Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true.
The names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Dragnet.
You're a detective sergeant.
You're assigned a robbery detail.
You get a call that a woman has been badly beaten.
She can't describe her assailant.
He's still at large.
Her job.
Find him.
It was Monday, January 14th.
It was raining in Los Angeles.
We were working the night watch out a robbery detail.
My partner's Frank Smith.
The boss is Chief Detective Thad Brown.
My name's Friday.
We're on our way out from the office.
It was 1147 p.m.
We got to 7982 Oakwood Avenue.
Front door.
What is it?
Police officers.
Would you like to see Miss Griffin?
How do I know?
Thank you, partner.
How do I know you're cops?
Here's our identification.
Pass it through the door.
I want to see it good.
All right, here you are.
What do you think?
Your guess is as good as mine.
Come on in.
Thank you.
Hurry up.
Don't let all the rain in.
Yes, ma'am.
What if I have my identification card, please?
Take your coats off right here.
I don't want you tracking water through the house.
All right, could I have that identification card, please?
You don't mind my being so careful about what's happened here.
I've got to take all the precautions, you know.
Yes, ma'am.
Come on in.
Sit down.
I'll take care of it.
Which one of you is Sergeant Friday?
I am.
You're the one who called.
That's right.
Who's he?
He's my partner, Frank Smith.
Well, sit down.
Here's your card.
Thank you.
Get you anything, a cup of coffee, some hot cocoa.
No thank you.
I'll suit yourself.
What is it you want?
We understand you know Mrs. Kieran.
We're her neighbors.
Mm-hmm.
Maybe you can tell us what happened here tonight.
It seems like you'd have the story being cops and all.
We'd like to hear you tell us.
Come with me.
I'll give you a lighted gun.
I'll show you what I believe.
I know.
I know you.
Here you are.
What?
like to tell you tell it now all right I was here tonight watching the TV just
gone out to the kitchen to get a plate of snacks for the late show you know kind
of like the muncher well all of a sudden heard this scream real loud I wasn't
watching the television right then so at first I thought it was from the set you
know like a drama that's man nothing about it right then got myself all
settled for the movie and then I heard another scream that's when I knew there
was something wrong how's that it was a quiz on the television no reason for any
screams right then there was another one then I knew it was from next door yeah so
I got my coat and umbrella and went over there I see knocked on the door but didn't
get no answer well I went into the house no dark not a light on right in and called
him this is Karen called to her an answer but I could kind of hear something
off to the back of the place sound like somebody crying like a whimper soft you
know it came from the back of the house in the bedroom you didn't see anybody
else in the house when you went in didn't if I had I'd have told you before
this go ahead please I got to the bedroom opened the door
couldn't see anything at first then I was about to go on in and this man jumped
out at me he was in the bedroom wasn't yeah I must have been hiding in the dark
and heard me coming and he got back so wouldn't see him then when I opened the
door he jumped right out almost scared me to death what did he do just jumped at
me and ran out of the house right through the front door heard it slam
and then I heard the crying again was sort of off to one side of the room I
couldn't see right away where it was coming from I turned on the light and
right away I saw she was laying on the floor this thing oh it's just terrible
room was all tore up things all thrown around the real mess and her land right
there in the middle of it all beat up look like whoever done it tried to kill
her what'd you do then call the police dialed oh told operator to send a
policeman was wrong for that here seemed like there was a hundred of them all over
the place I wonder if you can give us a description of the man you saw other
officers asked me the same thing much I can tell you just all of a sudden he was
there and then he was gone you're pretty sure it was a man on certainly I guess I
know a man when I see one been married to one for twenty two years yes ma'am can
you tell us anything about him he's got a glimpse of him not good I can't tell you
anything but I looked he was standing in the dark when I come in next thing I knew
he jumped past me and went out the front door yes ma'am would you know him again
if you saw him I don't think so just a glance at all like to help there isn't
much more I can tell you all right ma'am how is Mrs. Can she gonna be okay well
she'd be in the hospital for a few days she's gonna be all right and she able to
tell you something about the man who did this no ma'am seems like she'd be able to
describe him must have been there for a good half hour how do you figure that
must have been at least that long from the time I heard the first scream till I
got over there first off I didn't think it was real thought it was on television
yes ma'am you told us must have been half hour mm-hmm
Mrs. Karen have any enemies that you knew of well there's some people who didn't
like her couple right here in the neighborhood but none of them that would
do a thing like this how'd she and her husband seem to get along well you mean
did they have any fights yes that's all the time seem like they was always
battling about something would you know what caused the arguments oh mostly about
her another man he thought she's running around on him he used to fight about it
a couple of times he said if she didn't stop he's gonna kill her was that true
you mean about her and the man yes well might have been for all I know I didn't
pay much mind to their troubles seems like I had too many things to keep me
busy about getting mixed up in their problems all right miss Griffin we'll
leave our card with you if you remember anything you think we'd be interested in
we appreciate a call from you if I think of anything you get one thank you ma'am
don't seem kind of funny to you what's that how Mrs. Kieran can't tell you
anything about the fella don't that strike you kind of odd how do you mean
well somebody is in my house for that long I'd be able to tell something about
him for sure I guess with the lights off maybe she couldn't see and then again
yes ma'am maybe she don't want to tell you Frank and I drove back to the office
and put in a call to Georgia Street receiving hospital we talked to dr.
