Murder Suspect Faces New Charge : Count of Soliciting Death of Daughter, Her Lawyer Is Added

A Tarzana man accused of murdering his estranged wife and attempting to kill his daughter pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges he solicited the death of the daughter and her attorney while in County Jail awaiting trial.

Robert Peernock, 50, was taken into custody Sept. 4 for allegedly staging an auto accident in Sun Valley in a scheme to kill his wife, Claire Laurence Peernock, 45, and his oldest daughter, Natasha Sims, 18. They were found at 4:30 a.m. July 22 in Peernock’s car, which had been doused with gasoline and had struck a utility pole.

But the scheme failed when an autopsy on Claire Peernock determined that she died before the crash from head wounds that were inconsistent with a traffic accident, Los Angeles Police Lt. Bernard D. Conine said. Sims survived similar wounds, which were probably inflicted with a blunt instrument, Deputy Dist. Atty. Pamela Davis-Springer said.

Peernock pleaded not guilty Sept. 15 to one count each of murder, attempted murder, arson and kidnaping in connection with the July 22 incident.

Report From Inmate

Prosecutors filed the murder solicitation charge Wednesday after a County Jail inmate told them that Peernock offered to pay him to kill Sims and attorney Victoria Doom.

Doom, who was handling divorce proceedings for Claire Peernock at the time of her death, is representing Sims in a $5-million personal injury suit filed against Peernock in San Fernando Superior Court. She said she also represents Sims and Peernock’s other daughter, an 11-year-old, in a wrongful death suit against Peernock.

Doom said Claire Peernock’s estate, which includes assets jointly owned by her and Peernock, is worth about $500,000. A 1972 will signed by Claire Peernock leaves her estate to her husband, she said.

If Peernock is convicted of murder, attempted murder, kidnaping and arson, he could be sentenced to 33 years to life in state prison, Davis-Springer said. If he is convicted of soliciting murder, an additional six years could be added to his sentence, she said.

A preliminary hearing on the murder solicitation charge was scheduled Dec. 22 for Peernock, who is being held without bail.