Angela Delvecchio
Angela Delvecchio, Angela Delvecchio – Pics of the real Angela Delvecchio portrayed in Death Of A Cheerleader, Bernadette Protti, and her 1984 murder victim, Kirsten Costas.
The Angela Delvecchio character played by Kellie Martin is actually the opposite of Bernadette Protti – who was older, taller and blonde – while Kirsten Costas, played by Tori Spelling – was only 15, shorter and dark-haired.
The Kirsten Costas murder story that was the basis for Death Of A Cheerleader was published in Rolling Stone in 1985 and was also covered by People magazine.
Bernadette Protti basically killed Kirsten Costas over an imagined slight and fear of being exposed as a scheming, socially inept wannabe.
As in the movie, where the Angela Delvecchio character pretended for months not to know who stabbed the young cheerleader to death, Bernadette Protti did the same for six months before finally confessing.
Unbelievably, and over the protests of Kristin Costas’ family, Bernadette Protti was paroled from California prison after just seven years.