Sebastian and found the victim had recovered to the point where she could
be moved to her own hospital they also talked with the officers who were with
her they told us that the woman hadn't given them any new information and they
still hadn't been able to contact her husband while I checked the crime lab
Frank went down the hall and ran the names Irene and Tom Kieran through our
nine to 14 a.m. we met back in the squad room
how'd it go in the crime lab I got it all here you want to take a look yeah
beginning to look like we got a good case against the husband yeah now here
there's a picture of the room a woman was found about here see mm-hmm you can
see the way the stuff scattered all around the place all through here yeah
looks like robbery well he wanted to look that way maybe let me well address her
drawer here the boys in the crime lab found a hundred and twenty dollars in
cash all the thief had to do was open the drawer and he'd have seen it too oh
how about the entrance that's something else it doesn't seem to gel they checked
all the windows and doors there's no sign of any breaking she must open the door
for the thing well that means it was somebody Mrs. Kieran knew her it kind of
looks that way anything else we can use now take a look here here's a picture of
a footprint Lee Jones found in the earth beside the path the way it looks the thief
left the path when he ran from the house and stepped in the soft dirt do it any
good not much the ground was wet must have been a good impression but the rain
broke down the walls not much good to us now that's it yeah late in Prince didn't
come up with any how'd you do well nothing on the woman husband's gotten
arrest record yeah got it right here this is Karen I'm pinched 18 months ago
on a beating charge refused to prosecute same thing a year ago and here besides
her complaints he's been booked for ADW and suspicion to 11 then the big time no
never drew a conviction Joe thing I don't understand if it was her husband why
doesn't she beefing he wasn't worried about having arrested before there's
something wrong about it I'm gonna be an answer some place you take the stats
office yeah I gave what we had on the guy they're gonna start a run on the M.O.
in the morning but I got the rest of this information down to it yeah we can
drop it off on the way out right you got that list of the husband's friends uh-huh
let's talk to them maybe they can tell us where he is okay hot shot I get it
what is it stats are gonna have to wait I guess huh 1824 studio court that's a
couple of blocks from Karen's what's the call woman slugged we left the office
and we drove over to the address code 3 it was a small house set well back on the
lot when we got there a felony car the Hollywood division had already arrived
in the crime lab had been called the victim was identified as a mrs. Milo
Hudson age 42 an ambulance was dispatched from Hollywood receiving
hospital and she was given first aid she'd been beaten about the head and
shoulders as soon as the attendance had finished Frank and I talked to her if
you'll just tell us what happened please awful thing most awful thing ever
happened to me yes ma'am did you get a good look at the man pretty good not
real good but I did see him could you describe him for us how do you mean well
how tall was he I guess about as tall as you be about five foot eleven if that's
how tall you are yes ma'am how about his weight is he heavy or light about like
him I'd be about a hundred eighty I guess so I don't know but I guess that's
about what it is what about his face to see that yes sir got a good look you know
I'm gonna be so much I certainly would never forget that face not if I live to
be a hundred I'll never forget it well could you give us a good description of
him had dark hair almost black kind of curly little wave right here in front of
him had blue eyes dark blue might have been kind of hazel color dark was he
clean shaven you mean did he have a mustache yes ma'am no didn't have anything
like that was there anything about him that might make it easier for us to
identify him I don't think I know what you mean well do you have any scars any
birthmarks anything like that let me think seems there was something but I
can't remember what this man say anything to you not at first when he came
and he didn't say a word just pointed the gun at me in motion back into the
house like he wanted me to get back there but he did say something to you later is
that right yes well we got to the bedroom when he started to go through the place
I told him you better get out because my husband would be coming in any minute I
think he smiled and said he knew George didn't get home till four thirty used
