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Was foul play involved in the death of an exotic dancer?  Crystal Spencer  She had been dead in her apartment for a week CASE DETAILS  Neighbors heard screams the night she died Crystal Lene Spencer was raised in a small northern California town. At 17, she dropped out of high school and took a job to help support the family. In the summer of 1982, she moved to Los Angeles to chase her Hollywood dream. But she soon realized that stardom was not so easy to come by. Crystal reluctantly took a job as an exotic dancer to pay her bills. On a good night, she took home $400 in tips, but she never fully accepted the fact that she was basically a stripper. According to Crystal’s friend, Patti Jo Millhouse, the fact bothered Crystal:
In May of 1987, friends invited Crystal to a barbeque. She was eager to socialize with people who might help with her acting career. It was there that she met Anton Kline:
Anton Kline was an aspiring screenwriter and Ph.D. candidate. He and Crystal came from totally different backgrounds, but they soon fell in love. Anton took it upon himself to help Crystal broaden her horizons. Anton says he introduced her to art galleries, museums, and concerts:
 The autopsy report contained discrepancies Anton had no idea that Crystal worked as a stripper. She walked a fine line, discovering art and culture by day, and working Hollywood’s dark side by night. Patti Jo said Crystal did her best to keep her night job a secret:
Finally, four months after they met, Anton says he found out about Crystal’s other life:
According to Patti Jo, Anton forgave Crystal:
 Anton spoke to Crystal shortly before she died On Wednesday, May 4, 1988, Crystal was home sick with the flu. Anton stopped by and they talked about an offer she had received to work in Japan. The next night, Anton said he spoke the Crystal on the phone and she said she was feeling better:
Three days later, Anton tried to reach Crystal by phone, but he kept getting a busy signal. An operator told him the receiver was off the hook. Anton said he just assumed that Crystal had left for Japan without saying good-bye:
 Family and friends were upset with investigators On Friday, the 13th of May, 1988, police had discovered Crystal’s decomposed body in her apartment. She appeared to have been dead for almost a week. Anton Kline was questioned:
An autopsy revealed no trace of drugs or alcohol in Crystal’s system. There were no obvious signs of foul play or suicide. The coroner ruled that her death was a result of “undetermined causes.” Deputy District Attorney Robert L. Cohen:
Anton could not believe that Crystal had died of natural causes:
On May 7, three days after Crystal had been at home sick, two of her neighbors, Susan Akin-Taylor and Jet Taylor were woken up around 4 A.M. by a strange crying sound. According to Susan:
Jet Taylor:
Susan Akin-Taylor:
Crystal’s body was discovered a week after her neighbors heard the screams. They finally told their story to the police. Jet Taylor said the police officer seemed disinterested:
Crystal’s family requested to view the body several times, but the coroner’s office continually refused, claiming the body was in no condition to be seen. Anton was denied access to the police records. However, in September of 1988, four months after Crystal’s death, he was able to obtain the autopsy report. Anton says he was shocked by what he found:
Deputy District Attorney Robert L. Cohen:
Anton has come to the conclusion that the police know more than they’re admitting:
Two weeks after Crystal’s body was found, family and friends gathered for a private memorial service. Crystal’s ashes were scattered beneath the famous Hollywood sign. Anton Kline is still searching for the truth:
Watch this case now on Amazon Prime in season three with Robert Stack and in season five with Dennis Farina. Also available on YouTube with Dennis Farina. Various seasons available now on Hulu. |
maria
There are things on here that are spot on about crystal and who she is and where she worked and what she did for a living .Also about her autopsy and how it was handled seems to be the truth. there are truths that we all do not know and maybe it is best that we do not speculate unless we have the hard facts in front of us. This was the 80’and sometimes things were handled a little different then they are handled now. This case may never be solved and it is sad but it is also sad for the family that has to be reminded every year on crystal birthday and the Anniversary of her death that Something or someone had a part in Crystal death and they there is no justice. May Crystal R.I.P !11
Jorge
The information I posted here was for the purpose of presenting the TRUTH, an antidote for Anton Kline’s nonstop fiction and BS. I wanted everyone, including her relatives, to know the true circumstances of her relationship and demise, and see who the real Anton Kline really is…a man who orchestrated everything, benefitted solely, and INTENTIONALLY made no effort to check on Crystal when she could have been saved, and exploited her image, story, and relatives for personal financial and professional gain. Her relatives permitted Anton the Cremation and Scattering of the ashes, hence destroying any remaining evidence regarding her death. Sad!
If her relatives really cared about her, they would want to know the whole truth. If that is important to them, they should take all the information presented here (Jorge’s) and demand that the Burbank Police and LA District Attorney’s Office REOPEN this case! They should contact the Mainstream Media for support and assistance. The Mainstream Media would jump at the chance since they need all the “products” that justify their very existence. This would become a national story, and it so deserves it.
Jorge
Planning a trip to Japan, as supposedly did Crystal? lol. You need the following:
1. Passport: A valid passport is essential.
2. Visa: For a work-related stay, a working visa is required. The specific type of visa depends on the nature of the job. Common types include:
Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services
Intra-company Transferee
Entertainer12
3. Certificate of Eligibility (COE): This document is usually obtained by the employer in Japan and is necessary for the visa application.
4. Visa Application Form: This form, along with the COE, must be submitted to the Japanese embassy or consulate in the U.S..
5. Photograph: A recent passport-sized photograph is required.
6. Vaccinations: While Japan does not have specific vaccination requirements for entry, it is advisable to be up-to-date with routine vaccinations. Check with your healthcare provider for any recommended vaccines.
7. Health Insurance: It is recommended to have health insurance coverage during your stay in Japan.
8. Additional Documents: Depending on the job, additional documents such as a curriculum vitae, copies of degrees, and a letter from the sponsor (employer) may be required
The above are the requirements for entering Japan for a three-month work stay. Anton wants you to believe that Crystal simply hopped a plane to Japan on the spur of the moment without making ay arrangements in Burbank or Japan. Remember, Anton was earning his PhD, a terminal degree only about 10% of the population smart enough to acquire. lol
Jorge
This case is SOLVED; any DA worth his salt would gladly prosecute it. In the case of “Progressive” LA, prosecuting a criminal is an anomaly. lol
Jorge
This case is solved! Read all of Jorge’s posts and see for yourself. If I were on a jury and this information was presented, I would vote GUILTY without hesitation.
Tom
I’m sure plenty of people have their suspicions about Anton. However, considering Crystal had a severe problem with alcohol, and also took drugs, it’s not unreasonable to think she died as a result of what those things do to your body.
Jorge
Tom,
If you had all the intimate information I have (which I cannot disclose here) regarding Crystal and Anton, you wouldn’t t have any doubts about her death. Also, read and reread all the comments under JORGE. You shouldn’t have any doubts about what happened, especially when you evaluate all the intentional MISINFORMATION provided by Anton, especially the FALSE claims of her trip to Japan….and making NO effort to check on her WELFARE when the phone was off the hook….and CREMATING the body and SCATTERING the ashes…when there were questions about the cause of her death…. and then the suit to see what information the Police had about the case? lol
Please go back and READ all the comments by JORGE. There are NO doubts about what happened!
Jorge
Dear Tom,
In the Real World, where there has been a Death, the perpetrator is ALWAYS the one closest to the victim….. who is always LYING….. about everything!
Read ALL the posts by Jorge to get a clear picture of the events….and then conclude.
Good Luck!.
Jorge
Tom,
October 25, 2023 at 12:05 PM
1. Trip to Japan? There was never a trip to Japan to be a hostess at a club. lol. Why would a Japanese agency come to LA and offer a hostessing job to a 5’1″ dark-haired, dark-eyed girl in LA? Don’t they have any such-looking girls in Japan? lol
2. Crystal would have contacted Anton about the trip to Japan if there had been one………and her apt manager, utility companies, employers, mother, friends, etc. There was NO trip to Japan! This was a Red Herring to explain why he didn’t bother to do a Welfare Check on her when learning the phone was off the hook. lol
3. Time of death was 4:00 AM May 7th, 1988. The cries and screams from organ failure pain ceased at 4:00 AM, and May 7 was exactly three (3) days after she consumed drinks containing ethylene glycol, which kills the subject with calcium oxalate crystals in the kidneys and acidosis exactly three (3) days (72 hours) after consumption.
4. Anton Kline waited three (3) days before calling her again to make sure she was dead. When he learned that the phone was off the hook, it was still possible that she was actually at work and still alive (had she not consumed the orange juice he had brought her), therefore he went to her work. She hadn’t worked all week, so he knew she was either dead or near death, so he made NO attempt to check on her or have another do so. lol
5. Had Anton gone to her apartment, he would have been in trouble, whether or not she was still alive. An autopsy shortly after death would have discovered the death by poisoning, and Anton was the last person to have seen her alive….and he brought her food and drink. lol.
6. The longest possible decomposition followed by a rapid Cremation and Ash Scattering obliterated any chance of analyses that would have recovered Calcium Oxalate Crystals in the kidneys, proof of poisoning by ethylene glycol (antifreeze). lol. Cremation and Scattering of the ashes under the Hollywood Sign guaranteed NO available evidence of a Crime…..hence the Perfect Crime!
Jorge
If an American takes a job in Japan for three months, here are the key requirements they must meet: PLEASE NOTE: One CANNOT simply hop a plane to Japan on the spur of the moment as Anton Kline claims regarding his belief that Crystal Spencer hopped a plane for 3 months in Japan without making any plans or notifying anyone, including her LOVER. lol. Remember, Anton Kline was a PhD Candidate. LMFAO!
Passport: A valid passport is essential.
Visa: For a work-related stay, a working visa is required. The specific type of visa depends on the nature of the job. Common types include:
Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services Intra-company Transferee Entertainer (model/hostess)
Certificate of Eligibility (COE): This document is usually obtained by the employer in Japan and is necessary for the visa application3.
Visa Application Form: This form, along with the COE, must be submitted to the Japanese embassy or consulate in the U.S.3.
Photograph: A recent passport-sized photograph is required3.
Vaccinations: While Japan does not have specific vaccination requirements for entry, it is advisable to be up-to-date with routine vaccinations. Check with your healthcare provider for any recommended vaccines.
Health Insurance: It is recommended to have health insurance coverage during your stay in Japan.
Additional Documents: Depending on the job, additional documents such as a curriculum vitae, copies of degrees, and a letter from the sponsor (employer) may be required3.
It’s always a good idea to check with the Japanese embassy or consulate for the most current requirements and procedures.
Sy
I feel for all the comments made by Jorge. I will pay devils advocate and bring up the dark side of Stripping & sex trafficking in the 80’s. Despite all the traction made by women’s movement, a man could travel with a “wife” and she would not require documentation. This poor girl may have been scheduled to be tricked into going to Asia & being sent there or God knows where to be a sex slave or even to a snuff film (live movie killing). Yes they have similar people there, but they are citizens with family that would report them missing.
My gut feeling is that she was told not to say anything to anyone. about the job, “so the othe girls wouldn’t be angry” red flag!
But she told her boyfriend who tried to talk her out of it, but couldn’t. The perpetrators had made the opportunity sound too great. So boyfriend may have gotten her sick in hope that they’d move on to another victim. Not as if he could go to the police. No doubt she told them how they would come in to the and make the girls perform in sadistic sex acts (cops love their handcuffs) to avoid having drugs planted on them, resulting in false arrest.
He took the Phone off the hook to keep them from calling to “pick her up”.
I think her “agent” sent someone to take her by force if necessary. She refused and a fight ensued. The alleged “driver” not only gave her a beating but assaulted her sexually since, she was home, like most women not expecting company, and was scantily dressed.
