The 48 Hours episode “The Mysterious Death of Casey Kasem” investigates the “controversial” death of radio legend Casey Kasem. He reportedly suffered from Parkinson’s Disease for years and died in 2014. Kasem was 82 years old. His estate is worth $80 to $100 million. Kasem’s children from his first marriage, Kerri, Julie and Michael Kasem, have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against their stepmother, Jean Kasem; and she has filed a countersuit against them for the same reasons. CBS News correspondent Peter Van Sant interviews Kasem’s widow and Kerri Kasem separately.
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Jean Kasem, who was 22 years younger than Casey (they married in 1980), is also an actress. She’s best known for her role as “bimbo” Loretta Tortelli, second wife of Nick Tortelli, Carla’s sleazy ex-husband on the hit TV sitcom Cheers. Jean Kasem’s last role on TV was in a 1997 episode of Malcolm & Eddie with Malcolm-Jamal Warner as Nurse L. Reed.
On 48 Hours, Jean Kasem tells Van Sant, with tears in her eyes, “I loved that man so much, I would have died for him.” She says she’s been “stalked, tracked, bullied” by her husband’s children (from his first marriage). The children say Jean Kasem “isolated and tortured” their father who was “left to die in a facility.” Jean Kasem says “they killed their father.” A judge may rule on the case next spring. Casey Kasem’s body is in an unmarked grave in Oslo, Norway. Casey and Jean Kasem have one child together — Liberty Jean Kasem who is 28. 48 Hours airs Saturdays at 10 pm on CBS.
