Of all the photos I’ve ever seen of Claudine Longet, my favorite is the cover of her 1968 album “Colours.” I find it to be the most captivating. With her hair in elaborate French braids, Claudine has a rare pensive look on her face which is highlighted by those deep brown eyes. There is just something haunting in her eyes, and what secrets they may hold. What do you see when you look into the eyes of Claudine Longet? Do you see the look of a sensitive ingénue, or are they the eyes of a killer?
March 21st, 2026, marks the 50th anniversary of the day that Claudine Longet killed her lover, Olympic skier Spider Sabich. In the half a century since that fateful event it seems that both Claudine and Spider have somewhat faded from the front of the cultural zeitgeist, and by removing herself from public life, Claudine has lived like a shadow figure in an attempt to avoid the public scrutiny which vilified her in one of the surrealist entertainment scandals of the 1970’s. But while somewhat faded from popular memory, the murder of Spider Sabich is not completely forgotten, and it continues to be retold and re-examined by true crime aficionados. Hundreds of articles, videos and podcasts exist on this story, with many going into details so great that they could fill a book. An engaging story of jealousy, passion and 1970’s excess, it ends with the loss of a charismatic and beloved young athlete, and a controversial sentencing that continues to leave people wondering if justice was really served.
With so much material existing on this story, with many sources going into great detail analyzing every piece of evidence, every eyewitness account and every rumour and piece of gossip, I honestly don’t know if there really is anything new that anybody has to say in regard to the case of Claudine Longet and Spider Sabich. As I’ve been revisiting the case in my current deep dive on Claudine, I don’t know if I have anything to really add. But, as a long-time fan of Claudine’s I find myself preoccupied with the case as its landmark anniversary approaches, and as I look at the different angles of the story, I can’t help but feel that two lives ended the moment that Claudine Longet pulled the trigger. Spider Sabich lost his life, and Claudine Longet lost her life as she knew it.
Claudine Longet and Spider Sabich met each other at a celebrity skiing exhibition in Aspen in 1972. Originally from Sacramento, CA, Spider had become a fixture in Aspen since moving there in 1971. Claudine, having been separated from husband Andy Williams since 1970, still lived with her three children in the Malibu home she and Andy had once shared, but having become an avid skier herself, Claudine had been making Aspen a frequent getaway destination. An unlikely hot spot during the decadent 70’s, Aspen was a city where the rich came to party, and the locals engaged in a strange mix of booze, drugs and athletics. As legend has it, Claudine, accompanied by her sister Danielle, spied Spider at a party and playfully dropped a drink on him to gain his attention. Wanting to see more of Aspen’s most notable bachelor, Claudine enlisted help by friend Billy Kidd, another Olympic ski champ, who invited her to a party that Spider was to be at. Well, sparks flew and by the end of the weekend Claudine and Spider were the hottest new couple on the Aspin social scene.
At the time they met, in regard to fame, Claudine was probably the bigger of the two stars. Via her marriage to Andy Williams, Claudine had been in the public sphere since 1960 and became famous not only because of her appearances on her husbands long running TV series and popular Christmas specials, but she had become a staple on episodic television, made a few films, including the cult comedy “The Party” starring Peter Sellers, and had released seven albums which had made her an international pop star (for a deeper dive into Claudine Longet’s music career read my Vinyl Story Claudine Longet – Claudine (1967)). However, within Aspen there were few public figures more beloved and respected than Spider Sabich. With his boyish good looks and his vibrant personality, Spider was known to be not only fun and friendly but also said to be kind and generous making him universally loved by sports fans and Aspen’s tight knit community.