There are no nice people in the sex industry. All predictors, who pray on opportunity. At this point the driver knows he’s going to catch hell for damaging the “merchandise” and continued to brutalize her to make his karma worth while. Then left as quietly as he came. Telling her not to call police or anyone or her family would be hurt. She died of internal injuries, not detectable under older pathology. The body would have swelled & blood pooled in the center of the body.
Later her boyfriend was told to come up with a story & destroy evidence & he could continue his status quo. His karma is he is always looking over his shoulder as a loose end, waiting to be cut.
Every time the story comes up, it’s on him to deflect to bad police work so the predators go on.
Again, just a hunch. Not saying any of it is true. Basing it on piecing stories told to me by people who have experienced the deep dark under belly, 1st hand, and managed to live to speak about it. It is why Jesus say we are to pray constantly.
I am grateful for the angels who lead her to heaven in her last hours. May those who feel any guilt be released from it knowing she is in heaven and feels no anger only peace.
Yes Jesus loves and died for strippers and everyone in the adult service industry. Remember the adulterer & the woman at the well who had multiple live in “partners”.
To the neighbors who didn’t call the police, don’t frett. They were tipped off & paid not to come. Evidenced by the way they treated the couple that came forward, days later.
The perpetrators will be punished by God on to their next 4 generation of the evil & unrepentant.
While she appreciates the attention. Crystal would want us to move on because there is so much sadness In her death & she lives joyously according to those who knew her. She’s prefer to be remembered that way, instead.
Jorge
A wannabe mystery screenwriter creates a nonsensical tripe and wants people to believe it. No one buys it. but keep on trying.
Jorge
1. Crystal Spencer died at 4:00 AM on May 7, 1988, when the screams from her apartment ceased. This marked the end of organ failure (kidneys) from poison. Heart and lungs were failing before that date.
2. Crystal begged her sister for her mother’s number on May 4, 1988, because she was so sick she could not go to the bathroom. On the other hand, Anton claimed that on May 4, 1988, “Crystal had a slight cold and, was running around the apartment preparing coffee.” That is not possible! She was barely able to walk and talk on the phone.
3. Crystal called several people on May 3, 1988, claiming that she was sick with the flu and needed to talk. She sounded deathly ill. This was NOT a girl with a slight cold, but someone barely audible and barely ambulatory. There was NO flu or cold going around at the time.
4. Before May 1, 1988, Crystal was completely normal and highly energetic, exhibiting no signs of illness of any kind. Her mother and I both attested to that fact.
It appears that Crystal was poisoned in two (2) separate incidences: the first on or about May 1 and the second on May 4, 1988, which ended her life three days later.
Jorge
From “Unsolved Mysteries:” “On a good night, she (Crystal) took home $400 in tips, but she never fully accepted the fact that she was basically a stripper. According to Crystal’s friend, Patti Jo Millhouse, the fact bothered Crystal:”
“She would just start crying. Like she felt degraded about herself, of what she’d done.”
LOL. I can’t believe some of the BS quoted in this article, courtesy of Anton Kline. By the way, I had NEVER heard of Patti Jo Millhouse, a supposed friend of Crystal, until I had seen the Unsolved Mysteries program. One evening Crystal stopped by my place with her best friend on their way to a bar, but it wasn’t Patti Jo Millhouse. lol.
Question. Crystal cried because she felt she had degraded herself? lol. One evening Crystal knocked on my door and asked me to drive her to the nudie bar on Sepulveda Blvd in North Hills because she wanted to do the Nude Dance contest that night. I waited inside for the entire contest. At the stage sat a well-known young leading man with friends, apparently some kind of Boys’ night out scenario. Crystal was smitten by him and gave him 100% of her attention from the stage, virtually ignoring the other patrons. After she completed her number, Crystal went over to him, handed him her phone number, whispered in his ear, and kissed him. She didn’t receive any tips. and we exited the bar.
The next time I saw Crystal, I asked if the celebrity had called her. She said, “No.”
Tiffany
Jorge,
Is there a way to reach out to you? My father was a friend of hers. I remember her from when I was very young. My father ALWAYS believed she was murdered. I would like to hear more about what you know.
Jorge
Everything that I can publicly disclose can be viewed on this site. Read ALL the postings by JORGE. There is more confidential information, but it cannot be disclosed here. Read all my comments and you should see the entire scenario concerning Crystal Spencer, her relationship with Anton Kline, and her subsequent death. The information presented here by me is Factual, Scientific, and Obvious to any intelligent person when reviewed with an open mind. The Police should reopen the case, but it would require the efforts of her family to convince the Police and the District Attorney’s office to pursue it. The family and friends should also contact the LA Times, which originally assisted Anton Kline in his Misinformation Campaign of creating an “Unsolved Mystery.” Also, they should contact several TV shows that deal with such matters to get the general public involved. This would be most effective. The Police are not likely to reopen this case because there is NO physical evidence regarding her death, although the Circumstantial Evidence is OVERWHELMING in leading to a conclusion of murder. Without physical evidence of a murder, there is no murder, hence the cause of death is Indeterminate. Anton Kline made certain that any evidence of murder was destroyed by him via cremation of the body and the irretrievable scattering of the ashes that could have contained scientific evidence of poisoning. Good Luck.
Jorge
If you have any SPECIFIC questions regarding my comments, please post them on this site. I will gladly clarify anything that I posted here.
-Jorge
Dean
So Anton I’m assuming was the last person to see Crystal alive so why was he never really looked at seriously? He seems a little off to me,I know if I had been a detective Anton would have been the number 1 person I’m looking into.
Jorge
I have posted a couple of sections regarding “Committing the Perfect Crime. ”
Read all my posts and you will have your questions answered.
Good Luck and Good Reading.
Jonathan Hirsch
Jorge,
I’m an investigative reporter and documentarian with Sony Music looking into this story. Can we talk?
Jorge
Question. What is there to talk about? There is enough information here to take this case to court and win a conviction, I’m interested in your comments.
Jorge
Anton kept the Police busy with Wild Goose chases following up on all the fictional scenarios he managed to create regarding Crystal’s death and all the supposed killers. lol. Virtually everything Anton said, be it about Crystal herself, how they met, her Hollywood Dreams, their actual relationship, their conversations, her appreciation of the fine arts, etc. were all MISINFORMATION intended to fool the police and newspaper writers and enhance his chance to promote his Fictional Story regarding the entire scenario. Anton created EVERYTHING and is the ONLY person who profited from her death, both professionally and financially.
Jorge
Dean,
The Police narrowed it down to two (2) suspects, with Anton being the prime one (1) for all the reasons mentioned here, plus his injecting himself into the investigation and accusing virtually everyone under the sun of killing her when the evidence at the time suggested that Crystal may have died of natural causes. lol. There is another key reason why he is the prime suspect, but that information is intentionally being withheld from the public at this time. This bit of information is the “nail in the coffin.”
Charlie
This woman was an exotic dancer??? She’s not very attractive
Jorge
Two weeks after Crystal’s body was found, family and friends gathered for a private memorial service. Crystal’s ashes were scattered beneath the famous Hollywood sign. Anton Kline is still searching for the truth:
“I am angered that they are attempting to suppress the police reports in this case forever. We need to know what happened to her. It’s important to all of us who cared about her to learn the truth. That’s all we want, is the truth.” —-Anton Kline
Dear Anton,
You and I both know what happened to Crystal… and who is responsible…and who is the ONLY person to benefit from her death (both professionally and financially)… and who is the last to have seen her alive and the last to provide her with food and drink … and who created multiple & ridiculous false narratives regarding her cause of death… and false claims of her travel to Japan (to sow confusion and distraction and provide a fake alibi)… and who accused dozens of others of killing her (to send the police on wild goose chases)…and who insisted to the police that she was murdered when they suggested she died of natural causes…and who is the one that offered her family to take care of all funeral arrangements…and then had her cremated… and then had her ashes scattered irretrievably under the Hollywood Sign (when there were questions about the cause of her death)…and then claim that he only wanted to know the Truth (lol)….and who sued the police to see what information they had…..and who was denied that information by the Judge. So, who do you think killed Crystal Spencer, Anton Kline? lol
Timthee John
Wait a minute, were you insinuating Anton, or someone else that I’m forgetting from this episode¿?
JORGE
“Leopold and Loeb,” two intellectual geniuses with IQs over 160+…..yet Anton Kline is even smarter and more successful in achieving his objective…..
Jorge
LOL. Anton Kline claims that there was something very Alluring and Compelling about her (lol), yet she had to deal drugs to make enough money to buy food, booze, and pay her rent, since her tips basically amounted to “nothing.” Her car was a total wreck that wouldn’t run half the time, and she relied heavily on friends to get to and from work.
Jorge
How to commit the Perfect Crime…..
1. Find the right candidate: Befriend one who is a low IQ Drug Addict/Alcoholic-Fall Down Drunk who lives alone and has no relatives in the area, and has an irregular job with irregular hours, such as a stripper. Claim that you two are madly in love! lol
2. Use a method that a). leaves no telltale signs (poisoned drink) that can be applied by the subject herself over time, while you, the perpetrator, is elsewhere, after initially providing the drink mixture and food. b). Ideal such would be anti-freeze (ethylene glycol prior to 2005) which is sweet and acts just like ethyl alcohol for 30 minutes to 12 hours before toxicity steps in from the metabolites. c). Metabolized Ethylene Glycol kills the subject in 72 hours with a combination of Glycolic Acidosis and Calcium Oxalate Crystals in the kidneys, leaving no external signs of foul play or disease, appearing to be natural causes, and thus no need for a thorough autopsy that would discover the Calcium Oxalate Crystals.
3. Offer the next of kin to handle all the funeral arrangements: a). Immediately have the body Cremated to destroy any residuals of poisons. Failure to cremate would leave the Calcium Oxalate Crystals in the kidneys that would be detected later if the body were exhumed for more testing, proving murder! b). Just to be certain that any remaining evidence of foul play is eliminated, SCATTER all the ashes under the Hollywood sign, as witness by her family and friends. No material evidence, no evidence of a crime….hence the Perfect Crime!
4. Leave no stone unturned regarding other possible evidence of foul play that could be used against you, demand that the police turn over ALL Information they have regarding the deceased. Sue them when they refuse to cooperate. Having solely destroyed any possible evidence of a crime, claim that all you want is the TRUTH! Lol.
Jorge
Ditto……..lol. Anton Kline wants you to believe that there was something Alluring and Compelling about her…..and that a Japanese agency came to LA and hired her to be a host of a club in Japan because she was so special. lol.
Jorge
Crystal’s bungled autopsy……..
Right body, bad autopsy. Incompetent employees created additional problems rather than helping solve existing ones.
Height must be measured from the top of the head to the bottom of the heel. Extending the measuring to the extended toes would add about 6 inches to the actual height, making her appear 5’7″ instead of her 5’1″.
Weight must not include the weight of the gurney, which would add about 50 lbs. Also, the decaying corpse would be bloated due to gases forming inside, giving the appearance of being a “well-nourished” subject to the incompetent/uninitiated employee.
Organic medication such as aspirin and others could be largely decomposed during the putrefaction as well, and her body was severely decomposed.
PS. The level of extreme decomposition so that neither her race nor her sex could be determined raises additional questions, since such would normally occur under very hot conditions. Crystal’s apartment was on the second floor facing WEST, into the setting sun. In May she would have to have run the AC continuously from about noon to about 6:00 AM the following morning to be comfortable. Crystal also liked the temperature on the cool side, probably because she was always loaded with alcohol, which would also raise the body’s temperature about 0.6F, making her feel stuffy. Compare this to Linda Sobek’s body, which barely showed any decay after two-three days buried in the desert! Therefore, the question….did someone such as Anton, go to Crystal’s apartment after learning the phone was off the hook, and she was probably dead, and Turn Off the AC which would have been on, thereby facilitating the degree of decomposition? If the AC was Off when Crystal’s body was discovered, this would be HIGHLY Suspicious!
