Police Might Have Suspect In $3 Million Painting Slasher Case
ASPEN, Colo. (CBS4) - CBS4 has reported on surveillance video from Aspen's Opera Gallery showing a man taking a knife to the painting, but the bizarre crime is still a bit of a mystery.
There's still no motive as to why someone wearing a disguise came into the high-end art gallery and destroyed a nearly $3 million masterpiece.
"I prefer not to think about it because it's pretty disturbing for me," Opera Gallery owner Gregory Lahmi said.
For Lahmi, what happened to one of the gallery's cherished pieces is beyond reason.
"It could have been about jealousy, because of our success … it could be about a lot of things, really," Lahmi said.
Gallery security cameras captured what happened as a disguised person walked in and used a blade to cut two separate slices in the canvas and then fled.
Even if it is repaired it won't ever be the same. Aspen police are on the case. CBS4 has learned they maybe closing in on a suspect.
Lahmi's assistant, who was alone in the gallery when the strange slashing happened, said the mystery suspect paid no attention to any other paintings, which include works by Pablo Picasso with values far greater than the one that was targeted.
The canvas is now in storage as the gallery decides what they will do with it.
