How did Mario Oliver die? LA nightclub owner, 71, once dated Princess Stephanie of Monaco
LAS TERRENAS, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Prince Albert II's sister Princess Stephanie of Monaco's ex-boyfriend was discovered dead at a home in the Dominican Republic. Mario Oliver, a 71-year-old former model and proprietor of a nightclub in Los Angeles, was strangled to death by intruders at his home in Las Terrenas.
They broke into his home and took a safe-deposit box, several Rolex watches and other valuables after killing him, according to a report by Deadline. Local media reported that he died on October 26 as a result of a head injury and physical compression of the neck. The French businessman, who also worked as a model in his native country, was successful there and established himself as a regular on the Paris nightlife scene, whether manning the door or spinning records. He first met Princess Stephanie, then 22 years old, when he relocated to Los Angeles in 1981, where he ran the restaurants Tryst, Le Petit Four and Linq in addition to the nightclubs, The Gate and Vertigo. They soon rose to the position of a power couple. Princess Stéphanie and Oliver aka Prince of West Coast nightclub circuit were reportedly introduced to each other when a paparazzi asked them to pose for a picture together.
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When Stephanie's first and second songs, ‘Ouragan’ and ‘Flash’, had just been released in 1986, and she was dating Rob Lowe and relishing the great rewards of her musical career at the moment. She reportedly said, "I saw him and it just happened between us," as soon as she caught sight of her future spouse. Mario had a reputation for being slick, attractive and seductive to women. According to a 1987 Los Angeles Times report, he had: “Continental charm, gracious manner and boyish sexuality.” Oliver has cultivated an image of drinking champagne instead of wine, flying first-class instead of coach and having the prettiest woman in the room on his arm. “From clothes to culture to girlfriends, he always seems to be in the lead.” As one friend, David Gothard, explained, “Mario was born trendy.'' In the later stages of their relationship, the two of them moved into a Beverley Hills house with a pool and three dogs.
Princess Stephanie revealed to the LA Times back when they were dating: “I live a normal life, not the life of a star… What we prefer to do together is lie in the sun, see our friends, like normal people, then barbecue at home. We have our very close friends, and that's it.” Nevertheless, the two cherished their time spent socializing with the wealthy, as evidenced by the 1987 French Open appearance. Although, after a year, the relationship ended and Princess Stéphanie started dating her bodyguard Daniel Ducruet and later went on to marry him.
According to a 2001 article in the Telegraph, her father refused to approve their marriage because he was horrified by her daughter's new choice of partner. Also, a video of Ducruet dancing and flirting with the former Miss Bare Breasts of Belgium surfaced a year after their wedding. Prince Albert's sister has three children, two of them, Pauline and Louis, who were born through her relationship with Ducruet. Later, in 1998, in Monte Carlo, she gave birth to Camille Gottlieb. Meanwhile, in California, Mario Oliver kept moving up the social scale after divorcing his ex. He was, however, twice divorced and was detained in 1982 on suspicion of raping a 19-year-old woman, but as part of a plea deal, he agreed to be charged with a sexual battery instead.