West Los Angeles - On December 24, 2000, at approximately 12:30 p.m., West Los Angeles patrol officers responded to a radio call of an "open door" on the 1500 block of Benedict Canyon. The officers entered the location and discovered the victim in a bedroom of the residence. The investigating detectives determined the suspect(s) shot the victim one time in the head. The motive for the murder is still unknown and no suspects have been identified.

The victim has been identified as Susan Berman, the daughter of David Berman. David Berman and Ben "Bugsy" Seigal, were business partners who co-owned the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas until Seigal's death, leaving Berman sole ownership.

Susan Berman was a book author, producer, investigative journalist, and screenwriter. She wrote several books including "Easy Street" and "Lady Las Vegas," and was a dual writer/producer at the San Francisco radio station KPIX. Berman also wrote as a journalist for the New York Magazine and the Francis Ford Coppola Magazine. Her latest work was a screenplay for Showtime's hit sitcom "Sin City."

Please contact West Los Angeles Homicide Detective Ron Phillips at 310-575-8408 if you have any information that may assist in this investigation.

This press release was prepared by Officer Danielle Lee, Media Relations Section at 213-485-3586.