Police believe that Harold Smith killed Ronni Chasen in a random act of violence -- most likely a desperate "robbery gone bad" -- after a preliminary ballistics test indicated a match between the gun that he used to shoot himself and the murder weapon.
Investigators are still working to determine whether anyone else was involved, but believe at this time that Smith acted alone, riding on a bicycle, said Sgt. Mike Publicker, the detective in charge of the investigation at a 3 p.m. news conference in Beverly Hills.
"He was at a desperate point in his life and was reaching out for desperate measures," Publicker said.
Smith shot himself in the head a week ago Wednesday as BHPD detectives approached him at a seedy Hollywood transient hotel, where he apparently had bragged to fellow residents that he was responsible for Chasen's death and was about to come into some money. Investigators were acting on a tip from "America's Most Wanted" viewer, police said.
The gun went to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's ballistics lab on Wednesday of last week -- the day Smith shot himself -- BHPD Chief Dave Snowden told TheWrap, "and we got back the results at 11 o'clock this morning. ... It's still preliminary, but it looks like a match."
The Los Angeles Police Department, which is still investigating Smith's suicide shooting a week ago Wednesday, is still holding Smith's bicycle.
A final ballistics report could take up to several weeks, a law enforcement official told TheWrap this 
afternoon. "These things take time," the official said. "It ain't CSI," the official said.
According to court documents, Smith (pictured in mug shot at right; photo from TMZ) had a long history of criminal behavior including burglary and drug possession in California and in New York state.
Police issued the following statement moments after the news conference:
On Wednesday, December 1, 2010, Beverly Hills Detectives transported evidence from the Chasen homicide investigation to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Scientific Services Bureau/Firearms Section for initial analysis.
That afternoon, following up on a tip received from “America’s Most Wanted,” Beverly Hills Detectives responded to the Harvey Apartments in the 5600 block of Santa Monica Boulevard, in the City of Los Angeles. The person of interest, “Harold Martin Smith,” returned to the location, and once inside was contacted by Beverly Hills Police personnel. It was at this time Mr. Smith drew his weapon and took his own life. Mr. Smith sustained a single self inflicted gunshot wound to the head and expired at the scene.
On Thursday, December 2, 2010, Beverly Hills Police detectives requested the release of the weapon used in the commission of this suicide to be turned over to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Scientific Services Bureau/Firearms Section. This request was granted and a ballistic comparison was begun between the evidence recovered from the Chasen homicide investigation.