your husband's name yes come think of it he did I didn't pay much attention to it
before but he did you think you ever saw that man before not that I remember but
you're sure you'd know him if you saw him again I sure would see I remember what it
was about him yeah you know you wanted something about him that would make it
easier to tell if he was the right man sorry he had a scar small one right here
by his eye made it look like his left eye was real big gave him a funny look that
what you mean yes ma'am I wonder if you'd come down to the city hall go through
some pictures for us and I want to do everything I can to help I'm supposed to
check with my doctor if he says it's all right I'll be there why would you want me
well if you could make it in the morning if the doctor says it's all right I'll be
there okay thanks Mrs. Hudson we can send a car for you if you like might be better
if you did George likes to sleep late and I don't drive all right ma'am we'll call
you in the morning sure hope you can catch the person who's done this Lord knows
how many more people he's going to hurt yes ma'am just seems to know all about
people when they're going to be alone and all seems to know all about him you're
right where everything in this house was all the way new right down to a team
you're sure you never saw him before that right positive you don't forget that kind
of face see it once you remembered all your life was there been anybody new in
the neighborhood I don't understand what you mean well like any salesman door to
door canvases anything like that residential neighborhood like this there's
always somebody around trying to sell something must be a couple of people a
day come to door but I'm sure the man who hit me wasn't one of them all right man
thank you very much not at all sergeant I want to do all I can to help you get him
you have any idea who he is where to find him not very much Mrs. Hudson terrible to
think about it men like that roaming the streets woman isn't safe in her own home
anymore we'll get to him and I should hope so but what do we do in the meantime
just sit here and wait for this lunatic to kick the doors down and we'll do
everything we can I'll never forget how he came in here shoved me around just
never forget it well that makes you even but he won't either
we got a supplemental broadcast carrying the description of the suspect and then
we continued to talk to the latest victim she was unable to come up with any
additional information 430 a.m. the crew from the crime lab finished up their
investigation and Frank and I went back to the office we left the description of
the suspect at the stats office and we asked our night of check the auditing
file for a possible identification on the scar that the suspect had 521 a.m.
we signed out of the office the next day at 926 a.m. we met with Chief Brown and
Captain Donahoe and went over the case with them because of the method of
operation used it became apparent that the thief was acquainted with the habits
of the people in the neighborhood two additional teams of men were assigned to
the case and they began to canvas the area for information on people who
appeared to be loitering in the vicinity was also decided to assign three more
police units to patrol the streets during the night hours we checked all
f.i. cards that have been filed in the area that afternoon Milo Hudson came
down to the office and went through the mug books but she was unable to make an
identification she was shown pictures of Tom Kieran the husband of the first
victim but she stated positively that he was not the man who'd beaten her the
list of possibles came back from the stats office and was checked without
result a week went by in spite of the additional men involved the suspect hit
three more times in each case the M.O. was the same in each case he escaped
however we were able to get a little more information on him we had the artist
and crime analysis division drop a composite picture of the suspect and we
had to distribute it all officers in the city the daily papers ran out on the
front page Thursday January twenty fourth five twenty p.m. Frank and I got back to
the office from dinner on a coffee and tell her it looks like a late night I
checked the book.
And. Now.
You call her from Pinky and he enlightened talk to that magazine salesman check out
no I just got in town a couple of days ago descriptions pretty far off. I got
a. Robbery Friday yes ma'am that's right. Well we can take it.
All right. What's that address again.
Yes that studio court yes ma'am we'll be right out no no don't do anything if he
wants to leave don't try to stop him that's right we'll be right there.
Woman out of studio court yeah so she thinks the suspects in our house now.
