Snider purchases a new Mercedes SL with the vanity license plate STAR 80, but feels dejected after losing money on failed business ventures and being eclipsed by Stratten's success. At the Playboy Mansion Stratten catches the eye of movie director Aram Nicholas (modeled on Peter Bogdanovich), who lets her read for a film role. Snider hires a private investigator to follow Stratten and learns Stratten and Nicholas are sleeping together. Snider buys a shotgun after Stratten insists she is going to leave him. Disregarding Nicholas' plea for her to not see Snider again, Stratten agrees to meet with him to arrange a financial settlement. Snider pleads with Stratten not to leave him, but she says the marriage is over. Enraged, he rapes and shoots her. As he then turns the gun on himself, the screen turns to black with the gunshot.