Controversial actor Robert Blake, who was acquitted in his wife's murder, passes away at 89

Emmy-winning actor Robert Blake, known for his highly publicised murder trial following the death of his wife, passed away at the age of 89 on Thursday as per media reports. His niece Noreen Austin Blake told the Associated Press that he died from heart disease and was surrounded by his family at his Los Angeles home. Born on September 18, 1933, in Nutley, New Jersey, Blake will be best remembered for his performances in the 1967 film In Cold Blood and the 1970s US television series Baretta. He kicked off his career as a child actor, appearing in various films and TV shows in the 1930s and 1940s.

Murder charge that hounded Robert Blake

Despite his long career and success in show business, Blake's personal life was marked by controversy and tragedy. In 2001, Robert Blake's second wife, Bonny Lee Bakley, was found shot dead in his car outside a Los Angeles-area restaurant. Blake was charged with her murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Prosecutors alleged that Blake had arranged the killing to get rid of his wife, who he believed was trying to extort money from him by claiming he was the father of her child. During the investigation, the police found several pieces of evidence, including a gun holster in Blake's bedroom and two guns owned by him. A retired stuntman also testified that he had been approached by Bakley to murder his wife for him, but the stuntman refused. Another retired stuntman also came forward with a similar story.

But in 2003, junior prosecutor Shellie Samuels confessed in an interview with CBS that the prosecutors lacked forensic evidence linking Blake to the murder and could not connect him to the murder weapon. Blake was acquitted of the murder in 2005.

However, Blake was later found liable in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Bakley's children. He was ordered to pay millions of dollars in damages to the family.

The case remains controversial and has been the subject of numerous books, documentaries, and TV shows.

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