen, Colorado home he shared with Longet. According to reports, the athlete was struck once by a Luger pistol and died while being transported to the hospital.
Longet insisted the shooting was an accident, claiming Sabich had been showing her how to use the gun when it unexpectedly went off.
The case instantly became a media sensation, drawing massive public attention because of the couple’s celebrity status and the mysterious circumstances surrounding the shooting.
In the end, Longet was convicted of negligent homicide rather than murder. Her sentence sparked outrage at the time after she received only 30 days in jail, two years of probation, and a $250 fine.
The scandal effectively overshadowed her entertainment career and remained one of Hollywood’s most talked-about celebrity crime stories for decades.
After the shooting and legal battle, Longet briefly reunited with her former husband, legendary singer and television star Andy Williams, who reportedly helped pay for her legal expenses. The former couple shared three children together.
Even decades later, the shocking death of Sabich continued to follow Longet’s legacy — turning a once-beloved French pop star into a permanent figure in one of entertainment’s darkest scandals.