My Dark Places Read online

  Q What is the waitress’s name?

  A Myrtle Mawby.

  Q With reference to the redheaded girl, can you describe her as to approximate age, height and weight?

  A I would say she was forty years old. I would judge her to be 5′5″, her weight I’d say is hard for me to judge. I don’t believe I stated her exact weight, possibly between 125 to 130 pounds.

  Q Did you notice any jewelry on this girl?

  A I did not.

  Q Did you notice anything else that might be distinguishing?

  A The reason I noticed the girl in particular was when she pulled her coat off to dance with a fellow that walked up to the table.

  Q Can you describe the other girl sitting at the table?

  A She was a dishwater blonde, had a short three-quarter length, beige or tan coat on across her shoulders. She had on flat heel shoes and until I saw her dance, that’s as much of a description. Dancing, about her weight, I judged her to be heavier than the redhead by five or ten pounds. She was hippy or broad across the hips.

  Q Her age?

  A About the same as the other lady, about forty years old.

  Q Height?

  A About the same as the redhead. She had on flat heels. The redhead had high heels.

  BYSGT. LAWTON:

  Q Did you notice the shoes of the redhead?

  A No, I did not.

  Q Did the redhead appear to be intoxicated?

  A Neither one of them appeared that way.

  BYSGT. HALLINEN:

  Q After the two girls you have just described sat at the table, what happened next?

  A I called Mrs. Mawby’s attention that she had two customers and she finished her conversation with the gentleman at the bar. In the meantime a tall thin Mexican fellow walked to the back of the chair of the redhead. I did not hear him ask her to dance. She immediately arose from her chair.

  Q Before you go on, can you describe this person a little more fully?

  A I would say he was between 5′9″ and 6′ tall, very thin body stature, thin in face. Dark hair, slicked back. Quite slicked down.

  Q Was there any wave to this hair?

  A No.

  Q Was there any part?

  A No, it was a receding forehead on both sides here.

  Q What type clothes, if you recall?

  A Dark suit. Dark sport shirt, worn open at the throat with the collar out of the suit coat.

  Q Did you notice anything white or light on this man?

  A I did not.

  Q The age?

  A I would say that he wasn’t, he was around the same age as the women there.

  Q Approximately forty years of age?

  A Yes, sir. Between that and forty-five.

  Q Did you hear any of the conversation when he came to the table?

  A No, I did not.

  Q Did you have any impression as to whether this man knew either one of the girls?

  A It seemed to me that he was a member of the party. It looked that way.

  Q And you obtained that impression from what?

  A From the way he approached the redhead. She arose from her chair, she took her coat off, he helped her fold it, lining out, put it across the back of the chair and went to the dance floor.

  Q At this time it left the other girl with the pony tail sitting alone at the table?

  A Miss Mawby started then to take their order and came back and stood by my table because she had to wait to see whether they were all old enough before she could serve any drinks to that table. What happened next, she took their order; one beer, two highballs. I heard her call, “Tall,” then I knew one of them had a tall drink.

  Q At this time there were three at the table?

  A Yes.

  Q What is your next recollection as to the proceedings?

  A The next recollection was of Mike coming off the dance floor with the blonde.

  Q You don’t know his name?

  A No, I didn’t at the time.

  Q You have since learned his name is Mike?

  A Yes.

  Q I wish to go back just a small ways in this statement and ask you if you can recall the approximate time that the two girls arrived at and sat at the table you described?

  A I would say I had been there at least a half-hour, which would make it about quarter to 11:00.

  Q Would you describe the person you now know as Mike?

  A Well, he has light brown hair. I would call him blonde because of his facial features. He strikes me as a blonde. Young fellow, 23, 24 years old. Had a dark shirt with navy blue or black. The thing most noticeable to me was that it was sloppy. It was unbuttoned all the way down the front. Dark trousers and fabric shoes on, kind of light tennis shoes.

