The Tragic Turn — Scandal, Trial, and a Life Forever Changed

Robert Blake’s life took a dark and tragic turn in May 2001, when his second wife, Bonnie Lee Bakley, was found dead in his car outside a Los Angeles restaurant.

Bakley, 44, was 23 years younger than Blake and had been married ten times before. The couple had been married for just one year. Her shocking death — and the revelation of her tumultuous past — made international headlines.

Just 11 months later, Blake was arrested and charged with her murder. Police at the time described the crime scene as “bizarre and disturbing,” and speculation about Blake’s involvement quickly dominated the media.

Blake maintained his innocence from the beginning. He claimed that after dining with his wife, he had returned to the restaurant to retrieve a gun he accidentally left behind — only to find Bakley shot dead in their car upon returning.

During the investigation and lengthy trial, Blake spent nearly a year in jail before posting $1.5 million bail. In a 2003 interview with Barbara Walters, he expressed both grief and bitterness, suggesting that Bakley’s troubled past had caught up with her.

On March 29, 2005, Robert Blake was acquitted of murder. However, the court of public opinion was less forgiving. The verdict ended the criminal case but not the controversy — and his reputation never fully recovered.

In the years that followed, Blake lived largely out of the spotlight, occasionally giving interviews but never returning to acting.

Now, with his passing, Hollywood remembers a man whose life was both brilliant and broken, a performer whose immense talent was matched only by the tragedy that surrounded him.