Born Vladimir Sabich Jr., Spider gained his unique moniker as a newborn when his father noted that he had a short body with long arms and legs making him look like a tiny arachnid. Growing up in an athletic family, Spider, along with his younger brother Steve, became notable competitive skiers while still in high school, and were both offered skiing scholarships for the University of Colorado. Joining the US ski team while still in college, Spider competed in the first four World Cups and became one of the leading stars of the United States 1968 Olympic ski team in France. Although the team returned to America without any medals, Spider’s looks and charisma made him a notable figure in the world of professional sports, and soon he becomes to skiing what Joe Namath was to football, amassing sizable fame and fortune due to competition prize money as well as commercial sponsorships. While still in his 20’s, Spider purchased his own chalet in the gated community of Starwood in Aspen, and into a life in the fast lane. A favorite on the Aspen party scene, Spider was known to have an appetite for good times, expensive booze and, most of all, beautiful women. Thus, when the newly divorced French songstress hit the Aspen scene, it raised more than a few eyebrows when Spider entered the web that she weaved.
Now Spider Sabich was a much different type of man that Andy Willaims was. When Claudine met Andy in 1960, she was barely 18 years old, and he was 31. Although not yet an adult, Claudine was marrying a man who was ready to settle down, and as a result she gave up her youth to become not only a wife and a mother, but to have it exploited to the public via Andy’s television shows. Now single for the first time in her adult life, Claudine was now the older one in the relationship. She was 30 while Spider was only 27. Not exactly a “May-December” romance, but a love affair with a fast moving young and virile stud would have been a far cry from Andy Willaims’ laid back nature and designer cardigan sweaters. I’m not putting down Andy, but with Spider Claudine was moving at a different pace. But while she worked her way into the Aspen social circles, Claudine never seemed to be able to shake the role of being an outsider within the community. A culture that was filled with gossips and backbiting, Claudine gained the reputation of being extremely high maintenance, often making demands of others which didn’t sit well with the easy-going lifestyle of the local scenesters. While Spider seemed to be loved by all, Claudine was not endearing herself to many of the locals.
By 1974 Claudine had completely relocated to Aspen, bringing her three children, Noelle, Christian and Bobby, along with her. But her move to Aspen seemed to add new problems in her relationship with Spider. According to local gossip, Claudine needed constant attention from Spider, which put him in a type of relationship he just wasn’t ready to be in. Used to the attention and devotion that she received in her marriage to Andy, Claudine put expectations on her young boyfriend to enter a domesticity he did not necessarily want. Bur in her dutiful role as a mother, Claudine would often stay home at night while Spider, away from her watchful eye, would be able to extend his independence, partying and drinking throughout the night. Seething at home while wondering just what, and more so who, Spider might be getting into, Claudine desired a tighter hold on the relationship, and, by the end of year, she and the kids had left their Aspen residence and had moved into Spider’s Starwood chalet.
Well, once Claudine moved into Spider’s home, things for their relationship went from bad to worse. Although it was reported by Spider’s friends and colleagues that he was very fond of Claudine’s children, he was not ready to become the father figure that she wanted him to be, nor was he ready to settle into the homebody lifestyle that Claudine was demanding of him. Furthermore, an injured vertebrae compounded by additional skiing injuries from his past was getting in the way of Spider’s previous success as an athlete. Although still worth millions in sponsorships, Spider began to contemplate his future as a pro-skier. But while his physical injuries were the primary cause of the decline of his career, Spider was reported to form a resentment toward Claudine believing that the stress that she was causing him was an element in maligning his focus. As tensions continued to grow, the chalet in Starwood was soon a hotbed of toxicity, and eventually public spats between the temperamental Claudine and the exasperated Spider began to be reported around town. Claudine and Spider became a constant subject of gossip, with the community painting a picture of Spider as the henpecked boyfriend, and Claudine as the controlling shrew.
Eventually Spider had had enough and in early 1976 he told Claudine that he wanted her to vacate the chalet by April 1. It was reported by friends and colleagues of Spider that he held a tremendous amount of guilt in displacing the children, but with Claudine still holding luxurious properties in California via her divorce, he was not putting anyone out on the streets. While it was reported that Claudine felt that she would be able to manipulate the situation to prevent the end of the relationship, by the time March 1976 rolled around it was very apparent that time was up. The relationship was all but over, and Spider was expecting Claudine to leave.
Which brings us to the fateful day of Sunday March 21, 1976.
