LOS ANGELES _ High on an Alhambra hilltop, the French chateau-style mansion owned by Phil Spector _ and where actress Lana Clarkson was slain _ is for sale at $5.5 million.
Called the Pyrenees Castle, the eerie estate dates to 1926, when French immigrant Sylvester Dupuy erected the home to mimic the castles he saw as a child in his native country. The house was divided into apartments in the 1940s before a Chinese investor bought it and remodeled in the '80s.
Spector, an influential producer famous for his "wall of sound" recording technique, paid $1.1 million for the home in 1998, describing it to Esquire as "a beautiful and enchanting castle in a hick town where there is no place to go that you shouldn't go."
Dogged by a history of substance addiction and domestic abuse, Spector was occasionally seen by neighbors winding his way up to the estate in a luxury car. They compared him to a feudal lord among serfs.
Looming over the San Gabriel Valley city, the walled and gated mansion sits on a knoll of more than 2.5 acres.
Past a quarter-mile driveway and motor court, the 8,700 square feet of interiors open to a grand marble foyer _ the room where Clarkson was found shot to death in 2003 after a night out in Hollywood.
Spector was arrested on suspicion of murder soon after, and following a mistrial in 2007, he was retried and convicted of second-degree murder two years later. He's serving a prison sentence of 19 years to life.
Crystal chandeliers and hand-painted murals draw the eye throughout the mansion, which has nine bedrooms and 10 bathrooms. There's also a paneled living room, two kitchens, two offices and a hair salon.
Outside, turrets give the exterior its castle-like vibe, and a top-level terrace takes in city light views. A fountain and four garages complete the grounds.
Spector, 79, produced award-winning work with iconic groups such as the Ronettes, the Beatles and the Ramones during his career. His writing credits include "Be My Baby" and "Then He Kissed Me."