Frank and I left the office and drove over to the address we've been given on
the phone as we pulled up in front of the house we could see a man standing on
the porch we got out of the car and we went up the wall at the front door we met
the woman who'd call she said that the man had rung the doorbell and had tried to
force his way into the house she went on to say that her husband wasn't home and
that she'd managed to stall a man until we got there we took him back to the city
hall and talked to him in the interrogation room he identified himself as
Victor Nadel Frank went down the hall to run him through records and identification
on a trouble you guys are causing me no reason for all this what were you doing at
that house trying to earn a living you have to force your way in to do that I
don't broads off her rocker I didn't try to get into the place he says you did
she's flipped what do you do for a living I work you know another way what kind of
work salesman what do you sell right now I'm selling lots real estate yeah where
tracked out in the desert who do you work for I don't think I'm going to tell
you that you're not going to get them in no trouble we're going to find out anyway
I want to save yourself a lot of grief and tell us you get paid you dig it out
you ever been arrested a couple of times where Oklahoma what for call it hijacking
robbery same thing you ever do any time now they couldn't nail it down where you
live got a room down on his fifth room and privileges who you work for that's
your job how long you've been in town couple of months you've been working for
this real estate company since you got here yeah I got the job a couple of days
after I got off the train how'd you get it answer the mad you ever see that woman
out on studio court before no you don't know I told you she'd have no reason to
tie a bad beef on your would you she's doing it ain't she's kind of silly without
any reason in it she's a woman that's all I need I'd empty your pockets out on
the table why come on when the plan games here up here and what's this all about
what are you guys trying to prove with all this strong we're trying to find out
why you wanted to break into that house I told you I didn't break into the house
that old Harpies out of her mind to tell you a thing like that I don't know why
but she's got it in for me wants to see me get in the trouble said you didn't
know her that's right you never saw her before that's what I said why she built a
thing like that I told you I don't know it's a lie I walked up to the door and
asked if I could talk to her just try to talk to her right away she starts yelling
at me to get away get off the property why didn't you leave them I want to make
a say you must have figured she wasn't interested I needed to make a sale I've
been doing too good I had to make a sale I lost my job that's the reason act like a
tough guy is all I did was try to talk to her talk her in the Bible you got a funny
way of doing it I thought maybe she was going to call the police make a complaint
she'd have done that I'd lost my job sure that's all there is to it I'm telling
you the truth you got to believe me you've been working the neighborhood before
now it's the first time I've been kind of sick the last week this is the first time
out for me first time been around here what you work before Westlake area you
ever have any trouble there no no why'd you make the switch then just thought I'd
try a new territory see if I could make up for the week I lost you got anybody
who'll back up this story for you people in my rooming house I'll tell you I'll
say I was there all week some kind of fluid I'll tell you no no no no no no
no me the way here that's right just sit there
yeah well looks like we nailed the wrong guy anything you call just came in radio
car picked up a fellow on Rosewood Avenue bull caught him in a house trying
to beat a woman to death about the description matches the suspect right
down the line
Victor Nadel was booked in at the main jail pending further investigation
were unable to connect him with any robbery but Perry Thomas of the city
attorney's office issued a complaint charging violation of section 415 of the
penal code at 7 46 p.m. the suspect we've gotten a call about arrived at the city
hall he was fingerprinted and checked through our nine we found that he'd
served a year and a day in New York State for breaking and entering he'd served a
sentence in the state of Washington on similar charges physically he matched the
description we'd gotten from the victims while Pinky Meade and D lightener
contacted the women and asked them to come down to the office Frank and I
questioned the suspect Rudolph Marnell is that your true name yes what do you live
my home's out in Hollywood it's a big place now at downwind edgewood Drive 29
17 you ever been arrested yeah you know that it was a mistake though both times
the second time was because of the first what you mean by that I want you done
time it seems like anything goes wrong the cops are on your back just like this
you want to tell us what happened out there tonight you mean on Rosewood that's
right big misunderstanding will you tell us about it with you I wanted to use your
phone I don't know I guess you got scared about something all I want to do is make
a call how'd you ask a regular way told I was in trouble as if I could phone next
thing I know she's screaming up
a storm there's cops all around me according to this report you didn't stop
when you were told is that right I guess so well is it or isn't it yeah why'd you
run I didn't know what's going on I got a record I had enough to do with cops to
last me the rest of my life since I heard the sirens I took off I guess I didn't
hear that cop tell me to stop and hard to believe well you believe the woman who
says I tried to slugger you believe her but you don't believe me you see that's
what I meant what's that well as soon as you fall once there's a dozen cops right
behind you all the time waiting to stomp on you you ever figure that you helped
build it that way now it reads good but you ain't got nobody on your tail all
right now tell us again about tonight I told the cops who picked me up I told the
cop who fingerprinted me I already told you once now how many times you want to
hear it until we get it the right way well how you gonna know I'll find it come
on the interrogation room go ahead down this way.