Jorge
A couple of additional points: 1). The coroner’s office reported her height of 5′ 1″ as 5′ 7″. It’s also possible that a data entry error occurred if the clerk misread a handwritten “1” as a “7”. In addition, 2) Anton made a big issue of the Coroner’s Office failing to identify metal components in her ankle, therefore “proof” that the wrong body was autopsied. lol. Dear Anton, when the body was cremated, the metal parts would have remained with ashes. Did the family receive these parts? Did you request them? This would have been proof that Crysal’s body was in your possession and there was no autopsy of the wrong body.
Jorge
From Anton’s claims regarding Crystal from the show…..
“Anton took it upon himself to help Crystal broaden her horizons. Anton says he introduced her to art galleries, museums, and concerts:” ‘She loved classical music. She loved fine art. She wanted to know more about these other wonderful things of life that she had never been exposed to before.’
LMFAO! Anton can’t stop with the lies and BS!
Crystal loved fine art? lol. Crystal lived in the filthiest, ugliest, messiest, pigsty one can imagine, with feces covering the entire inside of the toilet bowl! Crystal did not have the slightest appreciation of AESTHETICS of any kind, much less fine art. lol. A person who loves art… of any kind… would never live in an apartment that resembled the city dump. Anton refers to her life in a pigsty as “somewhat disheveled.” lol. Her car was equally squallored and ugly. It had never been washed since her purchase. The white sidewalls still had the blue protective coating on them at the time of her death, many months after purchase. Neither art nor even minimal aesthetics were of any interest to Crystal! lol
Jorge
Consider Anton’s statement regarding his surprise of Crystal’s lively hood as presented here on Unsolved Mysteries (lol):
“Anton had no idea that Crystal worked as a stripper……She walked a fine line, discovering art and culture by day, and working Hollywood’s dark side by night.
“Finally, four months after they met, Anton says he found out about Crystal’s other life:
“A neighbor saw her dancing at the club by the airport where she worked. And he said, ‘I saw that girl on stage.’ I said, ‘No, you couldn’t have.’ He said, ‘That was her.’ Of course it was her. And I was shocked.”
LMFAO! For the four (4) months that Anton was seeing Crystal after meeting her, he had NO IDEA WHAT SHE DID FOR A LIVING. LOL….apparently thinking she spent her days discovering Art and Culture by day as a means of lively hood. lol
Question. How many people have you known that dated their significant other for four (4) months without having any idea how they made their living? LMFAO! If you believe Anton Kline’s statement, I have a great deal for you on a beach front property with a view of a mountain range in Lubbock, Texas. lol
Jorge
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN……….
After reading ALL (about 50) postings by Jorge, you still have no idea WHAT caused Crystal’s Death or WHO might have been responsible…or HOW her death was caused… or the REASON for her death……please contact me and I will explain it to you personally.. There will be NO Doubt in your mind……Guarantee It…..lol.
-Jorge
Tiffany
Hi Jorge,
What all do you know about this case? You said to message you if you want it explained. Please, I would love to hear more. This case has a personal interest to me.
maria
Dont know if you knew her personally sounds like you did. yes i would like to know what you know and how do you know.
Jorge
Truer words were never spoken. Right on!
The only one finding her “attractive,” with something “compelling” about her (a fall down drunk and drug addict and drug dealer), is a Gay Mystery Writer who immediately had her cremated and scattered her ashes under the Hollywood sign….and then claim that all he wanted was the TRUTH about her death. lol
Michael
So your saying just because she is not attractive and she an exotic dancer that she deserved death?
Jorge
The logic of a Progressive Democrat? lol
Jorge
Please note:
Anonymous makes several references to Doctors being involved in her death. There were NO Doctors involved in any aspect of Crystal’s death…….not Before, not During, not After! No Doctors were withholding information related to her death!
Consider the following ways to kill a person: Shooting, Stabbing, Battering/Beating/Blunt Force, Strangulating, Suffocating, Hanging, Electrocuting, Incinerating, Drowning, and …..POISONING!
ALL the means of killing leave obvious telltale signs to any observer…..except…..POISONING……which can be done by anyone, friend or foe, at any time, at any distance, with the outcome/death occurring usually at a LATER time, when the perpetrator is at a different place from the crime, and has an alibi. Following the application/poisoning, the victim often complains of flu-like symptoms and severe pain before passing. This fact often causes the focus away from a possible crime and to the physical condition of the victim at the time, since there are no obvious signs of trauma. Most organic poisons will NOT be detected unless tests are conducted shortly after death and GC/Mass Spec is used for analysis, because most organics decompose during the putrefaction of the body. Poisons containing stable metallics will remain after putrefaction and can be detected after death, even after cremation……unless the ashes are scattered to the winds….. such as under the Hollywood sign.
A popular poison for the layman, especially women, is Ethylene Glycol (anti-freeze), which is sweet and easily can be added to a person’s beverage, such as orange juice, soda or sweet wine in a small quantity. Initially the Ethylene Glycol mimics alcohol, making it the perfect means for poisoning an alcoholic. It takes three (3) days for the Non-toxic Ethylene Glycol to decompose to Toxic byproducts that cause a very painful death caused by organ failure!
When Crystal called out for help to everyone and anyone on May 3rd because she was extremely ill, her boyfriend came over on Wednesday May 4th with orange juice and food. He claimed that she had a slight cold and was running around the apartment and making coffee. He waited three (3) days before contacting her again via phone. The phone was busy, so he called the phone company to see if the phone was off the hook. Strange action? The phone company said the phone was off the hook. Did he call anyone to do a welfare check? No! Did he himself go to the apartment to see if she needed help? No! Not knowing if she was dead in the apartment, or simply at work, he went to her work. She was not at work. Did he then bother to follow-up with a welfare check on Crystal? No! He simply went home and did nothing else until contacted by the police. When the police told him she probably died from natural causes, he insisted that she was murdered! lol.
As soon as the body was released by the coroner, the boyfriend had the body cremated……and threw the ashes to the winds under the Hollywood sign. No bodily material to analyze, no evidence of a crime! lol
Me!
I didn’t see references to doctors. What? You’re literally. Trying to stir up garbage
You either are an involved serial killer who needs validation. Or are just as sick. By playing with people’s emotions. Either way. Yuck
Insert Name Here
Two things:
1) I believe anti-freeze is nowadays made so that the taste is bitter and can no longer be mixed with tea, soda, etc.
2) Mr. Kline was told by someone at the victim’s workplace that she had left for Japan, which is why he didn’t do anything until he was contacted by the authorities. I’m not disputing that the chronology of Kline’s actions this particular day weren’t bizarre, just stating his inaction after visiting the strip club.
Jorge
Dear Mr/Ms Insert Name Here:
Please note my two responses…lol
1). S.1110 – Engine Coolant and Antifreeze Bittering Agent Act of 2005
109th Congress (2005-2006)
Sponsor: Sen. Allen, George [R-VA] (Introduced 05/24/2005)
Committees: Senate – Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Committee Reports: S. Rept. 109-220
Latest Action: Senate – 03/14/2006 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 373. (All Actions)
a). Crystal was murdered in May 1988 with what was apparently anti-freeze, which was sweet and easily added to orange juice and wine, and even improved their taste and had the same effect as alcohol, until turning into toxic metabolites and killing her in THREE (3) days, causing severe pain as organ failure set in.
b). Eighteen (18) years later, in 2006, a bill (see above) was introduced in the Senate to make sweet anti-freeze Bitter. It was a little bit late to save Crystal. lol
2). Mr. Kline waited THREE (3) days after delivering food and drink to Crystal (who was severely ill according to her phone calls to me…to her sister…to her mother) before checking up on her by Phone Only. Since her phone was busy, he checked with the phone company to see if she was on the phone or if the phone was off the hook. Why? lol. Told the phone was Off the Hook, did he check on her to see if she was in need of help? Did he go to her apartment? NO!. Did he call the Apt Mngr to check on Crystal? NO! Did he call the Burbank Police to do a Welfare Check on her? NO! The BPD do welfare checks all the time and at no cost. lol. What did he do? he went to her work to see if she was there instead……..
a). Kline was told by “someone” at the victim’s workplace that she had left for Japan (without notifying her Lover, and being severely ill?), therefore he did nothing until contacted by the Police. LOL.
Who was this “someone?” lol. I went to her place of work on Friday May 6, my first chance to check on her, to see how she was doing. Since I didn’t see her there after an hour and a half, I decided to check the Dancers’ Log, where EVERY Girl MUST sign in upon arrival. The Log is located at the entrance and anyone can easily check it to see who is and who was there. Kline would have known, he’s not only smart, but also a PhD candidate. lol. Crystal had NOT been there all week! Therefore, had she told anyone or “someone” at work that she left for Japan, she would have had to CALL them, since she had NOT been at work all week.
b). According to Kline’s logic, Crystal CALLED her work to say she was going to Japan, but NOT her Lover Kline? lol
c). Kline keeps using Crystal’s supposed “Trip to Japan” (to serve as a Hostess there) as the EXCUSE as to why he did not check on her. lol.
d). Guess what? There NEVER was a Trip to Japan!!! Crystal was NEVER going to Japan!!!
e). According to Kline’s Theory, a Japanese agency came all the way to Los Angeles to hire a 5’1″ Black Haired, Dark Eyed, Fall Down Drunk … and somewhat Japanese-looking… and pay her way and boarding costs in Japan to be a hostess. lol. Apparently, according to Kline, there is somewhat of a shortage of 5″1′ Black Haired, Dark Eyed hostess girls in Japan, so they have to come recruiting in Los Angeles. LMFAO!
f). Folks, you can’t make this stuff up, except that KLine is a “Mystery Writer.” lol
Jorge
Insert Name Here,
Question…..
An attorney or just an academic with a PhD? lol
Jorge
POISONING by ETHYLENE GLYCOL……Quantity and time……
1. It takes about 4.5 oz of 50% ethylene glycol to kill a 100 lb adult in three (3) days……just add to a container of orange juice or sweet wine (prior to 2005). It tastes and acts just like sweet wine.
2. How long does it take for ethylene glycol poisoning to occur?
The three stages include the following: Stage 1 (the neurological stage) occurs within 30 minutes to 12 hours after ingestion. Stage 2 (the cardiopulmonary stage) occurs between 12 and 24 hours after ingestion. Stage 3 (the renal stage) occurs between 24 and 72 hours after ingestion.
3. Anton claims to have brought Crystal Orange Juice on May 4, and she was feeling “better” on May 5. Remember, Ethylene Glycol initially acts just like alcohol on the neurological system. lol
4. Moaning sounds coming from Crystal’s apartment were heard by a neighbor on May 6. Heart problems were occurring from the toxic metabolites.
5. At 4 AM on May 7 Miss America and her Bo Jet were awakened by cries and screams coming from Crystal’s apartment, sounds caused by painful Heart and Kidney Failure.
6. On May 7 Crystal was dead and her phone was off the hook when Anton followed up, after WAITING three (3) days before checking on her since his last visit on May 4. lol
7. Anton not knowing if Crystal was DEAD….or possibly at work….. went to her work, where she had NOT been for the entire week, according to the Daily Log dancers must sign in to get paid.
8. Anton NEVER did a Welfare Check on Crystal, nor ask another to do so…..just going home and doing nothing further until contacted by the police.
9. When the police told Anton that Crystal probably died of natural causes……ANTON INSISTED THAT SHE WAS MURDERED!!! lol
Jorge
Crystal was NOT seeing any Doctors, although she might have been saved had she.
