Sunny von Bulow of Reversal of Fortune fame Dead 28 years later

Published on: December 6, 2008 at 3:11 PM

Heiress and socialite Martha “Sunny” von Bulow died Saturday after 28 years in a coma.

The Sunny von Bulow case gripped America in 1981 when her husband and Austrian Prince Claus von Bulow was charged with her attempted murder after their children suspected foul play. Claus twice faced court, and was first found guilty of the crime, than once the case on appeal. A retrial in 1985 found him not guilty. The case was turned into Reversal of Fortune, a best selling book that then became the basis of a movie of the same name.

Martha von Bulow, born Martha Sharp Crawford inherited a fortune of around $75 million (1965 money) and in her early years drew comparisons to actress Grace Kelly.

Sunny von Bulow was aged 76. She is survived by children Annie Laurie “Ala” Isham, Alexander von Auersperg and Cosima Pavoncelli.

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