Ronni Chasen murder: Film festival offers reward

Image caption, Ronni Chasen had worked on the promotion of such films as Lolita and Driving Miss Daisy

The Palm Springs film festival has offered a $100,000 (拢62,500) reward to help find the killer of a Hollywood publicist shot dead in her car.

Ronni Chasen, 64, was killed as she drove home from a party after Monday's Hollywood premiere of the Cher and Christina Aguilera film Burlesque.

Festival chairman Harold Matzner paid tribute to "a genius at her craft".

Beverly Hills police said nothing had been ruled out, including a carjacking, a random or a targeted attack.

Authorities have searched her Los Angeles home and her West Hollywood office but have yet to find a motive.

Friends of Ms Chasen - who was working on a campaign to get the Burlesque soundtrack nominated for an Oscar - said they were unaware of her having any enemies.

Image caption, Residents said they heard gunfire in the early hours of Tuesday morning

"A publicist doesn't make that type of enemies," said singer-songwriter Carol Connors, a friend.

Palm Springs chairman Mr Matzner said Ms Chasen was "a very good lady and a good friend" whose death was "sad and mystifying."

Publicist Michael Levine has started a fund which he hopes will raise a further $25,000 (拢15,600) towards a reward for information leading to her killer's conviction.

Ms Chasen, who worked on such films as Driving Miss Daisy the 1994 remake of Lolita, was shot several times in the chest as she drove through Beverly Hills in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Her car was found crashed into a lamppost on Whittier Drive, south of Sunset Boulevard.