Crime Library: Criminal Minds and Methods

The Hollywood Bling Ring

The Other Suspects

Diana Tamayo
Diana Tamayo
The rest of the group proved to be just as celebrity-and-fame-obsessed as Lee and Prugo. They also proved to have been popular at their high school. Lee had been named "Best Dressed," and according to Buzzfeed.com, Diana Tamayo had been awarded "Best Smile" and had been voted, along with her boyfriend, "cutest couple" in the class of 2007 at Indian Hills High School.

But the one who might end up the most notorious of the Bunch is Alexis Neiers, 18. Neiersalso known as Alexis Tayloris the daughter of a former Playboy model and a Hollywood photographer and had been filming a reality TV show pilot for E! Called "Pretty Wild" before the scandal broke. Her arrest did not kill the project, but it did turn what she had probably hoped would be a shot at fame into notoriety instead. She was even even arrested while the cameras were rolling and has been seen parading to the courthouse with her camera crew.

Alexa Neirs
Alexa Neirs
Not appearing demure and contrite in the press, Neiers bragged of her penchant for expensive shoes to Vanity Fair and compared herself to Angelina Jolie, saying that she sees herself "being like an Angelina Jolie, but even stronger, pushing even harder for the universe and for peace and for the health of our planet. God didn't give me these talents and looks to just sit around being a model or being famous."

It was Neiers who initially fingered Prugo as the mastermind, who then turned and pointed fingers at Lee.

Without serious criminal experience (though Lee and another suspect, Diana Tamayo had been convicted for misdemeanor shoplifting of cosmetics from a Sephora store in 2009), the alleged robbers weren't competent to actually make money from their alleged loot. That's where another suspect, Roy Lopez Jr., 27, allegedly came in. A bouncer for a bar in Calabasas, he was the alleged fence for the goods, but he was too small-time to handle the upscale loot. Police say Ajar was therefore brought in to help fence the goods.

As their court dates approached, the group proved not to be the most clever group of defendants. One suspect, Courtney Leigh Ames, 19, showed up in court in January wearing a necklace that appeared to belong to Lindsay Lohan, landing her an additional charge of receiving stolen property. This item, along with a leather jacket allegedly belonging to Paris Hilton was also recovered by the police.

Diana Tamayo, 19, was also charged for alleged possession of an undisclosed item that belonged to Rachel Bilson.

Despite the mounting evidence, the suspects all maintain their innocence.

Neier's father, Mikel Neiers told People magazine, "She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, associating with the wrong people. She got sucked into this. We're standing by her. I'm sure [the case against her is] going to be thrown out of court."

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