  Q This is the same description you related to us prior to knowing that this person’s name was Mike?

  A That’s right.

  Q What did Mike do?

  A In reference to asking me to dance he walked in the front door, walked to the bar and ordered a beer, then came up to my table and asked me if I would like to dance, and I told him the number was too fast. Then he asked me would I dance a slow one and I told him, “No, thank you.” He became very belligerent and asked me did I even know how to dance at all. He went back to the bar, picked up his beer and walked to the corner table that separates the cocktail lounge from the food side of the place. The waitress—I made the remark to the waitress that he was belligerent and looked rather young to me. She went and came back, gave him a clean ashtray and clean napkin, came back to my table and said, “No, he’s plenty old enough.” A short while later I noticed that he was dancing with the pony-tail blonde that was sitting at the center table, center row with the redhead.

  Q Did you notice Mike go to the table prior to dancing with the girl with the pony tail?

  A No, when I saw him sitting at the table with the party at that time that made four of them; the Mexican, the young fellow, and the two girls.

  Q Do you recall in relation to the location of the bar what the position of the four people were?

  A The two girls had their backs to me.

  Q Which would make their backs to which side of the room?

  A Their backs were at the north. They were facing the dance floor. Mike’s chair was pulled in close at an angle where he could watch the dance floor, closer to the pony tail blonde.

  Q Which would be the west side?

  A Yes, west. The Mexican fellow was still facing me. That would make him face north.

  Q And the bar and the girls?

  A That’s right.

  Q And on the east side of Mike?

  A Yes.

  Q Did you see any more drinks ordered for the table?

  A I only saw the waitress serve two rounds of drinks.

  Q Do you recall who ordered those rounds?

  A No, I don’t.

  Q Did you notice the condition as to intoxication of the four people sitting at this table?

  A The young fellow now known as Mike was quite intoxicated. The other three people, no.

  Q Did both men dance with the two girls?

  A After that I didn’t pay particular attention because I left at 11:30.

  Q They were all four sitting at the table when you left?

  A Yes, sir.

  Q Did you go out of the Desert Inn with someone?

  A Yes, I did.

  Q And it was approximately 11:30 when you left?

  A That’s right.

  Q Did you return at any time that evening?

  A Ten minutes to one. I brought the same fellow back. Took him to collect money that was owed to him.

  Q What time did you arrive back?

  A Ten to one.

  Q Did you notice the condition as to the occupancy of the table and the bar of the Desert Inn?

  A It was practically empty on the cocktail lounge side.

  Q Did you notice the table you have previously described as having the four people there?

  A It was empty.


  Q Did you see any of those people previously described in the restaurant?

  A No, I did not.

  Q How long did you stay there?

  A Just a few very few minutes.

  Q And then you left?

  A Then I went home, yes.

  BY SERGEANT LAWTON:

  Q This tall or thin Mexican man that you have described, if you saw him again, would you be able to identify him?

  A I believe I could. He was so thin in here, you might think he had no teeth until you saw him smile.

  Q You are indicating the jaw area?

  A Yes.

  Q He’s the one that asked the redhead to dance?

  A Yes. I didn’t hear him ask her.

  Q But they danced?

  A Yes.

  Q He’s the one you got the impression that they knew each other?

  A That’s right.

  Q Thank you very much.

  STATEMENT CONCLUDED AT 10:10 P.M.

  Two letters arrived at the El Monte Station Wednesday morning. Both were addressed to the Chief of Police.

  The first letter was typed and postmarked Fullerton, California.

  We have been trailing Mr. C.S.I, from Santa Ana and saw him throw that body, red-hair girl from his or a 1954 Plymouth two tone salmon pink, chocolate brown car that evening. You see he has a police record at various Southern California’s Police Dept. and has threatened several lives. We consider him TRASH and he is the one you are looking for. KI-28114 will tell you some more.

  The letter was signed “Eye Witness, Peggy Jane, Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Galbraith, Fullerton.”