Ten days before Claudine’s deadline to vacate the chalet, Spider spent the morning skiing, while Claudine was seen as early as 10 am drinking wine at a local spot called Little Nell’s. However, the pair would cross path’s that afternoon at a gathering held at skiing coach Bob Beattie’s house. Beattie and Spider were scheduled to take a trip together to Las Vegas the next day and also had additional plans to meet for dinner later that night. As to Spider’s interactions with Claudine that afternoon at Beattie’s house, it was rumored that the couple got into an argument, prompting an angry Claudine to leave abruptly.
Hours later, the guard at the gate of Starwood reported that Claudine had returned to the gated community in a fury, driving through the gates at a high speed. Uncomformed rumors that Claudine put an angry call into Beattie’s house looking for Spider have been floated but have never been able to be verified, and others said they saw Claudine driving frantically around town search for Spider. At some point in the late afternoon Spider finally returned home to prepare for going out again.
Shortly after 5 pm a call came into 911 saying that there was a medical emergency at Starwood. When officer Bill Balridge arrived at the chalet , he found Claudine slumped over in the hallway, declaring that she had shot Spider. The officer found Spider in the bathroom bleeding out from a wound in his abdominal. Spider was immediately moved into an ambulance and, although she admitted that she had fired the bullet, Claudine was permitted to ride in the ambulance with him. In later interviews Officer Balridge stated that he felt that it was easier to allow Claudine to go with Spider than to try to calm her down at the scene. Before the ambulance even arrived at the hospital, Spider Sabich was dead. He was only 31 years old…. ironically the same age Andy Williams was when he met Claudine Longet in 1960.
The investigation began immediately, but suffice to say, it did not go smoothy. The weapon used to shoot Spider, a replica WWII German luger which Spider’s father had purchased during the ’68 Olympics, was found on the bed. Meanwhile, a journal belonging to Claudine filled with intimate details of her life, including details on the deterioration of her relationship with Spider and her suspicions about his fidelity, was found inside a bedroom drawer. However, both pieces of evidence would be mishandled in ways that would greatly affect the future of the case. By not actually obtaining a search warrant prior to discovering the journal, the contents within it were not permitted to be used by the prosecutors in the trial to follow. Meanwhile, an inexperienced police officer apparently misplaced the gun, which was found three days later wrapped up in a handkerchief and in a police car glove compartment. As a result of a breach in the chain of custody, all evidence pertaining to the gun was also unusable.
From the moment that the police found her, it was pretty cut and dry that Claudine had shot Spider. She admitted it immediately and never said otherwise. Prior to being questioned about what happened, a toxicology test was done on Claudine and it revealed that not only had she been drinking throughout her day, but she was all hopped up on cocaine as well. But, once again, the police did not have a warrant to give her the test, making her state at the time also admissible in any future cases.
When questioned about what had happened, Claudine stated that the shooting was accidental but gave a bizarre account of what had happened. According to Claudine, with Spider leaving for Las Vegas the next day, Claudine was concerned for her and her children’s safety, so when he was in the bathroom preparing for a shower, she had brought the gun, which she had found in the closet, and asked him for an impromptu tutorial on how the gun worked. While Spider showed her how to operate it, she said there was some confusion if the safety on the gun was on or not, and believing it to be on, she pointed the weapon at Spider and jokingly said “Bang bang,” only to have the gun go off and Spider to slump to the floor.
The police obviously saw the holes in this story immediately. First of all, it was questioned just why Claudine suddenly felt unsafe in a private gated community surrounded by 24 hour guarded security. She had never expressed feeling in danger before, and there were no threats to her or her children. Then, why would Spider, who was an experienced outdoors men that often-used guns for hunting and sport, give Claudine a lesson in firearms in a confined bathroom? But even more damning would be the eventual medical reports that identified where the bullet had entered Spider’s body, which showed that not only was Spider’s back turned to Claudine at the time, but that she would have been standing anywhere between six and ten feet away from him.
