HOMICIDE AT ROUGH POINT | Vanity Fair | July/August 2020

🌈 Abstract

The article explores the mysterious death of Eduardo Tirella, an interior designer and companion of Doris Duke, the richest woman in America, in 1966. It delves into the circumstances surrounding Tirella's death, which was initially ruled an accident by the Newport police, and the subsequent efforts by Duke to cover up her alleged involvement in his killing.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The Mysterious Death of Eduardo Tirella

1. What were the key events leading up to Tirella's death?

• Tirella had worked as the artistic curator and designer for Doris Duke's estates for over a decade, but was planning to sever ties with her and move to the West Coast to pursue his Hollywood career.
• On the day of the incident, Tirella and Duke had a heated argument, overheard by the estate's staff, about Tirella's plans to leave.
• Tirella and Duke then got into a station wagon, with Tirella driving, and headed towards the estate's gates.

2. What happened at the estate's gates?

• Tirella stopped the car to unlock the chain on the gates, and Duke then slid into the driver's seat, released the parking brake, shifted into drive, and accelerated the vehicle towards Tirella.
• The station wagon sped through the gates, smashed a fence across the street, and crashed into a tree, with Tirella's body crushed under the rear axle.

3. How did the police initially handle the investigation?

• The Newport police chief, Joseph A. Radice, initially declared Tirella's death an accidental, based solely on Duke's account of the incident.
• The police did not conduct a thorough investigation, and the case was quickly closed without any inquest.

[02] Doris Duke's Alleged Cover-up

1. What actions did Doris Duke take after Tirella's death?

• Duke made significant charitable donations to the town of Newport, including $25,000 to restore the historic Cliff Walk and over $10,000 to the Newport Hospital.
• Duke also set up the Newport Restoration Foundation, which renovated 84 Colonial-era buildings in the town.

2. How did Duke's actions raise suspicions about a cover-up?

• The sudden burst of philanthropy by Duke was seen by some as an attempt to cover up her alleged involvement in Tirella's death.
• Tirella's niece, Donna Lohmeyer, believed that Duke "killed him twice" - by destroying his body and then "eviscerat[ing] his memory."

3. What evidence suggests a cover-up by the police?

• The police chief, Joseph Radice, retired shortly after the incident and purchased condominiums in Florida.
• The inspector who had questioned Duke was promoted to replace Radice as the new police chief, and another officer who had interviewed Duke was also promoted.

[03] The Disputed Circumstances of Tirella's Death

1. What were the conflicting accounts of how the incident unfolded?

• Duke's initial statement to the police claimed that Tirella was "crushed against the iron gates," but the autopsy report showed his injuries were inconsistent with this.
• An investigation by a retired NYPD detective suggested that Tirella went up on the hood of the car before being run over in the middle of the street.

2. What evidence supports the theory of an intentional act?

• Witness accounts and physical evidence, such as the damage to the gates and the location of Tirella's injuries, suggest that Duke intentionally accelerated the vehicle towards Tirella.
• Forensic analysis concluded that Duke's actions, including releasing the parking brake and shifting into drive, indicated a "multi-sequence event" rather than an accident.

3. How did Doris Duke's wealth and influence potentially enable a cover-up?

• Duke's vast wealth and connections allowed her to make significant charitable donations to the town, which may have influenced the police investigation.
• The disappearance of key evidence, such as the police investigation file and a photograph of the crashed vehicle, further suggests a concerted effort to cover up the true circumstances of Tirella's death.