Who Killed Leno and Louise?

Selected as part of Broward County Library’s Local Author’s Program.

Watch WLRN’s Emmy award-winning mini-documentary of this crime.

Emmy image

Who was it that surprised Leno and Louise Lazzari in their Boca Raton, Florida, studio apartment on an early Sunday morning in 1948? Who was it that plugged the flamboyant Italian sculptor and his wife at point blank range with two bullets each from a .38 leaving them dead in pools of blood beside their bed? And who stole all of the artist’s sculptures—works that have yet to be recovered?

For over 60 years, the shocking Boca Raton murders lay in cold storage. Now, “Who Killed Leno and Louise?” takes us through the cold case one step at a time and introduces us to the intriguing victims, shady witnesses, dubious suspects, and devious police officials who investigated the crime.

From Italian fascist Benito Mussolini to Cuban dictator Batista, from high society Palm Beach to law enforcement officials with their own agenda, from jewelry deemed stolen then miraculously reappears to witnesses who are not who they claim to be, this story oozes intrigue at every turn.

Who killed Leno and Louise? Why did they do it?

Find out in this page turner that takes the reader on a wild ride with more twists and turns than a roller coaster.

Those who purchase either the e-book or print book will have the opportunity to sign up to become  a PREFERRED READER. Once that has been validated, he/she will receive a link that will give him/her access to the LAZZARI PHOTO GALLERY. This will include images of Leno’s artwork, the crime scene, family and friends, and related photos.

Click HERE to view the December 8, 2014 Sun Sentinel article about this story.

Click HERE to view Sally’s interview on WXEL TV in October 2014 regarding this book and writing.

BOOK REVIEW:

“My boss is related to Leno Lazzari so I had heard about the fact that he was murdered and that it had never been solved. At first the book starts out with random stories about different people…I love how she then starts to tie everyone in together. She really draws you in and keeps you wanting more. I found it so interesting specially knowing that it was based on a true story. I recommend this book to anyone that likes a good mystery!”
D. Patton

 

16 Responses to Who Killed Leno and Louise?

  1. Bob Price says:

    I have a large Charcoal etching/painting of my Grandmother that Lazzari did in 1937 in Palm Beach. Articles/clippings on back about Murder. Curious about your goal. Are there other pieces of his around? St. Augustine I heard might have one. Value?
    Bob

    • admin says:

      That’s very exciting. He did beautiful work. His use of light and shadow was extraordinary and anyone with one of his portraits can tell he was certainly a master. Funny thing is he was better known, at that time, for his sculptures. His artwork isn’t known in the high end art circles, but to those of us who know who he was and his story, it’s very valuable.
      Sally

  2. stefano lazzari says:

    i appreciate what you have done.
    stefano lazzari

  3. Becky Botts says:

    Our grandfather Harold Vosseller was friends with Leno Lazzari, and my mother remembers having dinner with them occasionally. We have a bust of my grandfather that Mr. Lazzari sculpted. It is a perfect likeness and a cherished heirloom. I have been unable to find only a few images on the internet to see other sculptures he has done. Where can I see his other works? Thank you.

  4. Donata says:

    He was a master. I’m so happy that he has not been forgotten. One of my most cherished possession is a portrait of my father in the same medium as Leno’s self-portrait. It will not copy. It turns purple every time. And a plaster sculpting meant for a young woman’s grave, that never got finished. The theories after the murders were numerous. It’s interesting that a police official was secretly investigating the crime…what did he know? All I do know is that, on that November night, someone took the lives of a loving woman and a beautiful soul that did not finish what he wanted to tell world.

  5. leno lazzari says:

    Well Sally, it looks like its moving along…………

  6. stefano lazzari says:

    thanks a lot for all informations i would be glad to know more when possible
    stefano lazzari
    stefanolazzari@ymail.com

  7. Lisa Mushnick says:

    I am very excited to read the story of my Aunt Louise and Uncle Leno, whom I have never met. My mother adored Louise and named me for her. I am one of the lucky recipients of a piece of her jewelry. It is too bad that this story has come to light so many years after their death. I am sure the guilty party is long gone.

    Lisa

  8. leno lazzari says:

    It took a lot of time and research (mostly but not only, sleuthing the web) . Economicaly nothing will come of it, but to at last having answers to questions long unanswered is very important to me.

    Sally did a great job and I like to think I was of help with the digging……..the dirty work.

    Leno…………(II)

  9. Bo Hertz says:

    In January 1940 my attractive grandmother was admiring the sepia tinted pastel ‘Society’ portraits on display in the window of Mr.Lazzari’s Palm Beach studio when the artist asked her to sit for him. She explained that she was visiting her parents and had to return to N.Y.C. and that such an extravagance was not within her means however he insisted whereupon she sat for him for a half hour and he asked that she return within the week.She did so and he presented her with his marvelous image of her asking simply for a kiss…she obliged telling me in 2ooo that ‘He reeked of garlic’! Congratulations on the book.

  10. leno lazzari says:

    Either Louise loved garlic herself or your grandmother kissed Leno
    just after he’d eaten spaghetti aglio e olio.
    And maybe in those times garlic was not a very popular ingredient
    in american cuisine.

    At any rate garlic was known as a natural antibiotic way back during
    the roman empire and probabily before which explains why here it
    has Always been used in many of our recepies.

  11. DR says:

    If you and the family are interested in locating lost Leno Lazarri artwork , my family may have a piece to add to list.

    • sally says:

      I have sent you a reply via your email. Please check your spam folder if you don’t find it in your mailbox. Thanks.

  12. Burr Snider says:

    Sally–A friend just directed me to your website, and the short TV piece about Leno and Louise. First of all, his name was pronounced “Layno,” to rhyme with Draino. How do I know? Because, at age six, I was supposed to be with Leno and Louise when they went home that night. My name is Burr Snider and I’m the son of the late Harrison and Connie Snider, with whom Leno and Louise had dinner earlier that evening in West Palm Beach. In those days it was the practice of Leno and Louise to drive to West Palm every Saturday to do their weekly shopping, after which they would come to our house on Monceaux Drive for dinner, which Leno usually cooked. My parents owned a furniture store and decorating business on what I think is called Phipp’s Point near the Royal Palm Bridge to Palm Beach. They had taken some of Leno’s artwork on consignment and the two couples became friends. My mother even posed for the nude statue that was in the middle of Leno’s fish pool. Usually after dinner either myself or my brother Steve, or both of us, would accompany Leno and Louise back to Boca to spend the night, and our parents would come down and spend the day on Sunday. As my mother told me, we had been bad that day and she refused to let us go, no doubt saving our lives. I’ll never forget when the call came the next morning as we were eating breakfast. Both my parents were visibly distraught, but they didn’t tell us anything of what had happened. I’d never seen my mother cry before so I knew something horrible had happened. As I recall, my parents were also suspects for a short while. I remember Leno as a fun-loving, mercurial guy and Louise as very motherly. My brother still has two pastel portraits Leno did of us, and I remember my mother showing me photos of the statue she posed for. I haven’t seen your book yet but will try to obtain a copy.

    • sally says:

      Hi Burr,
      Thank you so much for contacting me. I looked for you and your brother but was unsuccessful. I have sent an email to your personal email address. If you don’t get it in your “in” box, please check your spam older. Sally

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *