1 00:00:03,680 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: I'm Kate Winkler Dawson. I'm a journalist who's spent the 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:09,559 Speaker 1: last twenty five years writing about true crime. 3 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:12,800 Speaker 2: And I'm Paul Hols, a retired cold case investigator who's 4 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 2: worked some of America's most complicated cases and solve them. 5 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:19,799 Speaker 1: Each week, I present Paul with one of history's most 6 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 1: compelling true crimes. 7 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:24,239 Speaker 2: And I weigh in using modern forensic techniques to bring 8 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 2: new insights to old mysteries. 9 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:31,639 Speaker 1: Together, using our individual expertise, we're examining historical true crime 10 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 1: cases through a twenty first century lens. 11 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:37,800 Speaker 2: Some are solved and some are cold, very cold. 12 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:39,800 Speaker 1: This is buried Bones. 13 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:04,679 Speaker 2: Hey, Paul, Akay, how's it going with you? 14 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 1: It's going well, And I'll tell you why. I want 15 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: to tell you about an episode that I don't know 16 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:13,399 Speaker 1: if you've heard yet, that I recorded for Wicked Words. 17 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: I feel like I've interviewed some big names, including you 18 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:19,319 Speaker 1: of course, like a David Grhan and you know, all 19 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:23,680 Speaker 1: of these I feel like, really big nonfiction folks. And 20 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: then across my email comes do you want an interview 21 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 1: with Marcia Clark? Oh? Okay, So I was just awestruck, 22 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 1: I really was, and she could not be sweeter and 23 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: the interview is fantastic. You should listen to it. It 24 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:40,680 Speaker 1: is not about OJ Okay, nor did she want. I 25 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 1: don't know if she ever wants to talk about OJ 26 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: Simpson ever again, she like she says, she sort of 27 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: blocked it out of her mind. Essentially, Where were you 28 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 1: when that case was going on? Were you in Northern 29 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 1: California or Central or where were you? 30 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 2: No? I was. I was working for the Sheriff's Crime 31 00:01:56,520 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 2: Lab at the time. In fact, I was some following 32 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 2: the case. It was a big deal in forensics because 33 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 2: of all the evidence, particularly DNA that was being presented, 34 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:10,080 Speaker 2: and so we were following it pretty closely. In fact, 35 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:15,120 Speaker 2: I actually faxed information down to the LAPD Crime Lab 36 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 2: because they're krim lists. Obviously didn't know what he was 37 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 2: talking about when it came to crime scene photography, and 38 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:25,080 Speaker 2: the defense was really exploiting him on the stand, and 39 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 2: I was like, Okay, you need to really understand how 40 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 2: focal length with camera lenses can really change the front 41 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 2: to rear aspect ratios. So I compiled all this information 42 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 2: and faxed it down, But I distinctly remember that case. 43 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 2: Of course, I remember Marcia Clark in fact, I've spoken 44 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 2: with Marcia over the phone. She was getting involved with 45 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 2: TV production and I'm not sure if she still is 46 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:53,359 Speaker 2: or not, but you know, we had chatted a little bit. 47 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 2: Then I actually sat next to Christopher Darden for dinner. 48 00:02:58,240 --> 00:02:59,959 Speaker 2: I think it was an award ceremony. I had a crime, 49 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 2: yeh know, So I got to chat with him a 50 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 2: little bit. Real nice guy. And of course, you know, 51 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 2: they have this whole OJ trial hanging over their heads 52 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:12,640 Speaker 2: for you know, forever in essence, you know, but I 53 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:16,639 Speaker 2: most certainly understand sort of how things kind of went 54 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 2: awry for them, and don't put a whole heck of 55 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:21,679 Speaker 2: a lot of personal blame in either one of them. Yeah. 56 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 1: Absolutely, I read there was an article and I think 57 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 1: the headline was something like Marcia Clark has been absolved, 58 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: and it was kind of how she's gone from I 59 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 1: don't remember her being as villainized as you know, this 60 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: magazine and a lot of other media have said. Back 61 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: in ninety five, I was too busy working in a 62 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 1: news station to really even pay attention to all that. 63 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: But now she's become this feminist icon, which she is. 64 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 1: After talking to her, it is probably my favorite interview 65 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: of all the interviews, sorry everybody else that I've including you, 66 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 1: I've ever done on Wicked Words, because she's so engaging 67 00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: and much like you. You know, she had the case 68 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: she had Oj Simpson, you had the Golden State Killer, 69 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 1: and she certainly could have taken money back from a 70 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 1: big book deal that she had and then just sort 71 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 1: of gone off. But she has just stayed so active. 