A man linked by DNA to the killing of a prominent television director slain in his Studio City home more than three decades ago pleaded guilty today to voluntary manslaughter.
Superior Court Judge Eric Harmon immediately sentenced Edwin Jerry Hiatt, now 55, to 12 years in state prison following his plea involving the July 5, 1985, killing of Barry Crane, whose directing credits include hits such as The Incredible Hulk, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Police Woman, Police Story and The Streets of San Francisco.
Hiatt pleaded not guilty in 2019 to one count of murder with a special allegation of using a heavy object during the commission of the crime. Hiatt was linked to the crime through DNA evidence decades after the crime, authorities said. The case had gone unsolved for decades when in 2006, and again in 2018, a detective from the LAPD’s Robbery Homicide Division requested that evidence found at the crime scene be retested.
Superior Court Judge Eric Harmon immediately sentenced Edwin Jerry Hiatt, now 55, to 12 years in state prison following his plea involving the July 5, 1985, killing of Barry Crane, whose directing credits include hits such as The Incredible Hulk, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Police Woman, Police Story and The Streets of San Francisco.
Hiatt pleaded not guilty in 2019 to one count of murder with a special allegation of using a heavy object during the commission of the crime. Hiatt was linked to the crime through DNA evidence decades after the crime, authorities said. The case had gone unsolved for decades when in 2006, and again in 2018, a detective from the LAPD’s Robbery Homicide Division requested that evidence found at the crime scene be retested.
- 10/7/2021
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
The man charged with the 1985 killing of prolific TV director Barry Crane pleaded not guilty Tuesday to one count of murder with a special allegation of using a heavy decorative object during the commission of the crime.
Edwin Hiatt, 53, entered his plea at the Van Nuys courthouse in Los Angeles.
According to prosecutors, Hiatt allegedly bludgeoned Crane to death with a large ceramic statue, and wrapped a telephone cord around his neck. The director was found dead by his housekeeper in his Studio City home.
The case had gone unsolved for decades when in 2006, and again last year, a detective from the Lapd’s Robbery Homicide Division requested that evidence found at the crime scene be retested.
Hiatt was linked to the crime through DNA evidence, according to prosecutors. He was arrested in North Carolina in May, and extradited to California on August 15.
Crane was 57 years old at the time of his death.
Edwin Hiatt, 53, entered his plea at the Van Nuys courthouse in Los Angeles.
According to prosecutors, Hiatt allegedly bludgeoned Crane to death with a large ceramic statue, and wrapped a telephone cord around his neck. The director was found dead by his housekeeper in his Studio City home.
The case had gone unsolved for decades when in 2006, and again last year, a detective from the Lapd’s Robbery Homicide Division requested that evidence found at the crime scene be retested.
Hiatt was linked to the crime through DNA evidence, according to prosecutors. He was arrested in North Carolina in May, and extradited to California on August 15.
Crane was 57 years old at the time of his death.
- 10/9/2019
- by Anita Bennett
- Deadline Film + TV
A suspect has been arrested in connection with the 1985 murder of Hollywood TV director and producer Barry Crane, who was found strangled and bludgeoned to death and wrapped in bedding on the floor if his townhouse’s underground garage in Studio City.
Edwin Jerry Hiatt II was arrested in North Carolina and is being held on $2 million bond. He will be extradited to Los Angeles this weekend.
Crane, who was 57 at the time of his death, was also a world-class bridge player, having earned numerous national and international titles and winning the game’s highest honor, the McKenny Trophy, six times.
He was a producer on TV’s “Mission: Impossible,” “Police Story,” “The Incredible Hulk” and “CHiPs.”
An Associated Press report from the time of the murder stated that Crane’s late-model white Cadillac was missing from the garage, though police said they were not certain whether it’d been stolen or was being serviced.
Edwin Jerry Hiatt II was arrested in North Carolina and is being held on $2 million bond. He will be extradited to Los Angeles this weekend.
Crane, who was 57 at the time of his death, was also a world-class bridge player, having earned numerous national and international titles and winning the game’s highest honor, the McKenny Trophy, six times.
He was a producer on TV’s “Mission: Impossible,” “Police Story,” “The Incredible Hulk” and “CHiPs.”
An Associated Press report from the time of the murder stated that Crane’s late-model white Cadillac was missing from the garage, though police said they were not certain whether it’d been stolen or was being serviced.
- 5/10/2019
- by Erin Nyren
- Variety Film + TV
The FBI has arrested the main suspect in the death TV director Barry Crane, a killing that had gone unsolved for decades. Edwin Hiatt was taken into custody today in North Carolina and is awaiting extradition to California.
Crane, whose dozens of TV directing credits included multiple episodes of Mission Impossible, The Six Million Dollar Man and Wonder Woman, was killed in his North Hollywood home on July 5, 1985. His strangled and bludgeoned body found by a housekeeper in the garage of his luxury townhouse.
The case had gone unsolved for decades when in 2006, and again last year, a detective from the Lapd’s Robbery Homicide Division requested that evidence found at the scene of the crime be retested. In July, that evidence turned up a forensic match to Hiatt, who resided in North Carolina.
On March 8, detectives traveled to North Carolina to question Hiatt. During the interview, police say, he admitted to killing Crane.
Crane, whose dozens of TV directing credits included multiple episodes of Mission Impossible, The Six Million Dollar Man and Wonder Woman, was killed in his North Hollywood home on July 5, 1985. His strangled and bludgeoned body found by a housekeeper in the garage of his luxury townhouse.
The case had gone unsolved for decades when in 2006, and again last year, a detective from the Lapd’s Robbery Homicide Division requested that evidence found at the scene of the crime be retested. In July, that evidence turned up a forensic match to Hiatt, who resided in North Carolina.
On March 8, detectives traveled to North Carolina to question Hiatt. During the interview, police say, he admitted to killing Crane.
- 5/10/2019
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
It's as if Prince never left his former crib -- his magic touch is all over the place and it can be yours for a Very shiny penny. The Purple One's former Toronto pad is back on the market for $13,186,500. And talk about a huge jump in market value -- the house was listed at just under $9.5 mil 2 years ago. The 14,500 square foot compound has subtle -- and not so subtle -- reminders that Prince...
- 4/26/2017
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Before sitting down to review this new Deluxe Edition of Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (because why would any of us settle for a sucky “Special Edition?”), I considered this entry in the Friday canon my favorite along with Part VII, but I gotta tell ya, as fun as all my viewings of The New Blood have been, after watching this movie a couple more times it’s just confounded me how it hasn’t been my favorite in the series for years. I think I watched it the least over the years because of its pacing, but all-in-all it’s a powerhouse of a slasher movie. It hits almost every right note, is cut brilliantly and makes its characters its focus. Its climax elicits a great response time and time again, and for such a sad ending as the death of Jason “Awesome” Voorhees, that’s a real,...
- 6/13/2009
- by Saul Berenbaum
- JustPressPlay.net
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.