The assassination of Victor Weiss, detailed in HBO’s Winning TimeTh, e Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, was destined to raise some suspicions.
After meeting with Jerry Buss to finalize a deal for his friend and client Jerry Tarkanian, Victor Weiss was assassinated in 1979, and his body was stuffed into his trunk. The Las Vegas basketball coach would have joined the Los Angeles Lakers as part of the arrangement. The assassination, according to authorities, was carried out by the crowd.
The hit was carried out, according to the HBO show, in order to keep Tarkanian at UNLV. Max Borenstein, the writer and executive producer of the film, commented on the veracity of the occurrence depicted on screen, saying,
“Our criterion going in was that everything that would make the audience’s jaws drop and make them say, ‘Wait, this couldn’t possibly have occurred,’ had to be 100 percent genuine, and we followed that guideline in the instance of Vic Weiss.”
How was Victor Weiss killed?
In Pasadena, California, Victor Weiss attended the same high school as Tarkanian. He took on the coach’s negotiations as a side endeavor after they became great friends. Before becoming a sports promoter, Victor had some success in real estate and insurance.
On June 14, 1979, Victor met with Jerry Buss and Jack Kent Cooke to explore Tarkarian becoming the Los Angeles Lakers head coach. In his Rolls-Royce, he was last seen leaving the hotel in Beverly Hills, California, where the conference was held that day. He was supposed to have dinner with his wife, Rose, but he never showed up.
Victor’s car was found in the parking area of a motel in North Hollywood, California, after his wife reported him missing on June 17, 1979. He was discovered curled up in the trunk of the automobile, wrapped in a blanket. His wrists were tied behind his back, and his health was failing.
After investigators had no additional identification, fingerprints were used to confirm Victor Weiss’ identity. There were no further signs or evidence in the automobile that may have led the police to the perpetrator. Victor was shot twice in the back of the head and once in the temple, suggesting that he was killed.
Authorities were first baffled since Victor’s diamond ring and watch was still there, despite the fact that his wallet and briefcase had been removed. The robbery was ruled out as a probable motive or a consequence. The authorities have not been able to solve the murder until this day.