72 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 1: She has novels, She's got now two nonfiction books, and 73 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: I was talking to her about the latest one that 74 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:19,480 Speaker 1: set in nineteen fifty three. As you said, she does 75 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 1: TV stuff all the time, so she really has stayed active, 76 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 1: and it was just so interesting to talk with her 77 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 1: about the case that she was talking about on my show. 78 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:30,839 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I've completely lost track of her, to 79 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 2: be frank, you know, so I didn't know. I don't 80 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:34,599 Speaker 2: know what she's been up to. So this is the 81 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:35,359 Speaker 2: first tim hearing. 82 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:39,919 Speaker 1: Yeah, we talked a little bit about the misogyny that 83 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,359 Speaker 1: was happening, which was pervasive, of course, and she was 84 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 1: told to soften her hair and she was told to 85 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 1: wear you know, kind of less I guess masculine was 86 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:52,160 Speaker 1: the insinuation clothing, which she said, this is what I 87 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:55,040 Speaker 1: wear to court. This isn't masculine to me to use 88 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: a softer tone. So there was so much stuff, you know, 89 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: looking back on it, she just said, it just takes 90 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 1: so long to process things like that. That's this is 91 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: stuff that you're just trying to do your job, and 92 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 1: that's the kind of thing that happens. She was investigating 93 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:12,039 Speaker 1: a case from fifty three that the district attorney at 94 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 1: the time was heading up. This case. It was a 95 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 1: huge murder trial of a botched home invasion, and she 96 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 1: said that this district attorney was an icon to her 97 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 1: when she was working in la as a prosecutor. Everybody 98 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 1: knew who this guy was long after he was dead. 99 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 1: And then she said, I looked in the case and 100 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 1: it was awful. He was awful. He did so many 101 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 1: legal things then and now, and she said, it's really 102 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:40,480 Speaker 1: dispiriting to have this person in your head like who 103 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:43,159 Speaker 1: you're trying to strive to be. And then when she 104 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:46,359 Speaker 1: actually looked and worked one of his cases, you know, 105 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:49,839 Speaker 1: sixty seventy years later, to just see how many times 106 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:53,840 Speaker 1: he failed and it was just really disheartening for her. 107 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 1: It was interesting. 108 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, because I'm thinking nineteen fifty three. So we're 109 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 2: talking just a handful of years after the Black Dohlia case. Yeah, 110 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 2: out there in LA you know. So that kind of 111 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:06,320 Speaker 2: puts some perspective because I've kind of dug into the 112 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:09,359 Speaker 2: Black Dolly a little bit from the investigator side, you know, 113 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:12,920 Speaker 2: and of course law enforcement was you know, so I 114 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 2: don't know primorgial, if you will, relative to today in 115 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 2: terms of how they handled investigations and crime scenes and forensics. 116 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 2: That case, of course never went to trial, but I 117 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 2: can only imagine you know, her assessment of sort of 118 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 2: the legal mind that she held in great and high 119 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:33,159 Speaker 2: regard and now seeing oh well maybe not so. 120 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: Yeah. Absolutely, it was putting plants in jail cells with 121 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:39,840 Speaker 1: a young woman, you know, not taking an account into 122 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:43,600 Speaker 1: her background, and then you know, ultimately issuing a death 123 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: sentence to a woman who was executed for essentially, you know, 124 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:49,159 Speaker 1: being a decoy. And that was it. And I said, 125 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:50,920 Speaker 1: would you do that now? And she said no, Now, 126 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 1: they're accessory to murder, accessory after the factor, all these things, 127 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:56,360 Speaker 1: you know. But she got looped in with the other 128 00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:59,159 Speaker 1: two robbers who ended up killing somebody, and she just 129 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 1: said it was a little stunning, and the district attorney 130 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:05,599 Speaker 1: who she respected so much, could have said, you know, 131 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:10,240 Speaker 1: sort of mitigating circumstances with leniency. She was saying, with leniency, 132 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 1: and he didn't do it. I mean, in this young 133 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 1: woman really did very little. She knew something was going 134 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 1: to happen, but she didn't suspect a murder would happen 135 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 1: at all. And then you're executing a mother of three 136 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 1: or four people. 