  The second letter was postmarked Los Angeles. It was handwritten. “Consider Her Ways” was printed on the front of the envelope.

  So shall thy poverty come as one that travalleth and thy want as an armed man.

  Olga was raised in a house of ill fame, from other pros she learned all about burglary, robbery, theft, and the thief is like a murderer. Her trail leads past hold ups of banks— the 9th and Spring cashier within recent months as well as a “Job” of a bank in San Francisco known locally as Grandma. She disguises—having been around the movie studios and an elevator operator at the Ambassador, from the latter and maid work she developed the theft and murder technique she worked out in Hollywood to kill a woman in a hotel, Mrs. Greenwald, Miss Epperson and a woman in an L.A. hotel. Numerous other murders—a Stepanovich in MacArthur Park in recent months and others not revealed to the public. She hangs about the Santa Fe Trailways bus depot & museums and Forest Lawn, as well as changeable areas and districts where she may find a man to pick-pocket, a woman for sodomy, a drunk to roll, a travellar to fleece or pick pocket, Olivera Street where she sells her body & picks travellar pockets, and young men—usually two—to sleep with it in her gut.

  She has to sleep so she finds a hotel over the bridge to West 7th Str. in L.A. En route is the market run by Anthony Jr. & the Senior Thomas. There Anthony seduced her and frequently A pays her, now A lives in El Monte, to prevent a new crime in El Monte, drive Anthony (by quenching him with fire) out of El Monte or she will slay you, your children and your love because she wants to get money from Anthony. Therefore drive him out of your City. If you do not want—yes—if nothing else—a social disease. If your town is wide open for pros like Olga we will continue to stamp out that evil. Rulers are a terror for evil. Now the writer is looking for two eunuchs to pitch Olga out of the window Therefore you must send her where eunuchs are and are at a place where women plunge. Send her to the state hospital on the pretext of fixing her feet. She never wears pants—violates the law against indescent exposure— and so rolls her socks which cause varicose veins. She can get a cramp and fall in traffic & in the flurry of excitement the sheriff the superior court judge & the state hosp med director could be bumped into & perish. Where would you be? She is blond, 40 to 45, is your suspect.

  If the crimes of theft and murder stop then Olga is the guilty party. The longer she stays in the institution the longer is the time needed for her habitual way to carry crime into there. It will be found out and then it will be realized that although there are other crimes unsolved in her area attributed to males you sheriff’s have been looking for the wrong suspect in the book of the science of criminology of which you are paid to eat, sleep, talk and go on a journey about. Science—the thief is as a murderer, and the low pay person covets, Olga only gets a few replies for her ads & her feet force her to sleep. There are more females than males and disturbances of the area of birth by simulated actions and objects are part of a pro’s show stag “Job.” Therefore he or she that doeth violence to the body of any person shall flee to the pit. Let no man stay him, unless this female beast is gassed we will send you in.

  The letter was unsigned. It was accompanied by a page torn from an Italian-language magazine. One side of the page featured scientific text. The other side featured a large photograph of a bumblebee.

  The Chiefs secretary dropped both letters in Captain Bruton’s box.

  An APB went out Wednesday morning.

  ALL POINTS BULLETIN

  SPECIAL ATTENTION … SAN GABRIEL VALLEY POLICE

  AGENCIES AND CHP

  ON JUNE 22, 1958 THE STRANGLED BODY OF A WOMAN WAS FOUND IN THE EL MONTE AREA. SHE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS JEAN ELLROY AKA JEAN HILLIKER AKA GENEVA 0. ELLROY. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE SUSPECT EITHER STILL HAS IN HIS POSSESSION OR HAS THROWN AWAY ARTICLES OF VICTIM’S CLOTHING AND PERSONAL EFFECTS INCLUDING A PURSE, DESCRIPTION UNKNOWN, KEYS TO VICTIM’S 1957 BUICK, A PAIR OF WOMAN’S SHOES, POSSIBLY CLEAR PLASTIC WITH HIGH HEELS, A WOMAN’S UNDERPANTS, GIRDLE AND SLIP.