Anonymous
These types of cases involving doctors are the hardest cold cases to solve. Debbie Wolfe was easy to figure out. There is no way she drowned with no water in her lungs. (That case was profiled on Unsolved Mysteries. It involved medical people at a VA.) Doctors know what medical examiners look for. Crystal Spencer was sick and seeing doctors. Michael Jackson’s doctor was busted. But the doctor for Elvis was acquitted. It is really hit and miss going after these physicians. Unfortunately there us not enough evidence in this case. If her doctor was responsible. He did a good job of being irresponsible. As for the screaming and torture. Maybe a television was overheard. I don’t know. But that is not enough evidence for a conviction. Decomposed bodies are hard to determine height and weight. (I hope I covered some unanswered questions.)
Jorge
Who are you? lol. Where did you get your “information?” lol. No Doctor had anything whatsoever to do with her death…..NONE!
Insert Name Here
Jorge, in the Unsolved Mysteries episode, there was an unidentified man seen sitting in the victim’s apartment, in some undeveloped film or something like that. Was/is that man you?
Jorge
LOL. No, not I in Crystal’s apartment. lol. Most likely he was one of her associate drug dealers/customers. The police know who he is. They interviewed and cleared him. We know that Crystal did NOT meet her fate at the hands of any drug dealer. Drugs and money were found scattered throughout the apartment. No self-respecting Low Life Drug Dealer/User would have been so incompetent as to leave both money and drugs behind. lol.
Jorge
LOL….Ah?….NO!
Anonymous
She died of natural causes. To over rule a medical examiner on the manner of death you need to present more evidence. The county detectives didn’t just do contact tracing back then except for Aids. The only other files they can open are her medical information. I’m sure the medical examiner already went over those. If those doctors were later busted of something, you can request to have the case reopened. All of that information is private and confidential. Los Angeles has a new corner. He may have a different opinion if presented it. It is unfortunate that she passed away. And the circumstances were very bizarre. The corner has to find something. And without knowing what to look for it is only speculation.
Jorge
Jorge: When the Police first contacted Anton Kline, they said Crystal apparently died of “natural causes.” Anton immediately jumped up and claimed that Crystal was MURDERED!!! Why was he so certain, if there were no evidence? He also convinced her mother she was Murdered. By the way, her mother visited the week before her death and Crystal appeared in perfect health. lol
Anonymous: “To overrule a medical examiner on the manner of death you need to present more evidence.”
Jorge: The Medical Examiner made NO RULING on the manner of death……Undetermined! This Case is Wide Open!!!
Anonymous: The county detectives didn’t just do contact tracing back then except for Aids. The only other files they can open are her medical information. I’m sure the medical examiner already went over those. If those doctors were later busted of something, you can request to have the case reopened. All of that information is private and confidential.
Jorge: The week before she died she appeared normal to her mother, to me and to her Dr. Feel Good in Hollywood who wrote her a prescription for Valium to help with her hangovers. She didn’t even have a sniffle! Since Crystal was a NEW patient, Dr. Feel Good had to do even a most rudimentary examination to keep from losing his license. At the very least, he checked her weight, height, temperature, eyes, nose, throat, lymph nodes in the neck, heart beat, blood pressure, blood flow, lung and breathing anomalies, and examined the arms for needle marks……common among heroin addicts seeking Valium. Had he found any serious problems, he would have ordered or referred her for more testing without writing a prescription. Dr. Feel Good found nothing abnormal, other than anxiety and wrote her prescription for Valium. Crystal Had NO signs of Illness the week before her sudden and unexpected death….and unexplained Flu Symptoms!
Anonymous: “Los Angeles has a new corner. He may have a different opinion if presented it.”
Jorge: Above comment not worth a comment. lol
Anonymous: “It is unfortunate that she passed away.”
Jorge: It was Very Fortunate for Anton that Crystal passed away: His Moribund Hollywood Career was suddenly alive again and he was back in Hollywood with 5-6 shows concerning the Mysterious Death of Crystal, with non-stop FREE publicity. He managed to continue “milking” this for years to come. Anton is the only person who profited from her death, both Financially and Professionally!
Anonymous: “And the circumstances were very bizarre.”
Jorge: Circumstances follow the Laws of Averages/Probabilities, with some deviations from the norm. When ALL the Circumstances are VERY BIZARRE, it is ONLY because they have been MANIPULATED by humans…….people working to achieve a Special, Calculated Outcome, such as in a Scripted Movie!. Some of the bizarre circumstances here include, but are NOT limited to…. 1). the “Relationship” itself…..Classy intellectual…suspected of being Gay by Crystal….involved in a Love Affair with a fall-down drunk/addict without intellect of any kind and living in a total PIGSTY of an apartment. The pigsty alone was cause enough for ED, in addition to losing one’s lunch, 2). Failure to have a Welfare Check done when the phone was off the hook, 3). Claim that Crystal flew to Japan without notifying anyone…..Please Note….Crystal NEVER had a job offer of any kind in Japan! The Japanese have No Need to come to LA to hire Japanese looking bar girls. lol. 4). DESTROYING ANY AND ALL EVIDENCE regarding Crystal’s death with immediate a). Cremation and b). Scattering the Ashes under the Hollywood sign. 5). AFTER Destroying any possible evidence related to Crystal’s death, Anton demands that the Police give him all the information they have because “All he wants if the Truth.” LMFAO!
Anonymous: “The corner has to find something. And without knowing what to look for it is only speculation.” LMFAO!
Jorge: The Corner knows what is needed to look for, but thanks to Anton Kline, the Damning Evidence of Murder by Poison has been Destroyed with Anton’s Cremation and Scattering of the Ashes under the Hollywood Sign. What person actually Seeking the Truth would DESTROY all the evidence rather than protect it?
Jorge
LOL. Sounds like an attorney trying to create a hopeless defense when the circumstantial evidence is OVERWHELMING! Guilty!!!
Goldie
Did ‘Unsolved’ copy this whole story litterally from the podcast They Walk Among Us America? Or was it the other way around?
Charlie
Yeah unsolved mysteries which aired this story in 1991 copied it from a podcast LMAO
Patrick
What a cowardly act on that Jet guy. He didn’t want to get involved.. you’re locked safely in your room. Call the POLICE! You can remain anonymous.
JustinChristoph
She was born on September 4, 1959 in Mendocino County, California. She had a younger sister named Julie and a younger brother named Kai. Her death is listed as being on May 13, 1988.
Anonymous
It is unfortunate that medical records are very private. I w8sh the medical examiner had a history of her doctors and prescriptions. That would have given the examiner a better idea of what happened.
Jorge
To Anonymous,
Crystal had only one (1) Doctor and only one (1) Prescription. Being an alcoholic (fall down drunk) means experiencing alcohol withdrawl…anger, anxiety, nausea and headaches on a continuing basis. She asked friends for the name of a doctor in order to get Valium to help with the withdrawls. Crystal located a Dr. Feel Good in Hollywood, favored by strippers and actresses, who provided the Valium. I don’t know his name. She got that from her friends. To the best of my knowledge, she did not abuse the Valium, since its availability was quite limited, and she needed it badly.
LT
Jorge, you talk about crystal so bad. Was she your relative? Ex? In-law? Why didn’t you help her get her life together. Why didn’t you get her in a rehab? If she was so messed up, you could’ve got adult protective services to intervene. Where was her parents, her mother, like a real mother one and she come get her daughter and clean her up, that’s what my mom we do. No matter what, what happened to her didn’t deserve to happen to her. When people are young, some do wild, bad things, crazy things. I’m sure if she would’ve gotten older she would’ve bettered herself. You seem to have so much animosity against her after all these years. Did she turn you down or something. She was a very pretty lady, who really could’ve became something. Obviously something was going on in her life, that led her down a dark path. She could’ve been mentally ill, but back then, there wasn’t much help for people with mental illness. People just didn’t talk about it or help their family with mental illness, they were just discard them. You don’t know what happened in our childhood or teen years that made her the way she is. She could’ve been molested or raped or abused. No one‘s perfect. You said you went to strip clubs, so that shows you’re not squeaky clean yourself, did she turn you down for a lap dance, is that why you still mad? It seem like everybody around her was shady, even the people that lived around her. Even if you don’t want to get involved, if you heard screams, just call the police and they’ll go over there themselves. But I must admit her boyfriend do seem a little shady himself.
Jorge
Crystal Spencer had a Mother, Aunt, Brother, Sister, “boyfriend” Anton Kline (whom she saw on a daily baisis) and numerous friends and associates that she could lean on for emotional support, and she did. I was NEVER her Friend, but only an Acquaintance that she needed for help when her wreck of a car didn’t run or she had no money for food…..and she also would try to hit me up for booze. I’m not a very generous person, but I will help, if I can, when asked, but not if it involvves alcohol or drugs. Crystal had asked me to be the Reference on her apartment rental application since, “you are the only person I know who has a straight job.” I agreed.
Sorry, but I did not see anything about her that I found the least bit attractive, unlike the comments made by Anton Kline about her….and no, I never had any kind of physical contact with her, nor desire for such, including a lap dance, etc.
After several years of reviewing all the data and comments, I do believe that she died at the hands of another, as do the police, and that justice needs to be served. Only one person benefitted from her death, both financially and professionally….the same person who had her body cremated and threw her ashes to the winds under the Hollywood sign, and then demanded that the police give him all the information they had, because all he wanted was the Truth. lol
I’m sorry that Crystal was a “mess,” but I’m not a Social Worker, and I’m NOT responsible for every “mess” that crosses my path, for whatever reason. I have never done harm to another, and I do not “rescue” others from themselves. I’m a higly educated and responsible professional who believes in taking care of one’s own business…and that of his clients….. and NOT interfering in the lives of others, regardless of their lifestyles.
StateTheObvious
Are you sure you didn’t do it because you have nothing but bad things to say about her. WHY WOULD YOU OFFER HELP TO SOMEONE YOU THINK SO BADLY ABOUT? Sounds weird to me!
Jorge
Only ONE person benefitted from her death, financially and professionally. Also, he’s the same one who had her body cremated and the ashes scattered to the winds under the Hollywood, hence no chance for further analysis to determine cause of death. Furthermore, he’s the only one who sued the police department in hopes of finding out what they knew, but was refused by the judge beause he was/is the main suspect. Also, he claimed that they were deeply in love, yet Crystal said that she suspected he was GAY. lol
Now, what is it about “stating the obvious?” lol
Jorge
PS. Anton also claimed that, “All I want is the truth.” Yet, Anton and Anton alone DESTROYED any possibility of learning the TRUTH by 1). IMMEDIATELY having the body cremated, making it impossible for further autopsies regarding the cause of death and 2). SCATTERING the ashes under the Hollywood Sign, making it impossible to perform any chemical analysis on the ashes to determine possible cause of death.
Folks, if all you want is the TRUTH, then you do EVERYTHING possible to PRESERVE any potential evidence…..NOT destroy it by fire and then scatter it so that it could NEVER be recovered for analyses.
Therefore, Anton is either dumber than anyone I know, despite being a PhD candidate, or he’s a Liar, possibly a very Guilty Liar! It has to be one or the other. Which one is it?
Jorge
Please note the QUOTES below from the Introduction to Crystal’s Story here on Unsolved Mysteries……
In May of 1987, friends invited Crystal to a barbeque. She was eager to socialize with people who might help with her acting career. It was there that she met Anton Kline, who said:
“There was something very alluring and compelling about Crystal that would readily catch your eye. She knew that she would become, not only an actress, but she’d become a very famous actress, and it was just a matter of time.”
