premise: Sonny Bono was murdered by Cher.
hypothesis: Salvatore Phillip `` Sonny '' Bono ( [ ˈboʊnoʊ ] February 16 , 1935 -- January 5 , 1998 ) was an American singer , producer , and politician who came to fame in partnership with his second wife Cher , as the popular singing duo Sonny & Cher .