As word spread through Aspen that Spider was dead, a shocked and grieving community was all but ready to lynch Claudine. There probably wasn’t a woman in the entire town that was more hated than her. As a result, the rumors and general anger towards Claudine only increased, which muddied up the case as investigators began to question associates of the couple. While the stories of Claudine and Spider’s stormy final weeks together makes good reading, a lot of it can not be verified as much more than gossip. But support for Claudine finally arrived a few hours after Spider’s death when a private airplane containing Andy Williams arrived at the Aspen airport. Andy would be a constant presence with Claudine during the months that followed, where he publicly expressed his unwavering belief in her innocence while emotionally supporting her through the investigation and trial.
Claudine was officially charged with the crime of “reckless manslaughter” on April 6, 1976. Andy hired LA defense attorney Charles Weedman to defend Claudine, why she hired local lawyer Ron Austin as part of her legal team. Now a major news story, reporters and media from all over began to flood into Aspen, who also was given an icy reception from locals who resented what they considered to be an intrusion on their private community.
Claudine’s trial began nine months later, on January 3, 1977, with Judge George Lohr presiding over the procedures. Claudine maintained her innocence and stated that she had never meant to shoot and kill Spider. With the possibility of spending up to ten years in prison for reckless manslaughter, Claudine’s attorneys were able to have the charges dropped to a lesser crime of “criminally negligent homicide,” which would only mean up to two years in prison and a fine of $50,000. Claudine played the role of the grieving lover to perfection, wearing custom made stylish, but not sexy, dresses to court, and speaking so softly during her testimony that members of the jury had to lean in their seats to hear her. After three days of court proceedings, the jury only took three and a half hours of deliberation to come up with a verdict. Claudine Longet was guilty.
But here is where things really get messed up, and where the true miscarriage of justice occurs. On January 31st, the day of Claudine’s sentencing, Claudine addressed the court not as a woman who had just killed her lover, but as a mother. With tears swelling up in those giant eyes that had enchanted the world only a few years earlier, Claudine stated “(My children and I) love each other very much. They respect me and they firmly believe in my innocence. They are beautiful. They are happy. They are very gentle and open. With all my heart, I would like them to stay that way.”
Well, something in Claudine’s plea must have really tugged on Judge Lohr’s heart because the sentencing he gave Claudine makes no sense at all. Stating that he did not believe that Claudine would possibly ever repeat the same crime, he charged her only 30 days in jail, which could be served at a time which was convenient for her, and a fine of only $250. To put this in perspective, this is about the same penalty someone gets for parking in an accessible parking spot. This is what the value of Spider Sabich’s life was to Judge Lohr. He then went on to scold the city of Aspen for their suspicious nature and for treating Claudine Longet as a criminal. Claudine Longet literally walked free that day, but in the hearts and minds of the public, she had gotten away with murder.
And to be honest, the way Claudine handled the aftermath of the sentencing did not help her sooth the feelings of the public. Instead of serving her sentencing immediately, Claudine, stating that she was emotionally burnt out by the trial, went on a trip to Mexico with lawyer Ron Austin, who had reportedly left his wife and children to pursue a relationship with his client (married in 1985, Claudine and Ron Austin are reportedly still together today). Claudine was given until September 1st to complete all thirty days of her sentencing, but prior to serving her time she persuaded sheriff Dick Kienast to allow her to paint her cell, which she reportedly painted a soft pink. Claudine began her sentencing on April 18, 1977, where she could virtually come and go as she pleased, choosing to stay at the jail during weekends and when the kids were with their father. Rumors that she spent the weekends talking on the phone, watching television and even getting takeout delivered to her cell were widely told, but proved to be only malicious talk.
Of course, the wider media outside of Aspen had a few things to say about Claudine as well.
Writer Hunter S. Thompson, who lived in nearby Woody Creek, was an avid skier and an acquaintance of Spider’s, and would often refer to the case in his criticism of the declining culture of Aspen, stating that Claudine’s lenient sentencing was like “fouling your own nest.”