May 7, 1988….. exactly one anniversary year after meeting Anton….. Crystal would be Dead….. and thanks to Anton, she would become a very famous actress resulting from his promoted shows regarding her and her death…and the “matter of time” would be exactly One Year!!! lol
Guys, you can’t make this stuff up! lol
Jorge
Unsolvedfanatico,,
The “creepy” part is that a neat, clean, educated, cultured PhD candidate would be “romantically” involved with a fall down drunk, drug addict, and drug dealer who lived in a total pigsty of an apartment, associated with criminal lowlife, and had a 20 page file at the FBI…..who would turn VIOLENT when refused more alcohol. Figure this one out.
Anonymous
you’re the real “creepy” one in this thread
unsolvedfanatico
Is it just me or is there is something off about her boyfriend Anton. He comes off as creepy. It is strange that an attractive woman like Crystal would date someone like him.
Jorge
LOL. Crystal had numerous “boyfriends” that she dated…and as far as “looks” were concerned, Anton KLine was an absolute “Dreamboat” compared to the others. Most looked like they had just done Hard Time and had recently been released. lol.
Jorge
Crystal was an Extra in a cola commercial. THAT was IT, folks. LOL. She had an opportunity to mingle with actresses, actors, writers, directors and producers one Sunday at the Toluca HIlls Oakwood Garden Apartments, but instead, she downed Three (3) stiff drinks and passed out at the pool. So much for Crystal’s commitment to becoming a famous and successful actress, and mingling with entertainment types. LMFAO!!!
Bubs
How do you know??? Did you know her personally?? We’re you there?? Did you hang out??? Why talk so nasty about her???
Jorge
Judgemental and accusatory, while appearing to be uninformed. Obviously NOT an Attorney, nor Police Detective, nor an Investigative Journalist. All the answers to your irate questions are available by simply READING (all) my detailed postings on this site. Good Luck!
Jorge
All of your questions are answered on this site…EVERYONE… just read all the posts labled “Jorge.” There is no reason for me to repost what is already here.
Jorge
1. Anton was the ONLY person who profited by Crystal’s death….significant newspaper coverage plus TV stories regarding the “mysterious” death of Crystal rejuvenated his moribund career…he was back in Hollywood
2. Anton had Crystal’s body cremated, after offering her mother to take care of Crystal funeral needs…..no body to exhume, no chance for further forensic work on cause of death
3. Anton had Crystal’s Ashes scattered to the winds under the Hollywood Sign…..no ashes means no opportunity to further chemically analyse of metallic toxins that could have caused death
4. Anton claimed Crystal was running around when he came over……others know, including I, that she was deathly ill, barely able to move and requesting assistance of others, including me and her sister & mother
5. Anton, knowing that Crystal was very ill, waited three (3) days after their last contact to contact her again…..why wait three (3) whole days? Making sure she was dead?
6. Anton called the phone company to see if Crystal was on the phone or if it was off the hook……Why?
7. Anton was told phone was off the hook…..so did he do a welfare check or request manager or police for a welfare check, since Crystal had been quite ill…….no…WHY?
8. Anton went to her work to see if she was there or if she was in her apartment….. possibly dead…or in serious need of help
9. Anton, told she wasn’t at work, took NO further action to check on her status…dead or alive? Why?
10. Anton told police he thought she left for Japan on the spur of the moment, without any preparations for the trip or notifying anyone…LMFAO!
11. Anton, told by the police that Crystal appeared to have died from natural causes……immediately claimed that she was Murdered…..why? lol
12. Anton, after scattering her ashes, eliminating any possibility of further forensics regarding her death, demanded that the Police tell him EVERYTHING they knew regarding Crystal’s case, even filing suit to get the information
13. Anton, denied access to Crystal’s records, because he was a key suspect (closest to her), then accused virtually everyone under the sun of murdering her……..why? lol
Anton’s description of both Crystal and their “loving” relationship, and her Hollywood “Dreams” was 100% BS. Besides being a total drunk, drug addict and dealer, Crystal was a slob who lived in a pigsty, and a potentially dangerous person when under the influence. When inebriated and denied additional alcohol, Crystal would turn VIOLENT, trying to destroy the denier’s most precious possessions, and even willing to attack the person as well.
TClover
Sir, you mentioned she was deadly ill. What illness was she suffering from then? Did you mean her addictions?
Jorge
POISONING!!!
Flip
I think I know anton from my sr center. Heis taking care of a car crash victim girlfriend for almost 20 years. He tells me stories of women he went out with in la he seems to be attracted to beautiful dramatic train wrecks. You always must look for the motive, he didn’t have enough motive here. You know who did. I believe the family chose to create, its cheaper. Anton is addicted to drama, he is a mystery writer. So sorry he got messed up in one himself.
Jorge
Yes, Flip, Anton Kline was a Mystery Writer, and mystery writers research all the ways people are murdered, and antifreeze is an effective way around which to build a scenario, and this one is the BEST that I have ever seen!!! lol.
Jorge
Yes “Flip,”
Anton is addicted to Drama, and he CREATED all the Drama where there was none. Anton also CREATED all The “MYSTERY” were there was none by a non-stop series of LIES! The
FACTS and the TRUTH are as obvious as the nose on Anton’s face….once all the LIES have been discredited!!!
Jorge
Summary:
May 4: Crystal calls several people asking for HELP because she’s deathly ill…barely able to move.
May 4: Anton visits Crystal and brings food & drink and says she’s running around the apartment…and has a slight cold. LOL
May 5: Anton says he called Crystal and she’s feeling better. LOL
May 6: Moaning sounds are heard coming from Crystal’s apartment
May 7: Crystal is DEAD.
May 8: Anton calls. Phone is busy. Anton calls the company to see if phone is off the hook. Told it is off the hook. Anton doesn’t check on Crystal at her apartment nor requests a welfare check…but goes to her workplace instead. Told she’s not there…he goes home and does NOTHING!
Folks…..do you see anything incongruent here? LOL
PS. As soon as Crystal’s body is released, Anton has it cremated and scatters the ashes to the winds under the Hollywood Sign. Anton then demands that the police give him all the information concerning her death….claiming “all he wants is the truth.” LOL
Jorge
Christina,
Thank you for your comment. Please consider the following Timeline:
1. Before May 3, she appeared to be “normal, ” no evidence of a respiratory infection.
2. May 3 or 4, Crystal leaves a message on my voicemail, asking me to call if I felt like talking, sounding like someone on their Deathbed…barely able to speak, and suggesting she has the flu! Never heard anything like that coming from her before…or anyone else either!!! Scary!
3. May 4, Anton Kline claims he visited her and brought food and drink…(what was in the food & drink?)… and that “Crystal was good, with a SLIGHT Cold, and running around the apartment.” LOL. The same day she also called her mother and talked to her sister, claiming that she was Extremely Sick…and needed help! Her sister didn’t let her talk to Mother, believing that Crystal was “faking.” Question #1. WHY would Crystal be faking? Question #2 Why is Anton Kline’s information concerning Crystal the Complete OPPOSITE of that experienced by Crystal’s sister…and me???
4. May 5, Anton claims that he called her the next day ( May 5), and that Crystal was feeling much better. LOL. He didn’t elaborate about their supposed conversation. LOL
5. May 6, a neighbor reports hearing painful moaning sounds coming from her apartment. He reports this to the manager…who does NOTHING.
6. May 7, her downstairs neighbors, Miss America (with verified substance abuse problems) and her man Jet, heard screams that sounded like torture, but did not report to police, because they didn’t want to get involved.
7. May 8, Anton decides to call Crystal, and gets a Busy Signal. “Concerned” about this, Anton calls the phone company to see if the phone is off the hook. He is informed that it is off the hook.
8. Does Anton 1) Drive to Crystal’s apartment to see if she is there and if she needs help? No! 2) Does Anton call the Apartment Manager to do a Welfare Check? No! 3) Does Anton call the Police and ask them to do a Welfare Check (they gladly will do so if requested)? No!
9. So, what does Anton now do, not knowing if Crystal is Dead or Alive in her apartment…and possibly in need of help? Instead of checking on Crystal in her apartment, Anton drives to the Wild Goose where Crystal worked, and asks virtually everyone working there if they know where Crystal is? Told she’s NOT there, he simply goes home, and does NOTHING further to check on Crystal.
10. Contacted by the Police about a week later regarding Crystal, Anton claims that he assumed that she hopped a plane on the spur of the moment for Japan….without letting him know or making any preparations for the trip. LOL. Told by the Police that it appears she died from natural causes, Anton, immediately and angerlly, claims that Crystal was MURDERED! LOL. Folks, you can’t make this stuff up!!!
Christina, do you still believe Crystal died from pneumonia? LOL
Cristina
Edit: Sorry, I meant commenter Jorge. Any grammatical errors below I apologize as I’m on my iPhone.
Cristina
In response to the commenter Jose on here that knew Crystal snd has given great information!
Cause of death: You said crystal sounded extremely ill but there was no flu going around at that time. From my experience, drugs addicts and alcoholics who die at a young age (that isn’t an overdose) is overwhelmingly from Pneumonia. They have compromised immune systems which is a big risk factor for developing pneumonia combined with the fact that addicts often do not seek treatment for what is initially an easily treatable common illness. A variety of organisms, including bacteria, viruses and fungi, can cause pneumonia. It’s a deadly cycle. Addicts and alcoholics are much more likely to contract a common illness due to a weak immune system, being high and/drunk often masks the initial symptoms for days to a few weeks, finally using sedatives including booze makes it harder for their struggling lungs to breathe.
While some addicts die in their sleep (Usually in the cases when it’s a combination of drugs and untreated pneumonia) others suffer tremendously. Pneumonia can cause fevers of up to 105 degrees, severe body aches, chest pain, a terrifying feeling of not being able to get in enough air that can last hours to a few days. It can also lead to full body sepsis.
If she wasn’t killed, I’d highly suspect pneumonia was the cause of death based on your first hand a count of her lifestyle.
Bob
Seeing as the autopsy was totally bungled, you’re not going to get anywhere further on cause of death which is a shame. They didn’t even properly ID the body by the looks of it. The only way this case goes anywhere is if a witness or informant comes forward.
jorge
There is no way to go further, since the Boyfriend immediately 1) had the body cremated and 2) threw the ashes to the winds. Why do you think he did that? No body to reanalyze, no ashes to analyze…no evidence, hence the Perfect Crime!
Jorge
Determine the cause of death? How can you determine the Cause of Death when her boyfriend had her body cremated immediately upon receipt and then personally scattered the ashes to the winds?
Jorge
Her mother and aunt were very grateful to her Boyfriend, Anton Kline, when he offered to take care of all the funeral arrangements. He then had her body cremated and ashes scattered to the winds under the Hollywood Sign. No body to autopsy again and no ashes to analyze means there is NO evidence….hence, no evidence of a crime. LOL
Julia
I believe someone killed her too.
Julia Redmond
I believe Crystal was murdered and the Anton guy covered it up. The autopsy was wrong too. It didn’t match her body. I hope the killer or killers get their day in court soon
Jorge
Right body, bad autopsy. Incompetent employees created additional problems rather than helping solve existing ones.
Height must be measured from the top of the head to the bottom of the heel. Extending the measuring to the extended toes would add about 6 inches to the actual height, making her appear 5’7″ instead of her 5’1″.
Weight must not include the weight of the gurney, which would add about 50 lbs. Also, the decaying corpse would be bloated due to gases forming inside, giving the appearance of being a “well-nourished” subject to the incompetent/uninitiated employee.
Organic medication such as aspirin and others could be largely decomposed during the putrefaction as well, and her body was severely decomposed.