Go ahead right in there. So now.
I'm on now let's clean it up what do you mean you know we're going to have no
trouble making you on these things we got the victims on their way down here now
as soon as they identify you've had it so save yourself a lot of time and trouble
if you cop out now I'd like to give you a hand sergeant really would but there's
nothing I can do I don't know what you're talking about. All right what we do on
January 10th that's right but there was a Thursday she had
a note a long time ago it's hard to remember about the 11th same I don't
remember 14. Yeah I can tell you about that I go ahead I got to work and went
home met the wife we had dinner took in
a show to prove that we sure ask my wife she'll tell you how about Wednesday the
16th blank you don't remember what you're doing on the 16th of January no it's
an important it's going to be for you about the 17th that'd be Thursday that's
right I stayed home and watched the wrestling on television you can prove that
can you sure had some people in to watch the matches give us their names yeah who
was wrestling that night you want them all just the main how about the same wind
up and I'm just think. That was
a tag team match between the McLean brothers and the South Twins you're sure
I'm positive about the 19th would you do them 19th. That would be Saturday. Well I'm
off Saturday I don't remember too good probably came home Saturday on the house
drank beer and looked that was Saturday the 19th yeah the 19th how about Monday
the 21st I bowl that night where lanes out on Sunset over all the time yeah you
bowl every Monday night no not every week usually it's on Tuesday why'd you change
this or some of the guys couldn't make it to the so we change the day anything
special to you about January 14 17th 21st what do you mean special well your
birthday your anniversary something like that no just regular day that's right I'm
gonna make them stand out no then how come you can remember what you were doing
on those days you can't give us
a story of the January 10th 11 16th or 19th I don't know. What are you guys trying
to get me to say what are you trying to get at the truth well I'm giving it to
you we can't say I'll come here remember those days I don't know I just do it's
kind of funny I couldn't remember what I was doing last week I'd have to sit down
and think about it you didn't even have to try to remember you know right away
didn't you like it was important for you to remember you trying to build an alibi
don't you look you asked me where I was I told you let's have the names the people
you say you're aware you're going to talk that's right or maybe they won't remember
I think they will what happens if they don't then you're in big trouble you're
holding a lot of it right now let's have
a name sure I'm going to worry about I'll give it to you here's a pencil paper
there I don't know all the addresses will look them up you're going to have to talk
to them sure what's the matter I think they won't stand behind you know it's not
that what is it just that they don't know I've done time they when they find out
they try to get you know say they weren't with me they might do that yeah like that
woman tonight yeah just like that people like you might do them I know seems like
everybody's trying to get you in trouble I want a lawyer one check please see if
the victims are here yeah what's going to happen now we got some people we want to
see who are they women you beat up now you can't make me on those jobs we think we
can yeah well you just try you take this thing in the court they're going to go
right out that's the way you got it that's right I said I want a lawyer what I
said I want a lawyer will you get one yeah and a jury I want a jury trial you
got a choice you bet I have to bring all these women down here to point me out
with isn't going to work bunch of people who don't like me causing me trouble
people who don't like me I want a jury trial a judge and a jury you'll get them
I'll make you a bet hmm they won't like either
Rudolph August Marnell was filed on for four counts of robbery in the first
degree five counts of burglary in the first degree and five counts of assault
with intent to do great bodily injury he was found guilty by a jury trial on all
counts and received sentence as prescribed by law robbery in the first
degree is punishable by imprisonment for a period of not less than five years
burglary in the first degree is punishable by imprisonment for a period
of not less than five years assault with intent to do great bodily harm is
punishable by a term of from one to twenty years in the state penitentiary
dragnet the story of your police force in action is a presentation of the
United States Armed Forces radio service
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