Murderer Phil Spector’s Massive Fortune Continues to Earn Long After His Death Behind Bars

Legendary producer Phil Spector earned an unparalleled reputation for his musical intuition—he’s the brains behind some of the biggest songs in rock ‘n roll. His net worth, therefore was considerable, and his estate continued to amass wealth long after his death behind bars in 2021.

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Spector is best known for developing the “Wall of Sound” production style, which involved layering multiple instruments to create a rich, dense sound. He worked with many famous artists and groups, including The Ramones, Leonard Cohen, and The Righteous Brothers. His influence extended to his work with The Beatles on their album, Let It Be , and George Harrison’s solo album, All Things Must Pass .

But he also had a sinister side. Spector was a gun nut, quick to anger, and by many accounts, abusive. In 2003, he murdered actor Lana Clarkson—Spector shot her, seemingly execution-style, in his sprawling Los Angeles mansion. It took five years for a conviction to stick, though.

He was tried first in 2007, which resulted in a hung jury and a mistrial. Two years later, he was tried again, and this time, he was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to 19 years to life behind bars in 2009. When he died in jail, there was a big question of what would happen to his estate because he had several children with different partners.

Phil Spector’s net worth at the time of his death

Phil Spector’s fortune was estimated to be around $50 million at the time of his death. He was survived by his children—Donte, twins Gary and Lewis with his second wife, Ronnie, and twins, Phillip Spector Jr. and Nicole with his long-time partner, Janis Zavala, whom he never married. (Phillip Jr. died in 1991 of Leukemia at age 9.) The $50 million estate, which continues to earn tens of millions in royalties each year from his music, was distributed among the four children.

In 2021, the castle-like estate in which Clarkson was murdered was sold for just $3.3 million. Spector paid $1.1 million for it in 1998, telling Esquire magazine in 1999 that he had bought “a beautiful and enchanting castle in a hick town where there is no place to go that you shouldn’t go.”

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In an article published by The LA Times at the time the property was sold, “one neighbor likened him to a feudal lord among serfs.” According to Mansion Global , the property had been on and off the market since 2019, when it was first listed for $5.5 million. Spector’s ex-wife, Rachelle Short, was the seller.

It’s worth pointing out that his fortune took considerable hits over the years, too, thanks to legal fees. Most famously, his ex-wife Ronnie and her group, The Ronnettes, sued him for $10 million for unpaid royalties in 1998. In 2002, a judge ruled that Spector had unconditional rights to the song, per the New York Times . In 2010, he was forced to pay the group $1 million in unpaid royalties and damages.

Spector was reported to have racked up at least $5.7 million in legal bills in proceedings over nearly two decades, according to documents in the court case brought by Spector’s former publisher, per The LA Times in 2009.

Throughout his trial, he churned through around 10 attorneys. He hired, and later fired, Robert Shapiro, the famous attorney for getting OJ Simpson off for the murder of Nicole Brown . Spector had been seeking a refund for a $1 million retainer, which Shapiro disputed, and they settled the matter out of court, per CBS in 2010.

In 2005, Clarkson’s mother, Donna, sued Spector for her daughter’s wrongful death. She also accused Spector of negligence and battery, charging in the Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit that the record producer “grabbed, hit, fought with and restrained” her daughter before shooting her to death. Seven years later, the lawsuit was settled . The terms were not disclosed.