PS. The level of extreme decomposition so that neither her race nor her sex could be determined raises additional questions, since such would normally occur under very hot conditions. Crystal’s apartment was on the second floor facing WEST, into the setting sun. In May she would have to have run the AC continuously from about noon to about 6:00 AM the following morning to be comfortable. Crystal also liked the temperature on the cool side, probably because she was always loaded with alcohol, which would also raise the body’s temperature about 0.6F, making her feel stuffy. Compare this to Linda Sobek’s body, which barely showed any decay after two-three days buried in the desert! Therefore, the question….did someone such as Anton, go to Crystal’s apartment after learning the phone was off the hook, and she was probably dead, and Turn Off the AC which would have been on, thereby facilitating the degree of decomposition? If the AC was Off when Crysta’s body was discovered, this would be HIGHLY Suspicious!
Jorge
Reply To Mark G.
1. The Police NEVER ruled Crystal’s death a suicide! Where did you get that? Everyone who knew her knew for certain that she was looking forward to good things, including the purchase of a new car she had found! She was VERY excited about that.
2. The Police still consider her death suspicious and thus have denied Anton access to confidential information. The Judge overseeing Anton’s claim ruled in favor of the Police. Anton claims a coverup, and wants the Truth. LOL
3. Anton claims that she was murdered and that he is ONLY interested in knowing the Truth. LOL.
4. Anton had her body Cremated and Ashes Scattered within two (2) weeks of her death….as soon as possible after her body had been released. He talked her mother and aunt into letting him take care of all the funeral arrangements (they were grateful), thus making sure any “evidence” related to her death via her remains would be destroyed! lol
5. If a person is ONLY interested in the Truth as Anton claims, he would have made sure that any and ALL potential evidence of a murder would be preserved…..NOT destroyed by fire and flame and then scattered to the winds!!!
6. After ALL the evidence of a possible murder had been destroyed by Anton, he continued to push the Police, via the courts and media, to continue a murder investigation.
7. Why would Anton continue to push for a murder investigation, especially if he is a key potential suspect? With no body to re-examine for possible cause of death…such as poison…..and no ashes to analyse for metal toxins (poison), there is NO evidence of a murder, and hence NO justification for a murder investigation….the Perfect Crime. Yet, Anton persisted. Why?
8. The “mysterious” death of Crystal Spencer was Anton’s Ticket to a renewed Hollywood writing career, which until now had gone nowhere. It was as dead as Crystal. With her death, he promoted himself to the entertainment industry and managed to get several shows produced concerning her “mysterious” death. He did this by creating the entire scenario, and producing a totally fictitious personna of who Crystal Spencer really was…and she bore virtually no resemblance to the subject portrayed on the programs, including her supposed Hollywood Dreams. LOL
9. Mark G., still think that the people who consider Anton a major suspect in Crystal’s “mysterious” death stupid?
10. It is possible that Crystal died a natural death….stroke, heart attack, embolism, although not the flu, since no flu or cold were going around the first week of May. Poisoning, however, more often than not produces symptoms similar to the flu. There was no evidence of a physical assault to explain the screams or moans heard by neighbors, but such could be caused by poisoning.
11. With NO body to re-examine again, and NO ashes to analyze (thanks Anton), there is NO evidence of a murder, hence the Perfect Crime…unless a witness comes forward…………..
Hebrew International
Hi Jorge,
I read on the Unsolved Mysteries wiki that the FBI had an open file about Crystal at the time of her death. Do you know anything about that? Do you know if that was related to her drug dealing? Unfortunately the wiki doesn’t give any details at all which is frustrating. Thanks for your input! Take care!
Jorge
I had never heard anything about the FBI & Crystal until the info appeared in print AFTER her death. If that were true, it might be related to the people she embraced that were familiar to the FBI. Crystal kept the company of some very unsavory-looking characters, and she herself was a drug dealer, fall-down drunk, and general mess…a dishonest, disorganized and irresponsible person, although she had a unique, “charming” sense of humor. Anton Kline’s depiction of her as this “wonderful” person who was embarrassed for having to work as a stripper and was trying to better herself and was going to be a great actress is pure BUNK. Anton made that all up to embellish his story, which was mostly FICTION, and this whole “mystery”. Crystal had NO commitment to becoming an actress. NONE! She was offered an opportunity to socialize with actors, actresses, writers, directors and producers living at the Toluca Hills Oakwood Apartment one Sunday, just a couple or so weeks before her death. The Studios used that facility as a “hotel” for their actors while filming. Any serious, wanna-be-actress would have taken the opportunity to mingle with these people. There were entertainment visitors there every week. Crystal instead downed two triple shots and quickly passed out at the pool. When she finally awakened, she was transported out of there with the assistance of others. She sobered up at home with the help of a friend who was interviewed and cleared by the police.
Jorge
The first time I heard about this was after her death, when it was reported in print and referenced by her boyfriend Anton Kline. As far as her knowledge of the gambling operations was concerned?
Every stripper in town knew about that, so there is no reason why Crystal should have been targeted for her knowledge of that.
Mark G.
The police rule it a suicide and are not interested in investigating it as a murder. The boyfriend continues to push and push for a murder investigation. And some people think he did it? Uhh, how stupid are you?
Dean
That blonde lady that was interviewed…..mercy……she looked like a pure crack head…..maybe she killed her…..and the guy on here writing the long essays seems to have known her on a personal level and seems very bitter even to this day towards her.
Linda Conlon
i worked with Crystal at King Henry’s back in 1985….i was shocked and saddened when i saw this on Hard Copy in 1992 (i think)….yes, she was an alcoholic, but she was my friend, and she was funny and she was beautiful…. if she was murdered, her killer will have his Day of Judgement….. i miss you Crystal….
Linda
Jorge
To Anonymous……
When you are dealing with an alcoholic, there is NO need to force anything down his/her throat. You simply poison their wine, or whatever their favorite beverage and they will do the rest. Then, if you don’t hear from them and their phone is busy, you call the phone company to see if the phone is off the hook. Told that the phone is off the hook, you do nothing until the police contact you.
Jorge
Anonymous,
Answers to your questions….
1. Crystal was a “fall down drunk” who had to be totally sober at work and could NOT drink at work. By 2:00AM she had to have a serious drink, which she did by going to her boyfriend’s house, since no other drinks were available after 2:00 AM. Her boyfriend lived a short distance from her work on the way back home. She would return home to Burbank early in the mornings.
2. Regarding sex and her boyfriend. Since she confided to friends that she suspected her boyfriend was GAY, sex was probably not a serious, if any, consideration in their relationship. She enjoyed the attention and being taken out. He was also a wannabe screenwriter hoping to hit it big, but unsuccessful at that time.
3. May 3rd or 4th, she left a message on my machine that she was severely ill with the flu. Please note: THERE WAS NO FLU OR COLD GOING AROUND SOCAL AT THIS TIME. She sounded “deathly ill.”
4. Her boyfriend claimed that he came over the next day, bringing her food & drink, and that she was feeling fine, “running around the apartment.” That can’t be true, and a few days later she was dead.
5. Apartment: A Studio apartment on the second floor facing West, into the HOT setting sun. During the day she could have kept the sliding door open, but in the afternoon, she would have had to close the door and turn on the AC. After sunset, she could turn off the AC and reopen the sliding door. Question. How hot was her apartment when the decomposed body was found? If the sliding door was closed and the AC off, THAT would be suspicious, highly suspicious. Higher temperatures accelerate decomposition.
6. Her boyfriend kept mentioning that she was found in an obscure corner of the apartment. She lived in a One-Room Studio. There was NO obscure corner. Every corner was just a typical corner.
7. She was found wearing only a top, suggesting to some that she had been engaged in sex. Not necessarily. I’ve had a couple of girlfriends (dancers) who would go through my closet, find my newest, best shirt, and then wear only that around the apartment. Inadvertently, they would leave with the shirt. Girls do strange things. lol
8. Crystal’s being wrapped in a telephone cord was suggested as evidence of foul play by her boyfriend. She was probably calling people for HELP because she was dying, getting wrapped up in the cord in the process, while suffering severe pain.
9. Chronology of pain. a) On the 3rd or 4th she called people to say she was VERY sick with the flu, b) on the 4th she reached out to her sister seeking help, c) the following day or so some neighbors heard Moaning during the day, d) later other neighbors heard blood curdling screams during the night….and did NOTHING to help, not even call 911. Shame on them!!! Why? They were probably doing drugs and didn’t want to talk to the police.
10. Since there was NO Flu going around, and there was no evidence of a physical assault, I can only see two (2) possibilities for her death: a) she died of unknown natural causes or b) she was murdered at a distance via poison, which could have been given to her via a bottle of wine, etc. The more she drank, the worse she felt, so she drank more, the worse she felt……until she was dead. Being poisoned is a very painful way to die. Screaming in pain would NOT be unusual.
11. Her “boyfriend” made a series of absurd statements, too numerous to mention here. a) His failure to check on her by going back to her apartment when he didn’t hear from her…..b) his call to the phone company to see if her phone was OFF the hook…..c) failure to visit her or contact the the apartment manager after learning the phone was OFF the hook speaks volumes!!! What do you think?
12. her mother and aunt were so grateful to her boyfriend when he offered to take care of ALL the final arrangements.
13.Her boyfriend sued the police department demanding to know everything they knew. He failed. He claimed that “all he wanted was to Know the Truth.”
14. Despite “wanting to know the truth,” her boyfriend a) had her body cremated and b) he scattered her ashes to the winds under the Hollywood sign.
15. Are you starting to get the picture. There are many more details, that when considered, pretty well complete the picture. No body, no tissues, no ashes……..NO Evidence of a Murder. The Perfect Crime!!!
Anonymous
Where are my comments? I have commented several times on multiple cases and they never publish in the pages. What’s going on with Unsolved? They are going to make people go elsewhere.
Unsolved Mysteries Post author
We are sorry that your comments were not published – please contact us at unsolved@unsolved.com and provide us with additional information so we can troubleshoot the issue. Thank you.
Anonymous
You know what’s interesting here? A lot of people are blaming the boyfriend of possible poisoning or other means, but how come more hasn’t been made of the screams heard in the night or the fact that she was found in a corner of the room, naked from the waist down? I would be lying if I didn’t say that it seems as though she may have had sex with her boyfriend who then could possibly have finished her off by forcing poison down her throat or other means, which is where the screaming came from. He may have tried to poison her before that night and that’s where the “flu” came from.
Dave
To all the people that think they’re Sherlock Holmes. If the boyfriend murdered her or somehow involved, wouldn’t natural causes be the best thing for him? Murder isn’t suspected and basically he created the perfect crime. So if he did kill her why, why, why would he push for an investigation?? Common sense people! And the people that heard the screams and did nothing are just as guilty as the killer (assuming it was murder). I get not wanting to get involved, but ain’t nobody asking you to be Dirty Harry. You dial 911. You tell them you hear screams coming from (insert address here). And you’re done.
Jorge
Poison can be the means to a “perfect crime.” It is done from a distance. Anyone can do it. The killer provides the poison that she will consume completely…bottle of alcohol for an alcoholic will do…and leave. It is the favorite means for women and “non-violent type, ” intellectually inclined men.
She consumes, becomes extremely ill, moaning during the day and screaming in pain during the night, because her alcohol, which she has been drinking steadily, is poisoned, and the poison is taking its toll on her organs. This is what several neighbors heard. So, who provided the poison? Her Lover NEVER mentions poison as the possible cause of death, but he immediately begins to accuse virtually EVERYONE under the sun, including the FBI and police…and all the way to Japan… of killing her. LOL
Then you call to see if she is still alive. The phone is busy. The average person “assumes” the subject is on the phone and ignores the situation, but the lover would go to check on her since she has been ill. If he cannot do so, he will call the apartment manager to check on her. Her “lover” did NOT check on her in any way!
The KILLER (poisoner) isn’t sure if she is on the phone or DEAD. Therefore, he calls the phone company to see if the person is on the phone or the phone is off the hook. Told that the phone is Off The Hook, he assumes she is dead and does nothing else until contacted by the police.
