New details emerge in Linda Stein case

The more we learn about the death of star New York City real estate broker and former Ramones manager Linda Stein, the seedier things seem to get. A couple of months ago Paste reported on the arrest of Stein's personal assistant Natavia Lowery in connection of murder. Since then, things have gotten downright nasty.

A New York Times article from last month paints an ugly courtroom scene: Lowery's defense team arguing that her confession to New York police was coerced, a prosecuting attorney labeling Lowery a "devious, manipulative" criminal, and a host of Lowery's supporters vocally accusing Stein's daughter Mandy of the crime. It was Mandy who first discovered her mother's dead body.

Now, as NME.com reported last week, new circumstantial evidence is emerging against Lowery. Police have a financial forensic analyst investigating a series of withdrawals that Lowery made with Stein's ATM card in the days before and after the murder. The sum of these transactions is hovering over five figures. NME also names the murder weapon as a yoga stick.

As of right now, this case has all the makings of a protracted, tabloid-fueled legal battle. However, for those seeking background information on the case with a minimal dosage of sensationalism, Robert Kolker's New York Magazine feature on Stein and Lowery is required reading.

Got news tips for Paste? Email news@pastemagazine.com.