TV Producer Jailed On Suspicion Of Murdering Her Disabled Sister

LOS ANGELES, CA — A Television producer accused of murdering her disabled sisters and staging it as a suicide, appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom Monday to face murder charges.

Jill Blackstone, 55, is accused of killing her sister by drugging her and setting their Studio City garage on fire with her sister and three dogs inside in 2015. Authorities allege Blackstone killed her sister to get out of the financial burden of caring for her. An arraignment scheduled for Blackstone was postponed until thursday, and the producer was ordered to return to court. She is being held on more than $2 million bail.

A warrant for the producer's arrest was issued in, and sheriff's records indicate she was booked into jail in Van Nuys Friday night.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Blackstone drugged her deaf and blind sister, Wendy, 49, with the sedative alprazolam. She then placed her in the garage in the 12000 block of Landale Street along with her three dogs, then set a fire in the garage in an effort to make her death look like an accident or suicide, investigators contend.

"Homicide detectives believe the motive was Jill's frustration of being forced to provide Wendy long-term care, as well as the associated financial hardship," according to an LAPD statement.

According to the coroner's office, Wendy Blackstone died from inhalation of combustion and alprazolam. A coroner's report obtained by the Los Angeles Times stated that a suicide note was found in Wendy Blackstone's hand, but investigators believed the note was actually written by Jill Blackstone.

A charcoal grill was found near Wendy Blackstone's body, according to the coroner's report.

Jill Blackstone was arrested on suspicion of murder two days after her sister's body was found, but she was released when prosecutors declined to file charges, asking police to conduct further investigation.

On March 9, however, prosecutors charged Blackstone with murder and three counts of animal cruelty, leading to the arrest warrant. Prosecutors said one of the dogs was found dead in the garage, although some reports have indicated that two of them died.

If convicted as charged, Blackstone faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Blackstone has worked as a producer on shows including "The Jerry Springer Show," "Divorce Court," `The Tony Danza Show and "Family Court with Judge Penny."

Anyone with additional information about the case was urged to call LAPD Valley Bureau Homicide Detective Dave Peteque at (805) 750-7888.

City News Service and Patch staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.