CAPTURE REPORT
April 19, 2002

Once a TV cop, now he's behind bars. 68-year-old Robert Blake, known for his television character Tony Baretta, was arrested at his daughter's house in Los Angeles yesterday, April 18, 2002. Los Angeles Police have charged him with the May 4, 2001 murder of his wife, Bonnie Lee Bakley. His arrest is not a direct result of the FOX TV show, "America's Most Wanted."

On May 4, 2001 Blake and his wife went to dinner at Vitello's restaurant. After leaving the restaurant the couple got into their car parked outside the restaurant. Blake told police he went back into the restaurant to retrieve his firearm, which he was licensed to carry. He told police that when he returned to his car, his wife was shot dead.

At first had no suspects, but had their suspicions about Blake. The couple had a dispute over their 11-month old daughter and had lived in two separate homes. The case made national headlines for months but police didn't have enough evidence until recent months to charge Blake with the murder.

Police said Blake's bodyguard and driver, Earle Caldwell, was also in custody for the same crime.

"America's Most Wanted" profiled a 30-second inbump on this case on May 19, 2001