The person who committed the “perfect crime” becomes obsessed with his work and also wants to know EVERYTHING the police know, going so far as to file suit for the information. The Obsessed, Planning Killer, always returns to the Scene of the Crime….over, and over and over. He is obsessed with his “work” and wants to know EVERYTHING the police know.
The Lover/Murderer is Obsessed by the “cause of her death,” but then makes sure any remaining evidence is destroyed by 1) the cremation and 2) scattering any toxic-containing ashes to the winds. with NO remaining evidence of a murder…there is NO evidence of a murder!
The Perfect Crime!
Dr.Horshenschwartz
I think you nailed is succinctly.
Jorge
On the surface, Crystal’s death appeared to be from natural causes, namely the flu. Everyone who knew Crystal received a call from her saying that she was very sick with the flu. When the police contacted Anton Kline, they told him they believed that she died from the flu.
An innocent person who knew that she was ill from the flu, instead of being poisoned, would have accepted that finding as being reasonable and even probable, although unfortunate.
Did Anton accept that as probable? NO! NO! NO!
Anton immediately discarded that opinion and claimed that she was MURDERED! He then started accusing a slew of people as being the murderers. Strange, wouldn’t you say? Why would someone INSIST that she was murdered if all the evidence at the time pointed to Natural Causes….unless he knew something about her actual, true cause of death..,,.such as being poisoned?
Dr.Horshenschwartz
I was just thinking about this some more as we had just watched this episode on Amazon Prime. What was with the blonde friend. I nearly forgot about her. She seemed really messed up on drugs or maybe she witnessed the murder or knows something. There seemed to be something she was not saying in the interview.
Mortuary Girl
Hmm… Dave, you just wrote, “assuming it was murder,” and, “why would he push for an investigation,” in the same paragraph. If you’re not sure whether or not it was murder, why WOULD’NT he push for an investigation? That said, this whole, I-thought-she-just-jumped-on-a-plan-and-flew-halfway-around-the-world-without-so-much-as-a-buh-bye-phone-call is a mix of jaw dropping and laughable. Even in the episode, she made it clear she hadn’t heard back regarding this supposed job in Japan. Having been a funeral director in a previous lifetime I wondered: 1) Despite the coroner discouraging the viewing of the body at the corner’s facilities, why didn’t the family choose to view the body after the local mortuary picked up her remains? 2) In California, the cremation would need to be authorized by the immediate next of kin (likely, Crystal’s mother) unless an AHCD or DPOA for healthcare had been put in place, naming Kline specifically as primary agent, or, at that time, a pre need plan had been purchased, which would have included a cremation auth. Cremation is cheaper than burial, but the boyfriend (described on this site as a kosher Jew, and if true would not have approved of cremation) could have paid for a burial. Let’s not leave out the possibility of a personality disorder (psychopathy), which could explain a lot regarding Kline’s motive and behavior prior to and after Crystal’s death.
thinkingoutloud
i feel that the boyfriend isn’t telling everything he knows or he’s lying. I think he truly loved Crystal but the second he found out her stripping, he didn’t fully accept it even though he said he did. i wouldn’t be surprised if he had any involvement with her murder. I’m wondering why he called 3 DAYS LATER to check in on his recovering girlfriend. and then he’s shocked when her phone was off the hook and he thought she ‘left without saying goodbye’?? Seems fishy he took so much time to check in. Anton and Crystal were from two very different worlds. maybe Anton wasn’t really happy with her job and it was affecting his image and rather than breaking it off, he had her murdered. weird they don’t mention if anyone in her apartment building was seen with crystal. shady, definately more to the story. RIP Crystal
Jorge
Consider the following FACTS:
1. Anton has made a big issue of her “Trip to Japan.” There never was a trip to Japan. Crystal attended an orientation for prospective models regarding hosting an event in Japan, if interested. She, like some of the others left her resume’. The Japanese agency passed on Crystal because she did not have the Bleach Blonde California Surfer Look needed for the hosting. Crystal was NEVER considered for a hosting job in Japan, nor any other!
2. May 3 or 4th Crystal, sounding like someone near death, called people and said that she was “very ill with the Flu.” THERE WAS NO FLU GOING AROUND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AT THIS TIME. Whatever the cause for her being so ill, the Flu was most unlikely, if not impossible.
3. Anton claimed that he brought her food the following day and that she was feeling better, running around the apartment. Crystal called her sister the following day claiming to be extremely ill and needing to speak with her mother. She was denied that opportunity. Question. How does one go from being deathly ill, barely able to speak one day to “running around the apartment” the next, to being deathly ill the day after again?
4. Not having heard from Crystal, Anton called a few days later to check on her and found her phone “busy.” One can assume that she was on the phone. Concerned that maybe Crystal was NOT on the phone, Anton called the phone company…”to see if the phone was off the hook.” The phone company informed him that “the phone was off the hook”
5. So, what does Anton, the Obsessed Lover of Crystal do? Knowing that she had been quite ill, and might have gotten worse and in need of assistance, and possibly in the hospital, unable to contact him, does he drive to her apartment to see if she needs help? Does he plan to have the apartment manager assist? NO!
6. Anton, knowing that Crystal might be extremely ill, unable to help herself….and even possibly DEAD…. sits back and does NOTHING, until contacted by the Police.
7. When questioned by the Police, Anton said that he had “simply assumed that Crystal SUDDENLY went to Japan without calling, and that he would hear back from her when she got to Japan.
8. Question. How does anyone suddenly, on the spur of the moment, hop a plane to Japan for an extended
job WITHOUT doing any of the following….while SICK with the Flu no less: a) Obtain a PASSPORT, b) Obtain necessary vaccinations/records for international travel, c) Notify apartment management of the pending trip, d) Notify the utilities companies, including the Phone company, e) Notify her employer that she’s leaving, for a specified time, f) Notify her friends and other frequent contacts, and g) Notify her Obsessed Lover of the great news?
9. Although UNCONCERNED about Crystal’s illness, upon being notified by the Police of Crystal’s death, Anton suddenly becomes SUPER active, demanding her autopsy report and EVERYTHING the Police know about her death. He makes ABSURD claims that the wrong body was autopsied, that the body found in her apartment was NOT hers, that she had been kidnapped by the Japanese Mafia, KIlled by Japanese Gangsters, SoCal Gangsters, security guards at her work & even law enforcement and OTHERS! Wow!
10. Anton continues to belittle the activities of all agencies/people associated with follow-up regarding Crystal, and harass Law Enforcement for all available information regarding her death, even filing suit! He continues these activities NOT for a few months, but for several YEARS thereafter! Why?
11. Despite wanting ALL official information regarding Crystal’s death, Anton effectively ENDS any further investigation of her death…be it natural or homicide… with TWO actions: a). Anton has her BODY CREATED and b) Anton has her ASHES SCATTERED by the WINDS under the Hollywood sign….and Anton is the active Director/Producer of the event.
12. If Crystal’s death were homicide, POISON is the most likely means: a) It can work slowly over time, putting distance between the victim and perpetrator. b) Any number of substances can be effective, from antifreeze, to arsenic, to rat poison (warfarin)…. bleeding to death internally…..the victim poisons herself….and Crystal was an alcoholic, often in a stupor, who “chugged” powerful drinks as if they were beer.
13. But….WITHOUT a body to exhume or even ashes to analyze for metal toxins, because of cremation and ash scattering, a perpetrator, should there be one, is home free….the “perfect crime,” should there be one.
14. Anton is/was a script- writer waiting for his big break, having worked on one previous script that aired on TV. After Crystal’s death, her story (mostly fiction created by Anton and presented as truth) was made into 4-5 TV specials through the efforts of Anton.
15. The entire Relationship: Mature, sophisticated, Kosher Jewish Ph.D. candidate, writer, connoisseur of all things artistic…classical music, literature, history, art, museums, etc…. falls madly in love with a high school dropout Shiksa from the Other Side of the Tracks whose father died in prison and who herself lives in a filthy pig stye…and who is a hopeless alcoholic, drug addict and drug dealer to boot, not to mention topless and Nude Dancer…..is just too hard for me to swallow. I can just imagine what it would be like for a Jewish family member to hear that Anton was going to marry this girl……Anton had proposed to Crystal earlier.
16. On top of that, Anton was a middle-aged man living in a house with another man! Crystal appreciated Anton’s attention….but she was concerned that Anton might be GAY!
Jorge
There are a number of VERY troubling aspects in this scenario, whether Crystal died of natural causes or homicide that have NOT been discussed to date.
BACKGROUND:
1. Crystal left a message on my answering service on Tuesday May 3 or Wednesday May 4. I don’t recall exactly which because I had been in a very serious auto accident that previous Sunday night, May 1st. In the message Crystal stated that she was very sick with the flu and asked me to call if I wanted to talk. She sounded like she was on her deathbed, barely able to talk. She didn’t sound like she had the flu or cold, but like someone extremely ill. My auto accident (five-car pileup on Fwy 405) occurred in my brand new company car, and I had key business appointments the entire week, starting at 8:00 AM the following Monday. I couldn’t be bothered with anyone’s problems until I had resolved my own. Besides, Crystal had a boyfriend with whom she was in DAILY contact. Surely, she would contact him for conversation, if not for assistance.
2. By Friday, May 6th, home-office day, accident related issues had cooled somewhat and I returned some belated calls, including Crystal’s. Her phone was busy, not unusual, since she spent hours talking on the phone. That evening I stopped by the Wild Goose to see how Crystal was doing. I didn’t see her and asked a waitress if Crystal was working that evening. She was, according to the waitress, but I was there for about an hour and a half and did not see her. I had assumed she left early and went to spend the night with her boyfriend. After work, Crystal always stopped at her boyfriend’s house for the night.
3.On Friday May 13, 1988 I found a note on my doorknob from the BPD to call. There were Police cars across the street. I responded. My name was on Crystal’s rent application as a Reference…I was, “the ONLY one she knew who had a straight job”….., and they wanted to know what I knew. The meeting was an extended one and I will NOT discuss what transpired, because some of that might still be Classified.
VERY TROUBLING ASPECTS OF THIS CASE
1. Constant references are being made that Crystal had a job offer as a hostess in Japan and was worried about going there. FALSE….Totally FALSE. Crystal NEVER received any such offer. She had attended a presentation done for a group of interested actresses/models at Denny’s for a special trip to Japan to act as hostesses on a special project. Those girls who were interested were asked to leave their resume’s and they would be contacted if the agency was interested to pursue further. The Japanese agency was seeking the All-American California Surfer Type—long haired blonde, tall, long-legged and tanned. Crystal was 5’1”, dark haired and dark eyed, and somewhat Japanese looking. She was NEVER considered by the Japanese agency. ZIP! End of discussion.
2. Crystal’s boyfriend Anton claims that during his visit on May 4, Crystal had the flu, but was up and about, running around. I wonder what medication did she take to make such a remarkable “recovery?” Her sister also stated that Crystal claimed to be severely ill and wanted to speak with her mother, on the same day Anton visited.
3. Despite Crystal’s illness, and her phone being busy, her boyfriend didn’t bother to get into his car and drive to see if she was OK. Furthermore, he called the phone company about the busy phone. Why? He was told it was off the hook. Instead of being concerned about Crystal…she had been quite ill……he simply “assumed” she had left for Japan without telling him…….in spite of their “intense love affair.” Wow! I’m NOT implying that anything improper was done by Anton, but folks, the man was getting his PhD. Stupid he was not, or was he?
THE REAL CRYSTAL SPENCER…….it’s not polite to disparage the dead, but the Truth is the Truth….
