Martha “Sunny”
Crawford von Bülow
Part One: Martha Crawford, a privileged life
By Jeffrey Calta
Martha “Sunny” Crawford (aka Sunny von Bülow) was one of Emlenton, PA’s most famous persons. Sunny was born into a very wealthy family and enjoyed a privileged and happy life into her early adulthood. However, events later on in her life would make headlines around the world as Sunny would be at the center of a high-profile attempted murder case in the early 1980’s. The sensational case and trial would inspire a Hollywood film. Here is her story.
Martha “Sunny” Crawford was the daughter of George Crawford and Annie Laurie Warmack of Emlenton, PA. She was born in 1932 and acquired her nickname from her always cheerful disposition as a child. George had become very wealthy from oil businesses he owned as well as large oil and gas deposits on his property. At the time of Sunny’s birth, George’s wealth was estimated at $100 million. Sunny split her first three years between 304 Hill Street in Emlenton and the Crawford’s second home in the Squirrel Hill area of Pittsburgh.
George Crawford passed away in 1935. He left his entire estate to Sunny and his wife Annie. Mother and daughter left Western PA and bought an estate called Tamerlane in Greenwich, CT. Once Sunny graduated from finishing school her mother and maternal grandmother took her to Europe for the “grand” tour. It was on this tour of Europe that Sunny met Prince Alfie von Auersperg of Austria and they both fell in love. Although Sunny’s mother objected to the match, Sunny and Alfie married in 1957. Mother Annie’s premonition about Alfie proved right. Alfie’s playboy ways returned shortly after the marriage and he had numerous affairs with other women. Alfie and Sunny parted ways amicably in 1965 and they remained friends throughout their lives.
Sunny von Auersperg met her second husband Claus von Bulow in 1965 and they married in 1967. The marriage seemed doomed from the start. Claus was the ultimate party goer while Sunny preferred domestic life. Tensions between Sunny and Claus escalated over the years. Claus wanted his own life while Sunny wanted him by her side. In 1979, Claus was living in New York City and openly courting Alexandra Isles. Alexandra was a former soap opera star. Alexandra and Claus had a stormy on-off romance and it was rumored that Alexandra gave Claus an ultimatum to leave Sunny.
The von Bulow family celebrated Christmas in December, 1979 at their Newport RI mansion. Sunny had a few drinks of spiked eggnog on Christmas Day evening and felt weak and disoriented. Her son Alexander helped her to the bedroom for rest. It was common knowledge that Sunny had a problem with alcohol and it was assumed that the eggnog caused the disorientation. However, Alexander saw Claus with Sunny in the bedroom that evening and later said the two has been arguing. Against the wishes of Claus, Sunny was taken to the Newport RI hospital where she was diagnosed with severe low blood sugar.
Sunny recovered from that incident. However, the New Year of 1980 would change the fortunes of the von Bulow family forever.
PART TWO: A mysterious coma, Claus is accused of attempted homicide. (Next Week.)