Meanwhile, Mick Jagger, who had no affiliation with Spider or Claudine, other than perhaps hearing Claudine’s bizarre 1972 recording of “Let’s Spend the Night Together,” offered his own cynical take on the outcome of the case in a song he aptly titled “Claudine” that was slated to appear on the Rolling Stones’ 1980 album “Emotional Rescue.” In the song Jagger wrote:
“Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine’s back in jail again
She only does it at weekends
Claudine
Now only Spider knows for sure
But he aint talkin about it any more
Is he, Claudine?
Theres blood in the chalet
And blood in the snow
She washed her hands of the whole damn show, Claudine
Shot him once right through the head
Shot him twice right through the chest
The judge says it was an accident, Claudine
Accidents will happen…
Now I threaten my wife with a gun
But I always leave the safety on
I recommend it, Claudine
Yeah
She pistol whipped me once or twice
Never ever tried to take my life
What do you think about that, Claudine?
You’re the prettiest girl I ever seen
I want to see you on the movie screen
I hope you never try to make a sacrifice of me, Claudine
Nah ah
Don’t get, don’t get trigger happy with me, Claudine
Itchy fingers
Yeah, Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine’s back in jail again
Claudine’s back in jail again, Claudine.”
As a result of the harsh nature of the song, “Claudine” was eventually cut from “Emotional Rescue,” but did manage to get out to the public as a popular bootleg. “Claudine” finally got an official release in 2011 when it was added as a bonus on the deluxe reissue of the album.
But probably the best remembered criticism of Claudine Longet came from Saturday Night Live. In the April 24th, 1976, episode Chevy Chase and Jane Curtain played sportscasters doing commentary at “The Claudine Longet Invitational.” As Curtain and Chase called the actions on the screens, the video showed skiers racing downhill, only to wipe out after the sound of a gunshot:
Chevy Chase: Now, here comes the man to beat – we’re going to be seeing him in a second. Of course, Jean-Paul Baptiste. A 28-year-old civil engineer from Verne, Switzerland. And he’s strong, he’s agile, he’s got a great deal of power, Jessica.
Jane Curtin: He’ll need all the power he’s got on those mobiles, Tom.
Chevy Chase: Look at the way his legs absorb those shocks, as he maneuvers his way down this bumpy terrain. There’s a very nice move there, a lot of spring, he’s really playing this hill.
Jane Curtin: It’s easy to see why he won a Bronze Medal in Innsbrook. He’s a strong skier, and a fierce competitor.
Chevy Chase: Mmm-hmm! Well, I would have to say, it’s a very fast time up to this point. Uh.. He’s doing very well – and there’s a very nice move – uh.. I would say, at this halfway point, he’s going to take third, or maybe even a second place.
(A shot rings out, as Jean-Paul falls into the snow)
Chevy Chase: Uh-oh! Uh-oh! It looks to me like he’s been accidentally shot by Claudine Longet!
(Jean-Paul regains balance on his skis)
Jane Curtin: Just grazed, I think, Tom.
(Second shot rings, as Jean-Paul falls back into the show)
Chevy Chase: Oh, no! That one got him, he’s down! No, he’s down this time.. no, no! No, he’s getting up!
(Jean-Paul continues to ski downhill, albeit a little awkwardly)
Jane Curtin: Always the mark of a fine athlete is the ability to recover in difficult situations.
Chevy Chase: I can’t believe he’s going for the finish line.. and –
(Third shot rings out, Jean-Paul is down for good)
Chevy Chase: Oh, no! Again.. again, he’s been accidentally shot by Claudine Longet, and, this time, I think he’s down to stay, Jessica.”
In May 1976 Spider’s family initiated proceedings for a civil suite against Claudine, but the matter was settled out of court. Unverified rumors that Claudine was going to write a book about the ordeal was brought forward, and as part of the settlement Claudine agreed never to write or publicly speak about the case or her life with Spider.