137 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, and it really underscores, you know, the 138 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 2: power that the elected DA has, you know, And I've 139 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 2: been in the room where the death penalty is being 140 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 2: debated for a particular case, and of course that's led 141 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 2: by the elected DA, and then the prosecutor who's handling 142 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 2: the case presents the case. And now you have very 143 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 2: senior prosecutors chief of investigations. I happen to be in 144 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 2: a couple of these during the course of my career 145 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 2: at the DA's office, and today it is taken very 146 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 2: seriously and most certainly you know this scenario you're talking 147 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 2: about where sounds like she was an accessory in California. 148 00:07:57,440 --> 00:08:00,680 Speaker 2: Maybe this felony murder aspect is what they used to 149 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:05,400 Speaker 2: go after her, but in essence to apply the death 150 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 2: penalty as if she's the one that's actually committing the murder. 151 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 2: You know that sounds way over the top. 152 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, And I mean he nicknamed her the defendant Bloody 153 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 1: babs Oh in the courtroom in front of the jury, 154 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 1: and I said, is that Lee? I feel like every 155 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: other question was is that legal? Is that legal now? 156 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 1: Is that legal now? And every answer was like no, no, no, no, 157 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:27,920 Speaker 1: And that's the issue. 158 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 2: Well the defense would object. You know, that's prejudicial, that's 159 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 2: influencing the jury. 160 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 1: It was startling to me. So anyway, Marcia Clark, I 161 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 1: am a huge fan. And I even said it from 162 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: the beginning. I said, I don't think I use the 163 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 1: word fangirl, but I'm really going to try to not gush. 164 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: And she said, well, thank you. I listened to your show, 165 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 1: so very cool. Marcia Clark is a celebrity in my 166 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:53,199 Speaker 1: little world of celebrities. So I thought you'd find that interesting. 167 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:58,600 Speaker 1: And we are hanging out in southern California in the 168 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 1: Pacific Palisades Act for this story. But this is not 169 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty three, this is nineteen thirty five. To me, 170 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:08,600 Speaker 1: I think you're going to find this interesting enough. We're 171 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:12,679 Speaker 1: making this a double and it involves Hollywood and an 172 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:15,319 Speaker 1: actress who I found so interesting that I actually watched 173 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 1: one of her films from nineteen thirty I think it 174 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 1: was from thirty three or so. There's a lot happening 175 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 1: with this story. 176 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:24,839 Speaker 2: No, it sounds sounds cool. Now. I don't think I've 177 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:28,679 Speaker 2: ever been in Pacific Palisades, but of course I'm very 178 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 2: much aware of it. 179 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:33,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, of course, especially with the fires earlier this year, 180 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:35,760 Speaker 1: and I had been thinking about that. So I feel 181 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:38,559 Speaker 1: like every time I have a case where I see 182 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 1: that phrase of that neighborhood, Pacific Palisades, I'm always going 183 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:43,959 Speaker 1: to think about the fire. So we are really going 184 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 1: far back where we're looking at ninety years ago. So 185 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 1: let's go ahead and set the scene so we are 186 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 1: in nineteen thirty five. Remind me when Black Dahlia happened, 187 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:57,880 Speaker 1: because I actually have not looked at the case at all. 188 00:09:57,960 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 1: I would love for you and I to talk about it, 189 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 1: and I think, will You're going to have to bring 190 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:02,840 Speaker 1: it up if you think it reminds you of this 191 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:03,440 Speaker 1: in any way. 192 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:06,080 Speaker 2: Okay, Well, Black Dahlia was late forties. I believe it 193 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:08,480 Speaker 2: was nineteen forty seven. But right now I'm a little 194 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:12,080 Speaker 2: fuzzy on the exact year that it happened. I actually interviewed. 195 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 2: There was an author, this Steve Hodell, who's former LAPD homicide, robbery, homicide, 196 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 2: and he's written several books on the Black Dahlia and 197 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 2: he's claiming his father is the offender in the Black 198 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 2: Dahlia case. I'm not convinced, let's just put it that way. 199 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 2: But it is a case that I'm highly interested in. 200 00:10:32,559 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 2: And I actually did reach out to a professional friend 201 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 2: at lada's office saying I'd be willing to help. And 202 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 2: basically I got back from LAPD and the lada's office 203 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 2: well not at this time. 204 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 1: They have other priorities from something that was eighty years ago. 205 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 1: I guess you're right. It was in forty seven. Black 206 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 1: Dahlia was in forty seven. 