  ANY INFORMATION RE ABOVE FOR J. G. LAWTON & W. E. HALLINEN, HOMICIDE DETAIL, SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT. (REFER LAWTON HQ DB HOMICIDE DETAIL FILE Z-483-362).

  E. W. BISCAILUZ, SHERIFF

  It was Wednesday afternoon. Bill Vickers was hitting the El Monte spots again.

  He checked Suzanne’s Cafe—with negative results. He checked the Dublin Inn—with negative results.

  He got a tip at the 49’er. A bartender said the victim might have been in the place the previous Saturday night—June 14th.

  She was with a guy. He was 5′8″, with a stocky build and slightly wavy blond hair. They were both drunk. They stayed a short while and got into an argument—something about the redhead refusing a drink. The bartender said he’d seen the blond guy before—but he wasn’t a regular and he didn’t know his name.

  Vickers checked the Mama Mia Restaurant. The owner told him to call his waitress Catherine Cathey—she was working last Saturday night.

  Vickers called her. Catherine Cathey said a redhaired woman came in the place about 8:00 p.m., alone. Vickers said he’d call her back and arrange to show her a photo of the victim.

  Vickers checked the Off-Beat. Nobody recognized his snapshot of the victim. The owner’s wife told him a story that she thought might connect to his case.

  A regular named Ann Mae Schidt was in the Off-Beat last night. She said she was drinking at the Manger Bar with her husband and another couple Friday night and got into an argument with them. She left the bar—alone—and got accosted by a Mexican outside.

  The Mexican pulled her into a car and attempted to rape her. He couldn’t accomplish the act. Ann Mae escaped.

  She didn’t report the assault. She was afraid she’d be arrested for plain drunk.

  Ann Mae was 40-ish and redhaired. The owner’s wife gave Vickers her phone number: GI8-0696.

  Vickers left her a card and worked his way over to the Manger. He got negative results at Kay’s Cafe and the El Monte taxi stand.

  A guy named Jack Groves was working the bar at the Manger. He recognized the victim’s photo and said she was in the place Saturday night between 8:00 and 9:00. He thought she was alone.

  Groves did not know the name Ann Mae Schidt. He said the owners—Carl Manger and his wife—might know her. They were working Saturday night. They might have more information pertaining to the redhead.


  Lavonne Chambers was divorced. She lived in a small house with her three small kids. Hallinen and Lawton took her formal statement there.

  STATEMENT OF LAVONNE CHAMBERS. TAKEN AT 823 FOXDALE AVENUE, WEST COVINA. PRESENT: SERGEANT W. E. HALLINEN, SERGEANT J. G. LAWTON. 3:55 P.M., JUNE 25, 1958. FOR FILE #Z-483-362. REPORTED BY: DELLA ANDREW, STENOGRAPHIC REPORTER.

  BY SGT. LAWTON:

  Q What is your name?

  A Lavonne Chambers.

  Q Do you have a middle name?

  A Marie.

  Q How old are you, Mrs. Chambers?

  A Twenty-nine.

  Q And your home address?

  A 823 Foxdale, West Covina.

  Q And your phone number?

  A Edgewood 7-6686.

  Q What is your business or occupation?

  A Car hop at Stan’s Drive-In.

  Q Is that Stan’s Drive-In, at Five Points, El Monte?

  A Yes.

  Q On Saturday night, June the 21st, in the early morning hours of June 22nd, were you working at Stan’s, in that capacity as a car hop?

  A Yes.

  Q And during the course of the evening, when you were serving different cars, was there any particular car that came in—and occupants—that attracted your attention?

  A Well, it was after I came back from eating. I usually eat at 9:00 o’clock. It’s usually 10:00, when I come back. After that, I saw this woman—she’s the one that attracted me, more than the man.