This is a rush transcript from "The Big Story With John Gibson and Heather Nauert," November 2, 2007. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
JOHN GIBSON, CO-HOST: It's a big mystery. Who bludgeoned-to-death a real-estate broker to the stars in her upscale New York City apartment? Sixty-two year old Linda Stein was a legend in the music business. She helped discover a young talent named Madonna and she managed the Ramones, then she became —
HEATHER NAUERT, CO-HOST: A legend of course in the real-estate business here in New York. She helped to find a list celebrities like Angelina Jolie, posh, posh New York City pads. But last night the grandmother and breast cancer survivor was murdered in her own posh pad and now the hunt for the killer is on.
GIBSON: BIG STORY correspondent Douglas Kennedy has more on this shocking case. Douglas?
DOUGLAS KENNEDY, BIG STORY CORRESPONDENT: Yeah John and Heather, she was a rock-and-roller and then a real-estate broker and she left an indelible mark on both professions. But cops tonight say they have no idea why someone wanted her dead.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KENNEDY (voice-over): She managed the Ramones in the 1970's and became Manhattan's broker to the stars in the 80's and 90's. So now why did they call her broker to the stars?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because she was. She dealt with celebrities, from the day I knew her. She knew them all because she was once basically a celebrity herself.
KENNEDY: Now Linda Stein is dead, found bludgeoned to death in her posh upper eastside apartment. It's a murder mystery that has New York police perplexed. There is no sign of forced entry?
GIL ALBA, FORMER NYPD DETECTIVE: Right.
KENNEDY: What do you do with that?
ALBA: Well first of all the building has cameras, they have elevator operators so the building is not easy for somebody to get it. However, that doesn't mean somebody can't get in.
KENNEDY: Stein gained notoriety in 1976 when she brought Joey Ramone and his brother to England, spawning the movement that later became known as punk rock. Her ex-husband Seymour Stein headed Sy Records and both are credited with discovering Madonna and the Talking Heads. Her celebrity status helped her when she switched from rock-and-roll to real estate. Dottie Herman was Stein's boss at Prudential Douglas Elliman. Now she's quoted as saying her clients were her friends. Is that true?
DOTTIE HERMAN, PRUDENTIAL DOUGLAS-ELLIMAN: Absolutely. She socialized with them. She was at a party this summer, she went to Paris for their parties. She told them when they weren't from New York City where to eat, where to get their hair done, where to shop.
KENNEDY: She sold Harrison Ford's apartment to Debra Winger and Billy Joel's to Sting. Other clients included Michael Douglas, Calvin Klein and Angelina Jolie. Elton John who is godfather to one of Stein's daughters released this statement. "I'm absolutely shocked and upset. She has been a friend for over 37 years and will be greatly missed." But she wasn't just known for catering to the rich and famous.
HERMAN: No, Linda had a heart of gold. She worked with everyone and she certainly was very involved with breast cancer and a lot of charity organizations. And to know Linda was to love her.
KENNEDY: Neighbors inside Stein's building located on 78th Street and 5th Avenue said they have no history of break-ins. And while there were work men in the building, police say they have no suspects and no motive. How do you solve a crime like this?
ALBA: Well first of all, a crime scene goes to the apartment, they look for everything, any kind of clues from fingerprints to any kind of blood.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
KENNEDY: And the next step is to talk to people in her apartment building to see if anyone saw anything suspicious. Cops of course are also talking to her friends and family to find out if she was fighting with someone or whether she had any enemies mad enough to commit murder. But clearly John and Heather, there must have been someone mad enough.
GIBSON: Yeah Douglas, this realtor to the stars murdered, is this, I would think obviously a fast-track investigation.
KENNEDY: Oh absolutely. The police are all over this neighborhood. The first thing they're actually going to do is start with the cameras outside the building because if somebody went in there, they're on that video.
GIBSON: Douglas Kennedy, Douglas thank you.
NAUERT: Thanks.
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