1. The portrayal of Crystal in the TV specials, as presented by Anton was Pure Fiction. One of her fellow dancers told me that she would never believe anything she saw on TV again. Anton, a supposedly very intelligent writer, PhD candidate, lover of learning, history and the classical arts described Crystal as this endearing, unique woman who was not only going to be an actress, but a Great Actress. This from a very perceptive intellectual and judge of the human condition. LOL
2. So, who was the Real Crystal Spencer who would drive this Intellectual of the Classic Arts and PhD candidate into near hysteria? Crystal came from “the other side of the tracks.” Her father died in prison. She dropped out of high school. She did filing for a living, as well as cleaning houses, although not her own. Crystal was a serious Alcoholic and Drug Addict.
Crystal’s apartment was a Pig Stye. How any clean, intelligent person could tolerate being there is beyond me, much less a nice Kosher Jewish Boy, an Intellectual absorbed by the Classics and Intelligent conversation. Crystals apartment was strewn with discarded clothes, shoes, etc, from end to end. Uneaten food, papers, everywhere. Drawers were pulled open, with clothes hanging from them. The bathroom was a SHOCKER. The hand towels were filthy, appearing to have come from a mechanics restroom. The sink was more black than white. The countertop was covered in its entirety with makeup, half of it spilled all over the counter. The TOILET was the ultimate shocker. Upon lifting the seat, the entire bowl was covered in FECES, water line to the top! Crystal was an Alcoholic and Drug Addict of the worst sort.
3. Crystal has been presented as an innocent, struggling in a “degrading” job in order to better herself, trying desperately to escape her condition. Crystal LOVED her job! The only thing she didn’t like was the requirement that she be sober on the job. Crystal was rarely sober, and being sober is what she did NOT like. Crystal was also a Drug Addict, but more than that Crystal was significant Drug Dealer as well.
Comments have been presented that Crystal was embarrassed by her topless dancing. If I had boobs that drooped down to the waist like two rolls of film, I’d have been embarrassed too. How embarrassed was Crystal by dancing, not enough to keep from dancing Nude as well. Crystal did Nude Dance Contests. In one such event I witnessed, Crystal gave all of her personalized attention to a young Hollywood Leading Man sitting at the stage. Afterwards, Crystal went over to him, kissed him on the cheek and gave him her phone number. He never called.
THE MOST BIZARRE ASPECT OF THE ENTIRE CASE…….THE RELATIONSHIP
1. If Opposites Attract, this is one for Shakespeare. A middle-aged Kosher Jewish Intellectual lives with another man in a house in Play del Rey. His life is saturated by the best cultural entities available to man…..Classical Music, Art, Museums, Theatre, History, Literature, and the never-ending pursuit of knowledge and a terminal degree. He is immediately drawn to a high school dropout Shiksa who can’t stop drinking until she passes out, who has no concept of intellect at any level. Then there is her personal hygiene, organization skills , housekeeping and occupation. Anton has found his Muse. He is going to turn her into a Lady, and fellow lover of the arts. Hasn’t this movie been made…a couple of times.
2. Crystal was most grateful for all the attention she got from Anton, especially his interest in marrying her. It was a possibility she had considered. She wasn’t getting any younger, and he was very CARING and Committed. There was only thing that bothered her; Crystal suspected that Anton might be GAY!
HOW DID CRYSTAL DIE? WHAT CAUSED HER DEATH?
1. Natural causes are a real possibility. She was an alcoholic and drug abuser. Her physical condition was very poor. Her irises looked like they belonged to a 100 year old, a very bad sign. Actually frightening. She was very ill the week of her demise, or so it appears. People in poor health do die from the flu. She could have died from organ failure. We’ll never know about that.
2. Homicide is an equal probability. She could have been tortured and strangled. An even greater possibility is POISONING, assuming it was a homicide.
Poisoning could explain the moaning that the neighbors heard during the night. It could also explain the supposed moaning that another tenet claimed to have heard during the day. Poison could have been introduced surreptitiously…and by virtually anyone wanting her dead, and there are a number of potential suspects: other drug users, other drug dealers, angry customers, jealous boyfriends, etc.
WHAT’S MOST TROUBLING HERE?
1. CREMATION of a body that might have been the result of homicide is UNFORGIVABLE!!!
2. Who is the person among her contacts…family, lovers, friends, etc., who wanted her cremated?
3. DISPOSING of the ASHES by scattering them to the winds is equally UNFORGIVABLE!!!
4. A person poisoned by Arsenic can be determined as such as long as ashes are available. The metal Arsenic will be part of the ash and can be determined as to substance and quantity by chemical analysis. Trust me, I am a Graduate Chemist!
Mitzy
The part where the neighbors talk and say that they didn’t call the police because they didn’t want to get involved makes me boiling mad! I hope that someday, somebody doesn’t want to get involved” when THEY need help!!
Justin
Any update on the next airing date for this episode? I can’t find a schedule by episode.
unsolved
Hi Justin – this case is in episodes SP105 on Escape. The next scheduled airing is on December 19, 2016. Please check your local listings to confirm the time.
Annie
Was the person that told Kline his girlfriend was an exotic dancer identified AND questioned?
Want to be anonymous
I too think the boyfriend knows more than what he’s saying. Did anyone confirm the Japan trip? I don’t think crystal would have left without letting others know especially her boyfriend. Also was time of death accurate? Why didn’t boyfriend go to her apartment when he found out her phone was off the hook?
Anonymous
Don’t act like a detective or if you know these people personally to make such a judgment, I doubt you have any skills in such things.
Jorge
“Want to be Anonymous” is absolutely correct regarding his concerns of Anton ‘s actions! An even more important concern is Why did Anton IMMEDIATELY have all the Evidence Destroyed by having the Body Cremated and the Ashes scattered under the Hollywood Sign, then sue the Police to get all the information they had….and then. claim that all he wanted was the TRUTH. lol
Anton, if all you want is the TRUTH, then you will do all you can to PRESERVE all the Evidence…..NOT Destroy it all!!!
Think Anton might be the Perpetrator of Crystal’s death? LMFAO!
Jorge
1. Trip to Japan? There NEVER was a trip to Japan to be a hostess at a club. lol. Why would a Japanese agency come to LA and offer a hostessing job to a 5’1″ dark haired, dark eyed girl in LA? Don’t they have any such looking girls in Japan? lol
2. Of course Crystal would have contacted Anton about the trip to Japan, if there had been one………and her apt manager, utilities companies, employers, mother, friends, etc. lol. There was NO trip to Japan! This was a Red Herring to explain why he didn’t bother to do a Welfare Check on her when learning the phone was off the hook. lol
3. Time of death was 4:00 AM May 7th, 1988. The cries and screams from organ failure pain ceased at 4:00 AM, and May 7 was exactly three (3) days after she consumed drinks containing ethylene glycol, which kills the subject with calcium oxalate crystals in the kidneys and acidosis exactly three (3) days (72 hours) after consumption.
4. Anton KLine waited three (3) days before calling her again to make sure she was dead. When he learned that the phone was off the hook, it was still possible that she was actually at work and still alive (had she not consumed the orange juice he had brought her), therefore he went to her work. She hadn’t worked all week, so he knew she was either dead or near death, so he made NO attempt to check on her or have another do so. lol
5. Had Anton gone to her apartment, he would have been in trouble, whether or not she was still alive. An autopsy shortly after death would have discovered the death by poisoning, and Anton was the last person to have seen her alive….and he brought her food and drink. lol.
6. The longest possible decomposition followed by a rapid Cremation and Ash Scattering obliterated any chance of analyses that would have recovered Calcium Oxalate Crystals in the kidneys, proof of poisoning by ethylene glycol (antifreeze). lol. Cremation and Scattering of the ashes under the Hollywood Sign guaranted NO available evidence of a Crime…..hence the Perfect Crime!
joey
Any updates yet
Nancy C
Does the reruns on tv have up to date statuses? I know the series ended in 1999. Pls help! I may have seen someone recently but need to know how up to date these reruns are kept. Thank you!
unsolved
Hi Nancy – we try to keep our website up to date, but the show only gets updated about once a year or so. Please email us any information you have at unsolved@unsolved.com, send it to us through the tip form at https://unsolved.com/content/tips or through our app. Thank you.
Joy
Does anyone know what commercials Crystal was in?
Katy
The “Crystal” Episode appeared on Lifetime HD 4-19-2016, at 5 am., on Direct TV. Does anyone know the specific city where she was born and also her age & birthdate?
Bill
Any updates on when this episode SP 105 might air on Lifetime or Escape? It doesn’t look like the episode schedules or times have been update on the Facebook page. Thanks
unsolved
Hi Bill – the schedule for Lifetime typically updates on Fridays, and Escape updates once a month or so. Right now it looks like SP105 is scheduled for March 31, 2016 on Escape. Please check your local listings for the time.
Tommy B
Is there anywhere online where this episode (S3E29-SP105) can be seen?
unsolved
Hi Tommy – unfortunately there hasn’t been a streaming service yet that wants to show the episodes, so for now they are only on TV on Lifetime and Escape.
Anonymous
Do all of the people quoted in the story above appear on camera for interview in the episode?
Bill
Thank you for your help. It appears that episode is not on any of the networks anytime soon. Is it available on a DVD or is there any other way to view it sooner? Can it be purchased? Thank you again.
unsolved
Unfortunately this segment is not currently available for purchase. Lifetime sends us new dates every week, so please check back and hopefully it will be on the list soon!
Bill
Do you have a date for the airing and if it’s lifetime or Escape?
unsolved
Hi Bill – please use this link to see the latest schedules: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialUnsolvedMysteries/app/1456205291187388/?ref=page_internal
LaineyT
Bill its just been shown on CBS Reality on Sky 146
Anonymous
What was the name of the unsolved mystery segment and can it be viewed anywhere?
unsolved
It is simply titled “Crystal”, and it is airing in episode #SP105 on Lifetime and Escape.
Brittany
Shoot me an email Britt.tadd.@gmail.com
Yvonne Waterloo
I love you and miss you Crystal I think about you often.
Carissa
I would like to know why Anton let so much time lapse between contact.
Also if the body cremated was not Crystal’s then who did it belong to?
Praying that this case gets solved.
Jorge
Anton was making sure she was dead. It takes three days (72 hours) for death to occur from the metabolites of ethylene glycol (antifreeze) after consuming 4.5 oz of ethylene glycol in sweet wine or orange juice, which he brought her on May 4th. She died at approximately 4:00AM on May 7 when the screams and cries finally stopped.
Jorge
Of course the body was Crystal’s. lol. Why would Anton be so committed to promptly cremating a body if it were not Crystal’s? The whole purpose of the rapid cremation was to make sure there would be no thorough autopsy followup that would disclose the calcium oxalate crystals in the kidneys as proof of poisoning…….and just to make sure any and all evidence was lost forever, he personally scattered the ashes under the Hollywood sign….as a “tribute” to Crystal. lol.
After DESTROYING any and all the evidence of foul play, Anton claimed that all he wanted was the TRUTH! You can’t make this stuff up!
Debbie
Crystal was my best friend in grammer school. It upsets me every time I think about how botched the investigation went. This was foul play and sadly; justice for her untimely death most likely wont occur in this lifetime. However the person guilty of the crime wont forget what they did on that fateful day. That truth will never change and it always catches up to them, at some point.
Robbie
What get me about this case is the police didn’t want to let anyone see her saying her body in four days was badly decompose. Second four months later the autopsy shows it wasn’t Crystal, her weight and height didn’t match. Third her boyfriend didn’t check on her for a week or maybe if I remember she suppose to had left to Japan? So the body was not Crystal then who was it and where is Crystal? All I can say a women with a name like Crystal, first three letters are CRY. The blood spilled will cry for justice. The boyfriend, police have a lot of questions to answer.
John Cain
Strangled
Dahlia
I believe someone killed her.