In 1958, a highly publicized case emerged involving the murder of small-time gangster Johnny Stompanato by his mistress’ daughter.

The mistress in question was none other than the famous Hollywood actress, Lana Turner.

The court ultimately ruled that Turner’s daughter, Cheryl Crane, was responsible for the fatal stabbing and deemed it to be ‘justifiable homicide’.

However, in 1996, Eric Root, Turner’s last companion, published a book in which he claimed that Turner had confided in him that she was the one who had actually murdered Stompanato and that young Cheryl was simply covering for her famous mother.

Who was Eric Root?

According to his book, Root was a close and almost platonic friend of Turner’s for over twenty years.

During this time, she confided in him greatly about her marriages (she had been married seven times) and her numerous lovers.

Root stated in the book that Turner had confided in him so that when she passed away, he would be the only one who could tell her story – which was her wish.

Root, who was known as “the hairdresser to the stars”, was a tall, slim, and handsome man who was several years younger than Turner.

The two spent a great deal of time together, traveling the world, and Root was her acknowledged escort to almost every social function she attended in her later years.

The murder of Johnny Stompanato was a topic of great interest in the media and the public. Turner, as a famous actress, was constantly concerned with her public image and appearance.

According to Root, she would spend hours getting ready for social occasions, making sure her hair, makeup, and clothing were perfect.

In fact, there was even a mirror by the exit door in her home where she would survey herself before leaving, and if she deemed herself less than perfect, she would refuse to leave the house.

On one occasion, her apartment building caught fire in the middle of the night. Root, who was sleeping in the spare room, had to force Turner to leave the burning building.

She initially refused because she was not made up, coiffured, or carefully dressed.

Thankfully, Root was able to persuade her to leave, as the couple in the next apartment did not survive the fire.

Root recounts in his book an incident in which he and Turner were in a suite in the Plaza Hotel watching a television show about Hollywood scandals.

Suddenly, images of Turner, Stompanato, and Cheryl were shown on the screen. Root wanted to turn off the television, but Turner stopped him.

After the show moved on to another scandal, Turner allegedly exclaimed, “I killed the son-of-a-bitch and I’d do it again!”

She went on to explain to Root how much she was suffering because of the situation and mentioned her daughter Cheryl, saying, “Cheryl, I owe her so much. I’ve done so many things wrong in my life. But if I die before my daughter, you should tell the truth so I can rest in peace.”

Root claims that in the following years, he pieced together the truth of the murder. According to official reports, Stompanato’s body was found on the floor by the bedroom door.

However, Root deduced from his conversations with Turner that the murder had actually taken place in her bed.

The official version was that Cheryl had stabbed him with a knife from the kitchen, but Turner had told Root that the murder weapon was a knife she kept in her nightstand drawer due to Stompanato’s physical abuse and her fear of him.

In the weeks leading up to his murder, there had been many arguments and fights between the couple.

Root claims that the first people to arrive at the scene of the crime were Turner’s friend, actress Susan Hayward, and her husband, who were staying in the same hotel.

Root claims that they helped Turner to clean up the crime scene and dispose of the murder weapon before the police arrived.

He also claims that Turner and her lawyers paid off witnesses and bribed officials to cover up the truth and protect Turner’s image and career.

It should be noted that Root’s claims have never been substantiated and many have questioned their veracity.

Turner’s daughter, Cheryl, has also denied the allegations and stated that she was the one who killed Stompanato in self-defense. The official ruling of justifiable homicide still stands.

The story of Lana Turner and the murder of Johnny Stompanato continues to be a topic of fascination and speculation to this day.

Root’s book, while not providing concrete evidence, adds an intriguing new layer to the already intriguing story of the Hollywood star and the crime that shook the entertainment industry.