But Claudine wasn’t the only star that got publicly tarnished by the affair. Although he maintained his popularity with the public throughout his entire life, it is curious to look at Andy William’s musical output before and after the death of Spider Sabich. Prior to 1976, although his sound was extremely out of step with the current music scene, Andy Williams still had a strong presence on the vinyl market, having released at least one new studio album (sometimes more) every year since 1961. In the summer of 1976, during the investigation, Andy did record an album for Columbia simply titled “Andy,” The single from the album, a cover of Aaron Neville’s “Tell It Like It Is,” managed to make the Billboard Top 100 at #72, and both it and a second single, “Love Said Goodbye,” made it onto Billboard’s Adult Contemporary charts, where Andy was a mainstay. But what is curious is that these would be the last times that Andy Williams would appear on either of those charts, making 1976 his final year as a top artist. Andy would not release another album until 1980’s “Let’s Love While We Can,” and would only put out six more albums between 1984 and 2007. I am not saying that his close approximation to, and continuous support of Claudine impacted his career, but some of the polish of his squeaky clean persona may have worn off. While he’d maintain his reputation as being one of the nicest guys in the entertainment industry until his death in 2012, there is evidence that his output and his popularity waned after the trial.
But, of course, the one career that was over was Claudine Longet’s. While no respectable producer was in a hurry to work with her anyway, Claudine didn’t seem to show much desire of her own to re-enter the industry. Instead, she stayed secluded, giving no interviews and living like a ghost out of the spotlight. Since her sentencing in 1977, Claudine has only given one interview, which was for the 2002 “A&E Biography” episode on Andy Williams. However, for the episode Claudine refused to be on camera, and instead she only recorded audio in which she only spoke about Andy and their life together prior to her meeting Spider Sabich.
While time had somewhat eroded the memory of Spider, in recent years he has been honored in big ways. In 2020 Spider was finally inducted into the US Ski and Snowboarding Hall of Fame, securing his legacy within the sport forever. But an even more monumental legacy was revealed in 2022 when the world found out that Spider had a daughter he never knew about! In 1967 a former childhood girlfriend, Dede Brinklman, had given birth to a little girl which she named Missy but never told Spider about her. Missy grew up not knowing who her famous father was until her mother revealed his identity to her when she turned 20 years old. Missy also has a daughter of her own, Grace, who is the granddaughter of Spider Sabich, continuing his lineage of direct descendants.
Now I’ll confess. I don’t think that I have any “hot takes” when it comes to this story, and I think my personal feelings about Claudine Longet and the death of Spider Sabich are somewhat conflicted. I will admit that I am a fan of Claudine Longet. I find her music to be interesting and her voice enchanting. But despite of my fondness for her, I don’t believe Claudine’s account of what happened when she shot Spider, and I do believe she fired the gun out of malice. However, I do not believe that the shooting was premediated. I don’t think Claudine had any intension to shoot Spider the morning she woke up, but, with some booze and cocaine mixed with anger and desperation, I do believe that poor decisions were obviously made. Nobody can ever know what Claudine was thinking when she pulled the trigger. Was she trying to scare him? Did she just hope to wound him? Was she simply out of her mind with rage? I don’t believe that justice for Spider was served, and I do think that Claudine should have spent a significant amount of time in prison for taking an innocent life. I think that the leniency of her sentence was disgusting. I believe that Spider Sabich’s life was worth far more than 30 days in jail and $250. But what I think Judge Lohr saw in Claudine the day of her sentencing may have been that she was living with both guilt and grief. Yes, I do believe that Claudine Longet grieved the death of Spider Sabich, and I do believe she regretted what she did.
But I also believe that not only did Spider Sabich die on March 21st, 1976, but, in some ways, Claudine Longet did as well. It was the death of both her virtuous public image and entertainment career. From that day on she was no longer seen as a singer, actress or mother. She was seen only as a killer, which is the narrative that continue to follow her to this day. I wonder if Claudine has been in her own emotional and mental prison since the moment that she pulled the trigger. I can’t help but feel the memories of that day couldn’t have eaten her alive, and haunt all of her days for the last fifty years. It may not be vindication for the loss of Spider Sabich, but that eternal stain on her soul will be a punishment in itself which Claudine Longet will need to live with for the rest of her life.
