Phil Spector Went From Being a Music Mogul to a Murderer — Where Is He Now?

Songs like "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" were written by a man whose name would always be associated with murder , not record-making hits. Phil Spector is now the stuff of true-crime legends, with his music accolades taking a backseat.

The former mogul worked with The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, and then all but disappeared in the early 1980s until he was charged with murder in 2003. Six years later, Spector was found guilty after a retrial and was sentenced to 19 years to life. Is he still in prison, or did his vast fortune save the day? Let's take a look.

What happened to Phil Spector?

On Jan. 16, 2021, it was reported the Spector passed away at the age of 81 from natural causes, per the BBC . It was later determined that the songwriter and convicted killer had died from complications related to COVID-19. Spector's daughter Audrey Spector told the New York Times that she saw her father the day before he died, and said he "appeared to be suffering."

Spector was not alone at San Joaquin General Hospital, where he spent his last days. Audrey told the outlet that he "died with love and dignity." She blamed the hospital for her father's death, claiming they neglected him and treated him cruelly.

Days before he was admitted, she spoke with Spector on the phone and noted he was "experiencing severe wheezing, could not get through a sentence without coughing, could not swallow or eat." She said he was begging for medical help.

After Spector's death, his ex-wife Ronnie Spector posted about him on Instagram . It was a shockingly respectful statement given the fact that she alleges he was abusive in their marriage. She praised his genius and the beautiful music they created together. "As I said many times while he was alive, he was a brilliant producer, but a lousy husband," she wrote. "Unfortunately Phil was not able to live and function outside of the recording studio. Darkness set in, many lives were damaged."