207 00:10:50,559 --> 00:10:53,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, Well, basically they said that they were looking at 208 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:57,520 Speaker 2: some things from the case, you know, So it sounds 209 00:10:57,559 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 2: like they have an interest in pursuing it. But of 210 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 2: course a nineteen forty seven case will take the back 211 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 2: burner when anything else pops up. 212 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 1: Well, this is a confusing case. I don't know if 213 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 1: it's a cold case. So this is nineteen thirty five 214 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 1: the morning of Monday, December sixteenth. There is a housekeeper 215 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:23,720 Speaker 1: named May and she's a little bit more of an assistant, 216 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:26,680 Speaker 1: I think, to an actress movie star. Really, I'm not 217 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:30,600 Speaker 1: even gonna say actress movie star named Thelma Todd. And 218 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 1: you know, I really was curious about Thelma. I told you, 219 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:35,719 Speaker 1: I'll watch one of her movies and I would say 220 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:38,240 Speaker 1: movie star. I mean, she really has a presence. She 221 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:40,360 Speaker 1: is very well known. And I'm going to show you 222 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:44,600 Speaker 1: a picture of her shortly, which sometimes I show you, 223 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 1: you know, the people who are involved. Sometimes I don't. 224 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:49,000 Speaker 1: If I think it's relevant, you know, I'll show it 225 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:51,720 Speaker 1: to you and it'll be relevant, I think in this case. 226 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:56,280 Speaker 1: So her housekeeper shows up. She is at a house 227 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 1: in the Pacific Palisades. As I told you, this is 228 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 1: a neighborhood of la If nobody knows that. It's a 229 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:06,000 Speaker 1: seaside community that over the past decade or so has 230 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 1: emerged as a secluded neighborhood for movie stars and studio executives. 231 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:16,640 Speaker 1: And they build these incredible Mediterranean style homes so they 232 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:18,960 Speaker 1: can get away from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood. 233 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:24,280 Speaker 1: It's very, very hilly, so the housekeeper May works for 234 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 1: twenty nine year old Thelma Todd. She is a movie star, 235 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:32,000 Speaker 1: and I'm just gonna jump right to it. She's our victim. 236 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 1: I think I want to give you kind of a 237 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:36,040 Speaker 1: lot of context about her upfront, because I do think 238 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 1: it's relevant, especially with witnesses coming up. So she is 239 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:43,080 Speaker 1: not a small time actress. She was in one hundred 240 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 1: and twenty feature films, feature films and a lot of 241 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 1: shorts over the last nine years. So she starred with 242 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:53,120 Speaker 1: names you're going to recognize, right, Buster Keaton, the Marx Brothers, 243 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:55,680 Speaker 1: Laurel and Harty, and then a whole list of people 244 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:57,440 Speaker 1: who I'm pretty sure are famous, but I had not 245 00:12:57,520 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 1: heard of. She was slapstick. That was specialty, and that's 246 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:03,040 Speaker 1: why I wanted to watch one of her films. So 247 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 1: there's a film called The ten Man and it's a 248 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 1: short and it was really good. I watched it on 249 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 1: YouTube and she is very lucy, of I love Lucy. 250 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 1: She's paired up with a woman in the scene that 251 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:18,679 Speaker 1: I was watching. You know, they're very very lucy and ethyl, 252 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:22,280 Speaker 1: and so I watched it before I really dug into 253 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:25,560 Speaker 1: the story, just because any opportunity I know you do 254 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 1: this too. Any opportunity I have to feel like I 255 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:31,560 Speaker 1: have a deeper connection with our victim, I wanted to 256 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,080 Speaker 1: take and so, you know, it just kind of left 257 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:37,160 Speaker 1: me sad more than anything, but sad's appropriate when you're 258 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: looking into an investigation. Also, I assume, I know, you 259 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:43,439 Speaker 1: want to know everything about the victim. I'm not sure 260 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:46,560 Speaker 1: this movie that I watched was relevant to this case. 261 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:50,040 Speaker 1: I actually know it it wasn't, but I just felt 262 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 1: like I really wanted to see. Do you feel like 263 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 1: that too? 264 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:54,840 Speaker 2: Well? You know, with the cases that I work, you know, 265 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:57,480 Speaker 2: one of the first things that I do is try 266 00:13:57,520 --> 00:13:59,960 Speaker 2: to learn as much about the victim as I possibly can. 267 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:02,599 Speaker 2: You know, and I've said this over and over, victimology 268 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:05,240 Speaker 2: is huge. You know, so who the victim is, what 269 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 2: the victim is up to, you know where the victim 270 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:12,200 Speaker 2: is going. You know, all these circumstances surrounding the victim 271 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:16,720 Speaker 2: sometimes can lead to the investigation to determine who's the 272 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:20,000 Speaker 2: one that's the offender, who's the one that's responsible for 273 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 2: let's say, if it's a homicide. So that's that's important, 274 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 2: you know for the cases that I primarily focused in on. 275 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 2: You know, out of the sixties and the seventies. Oftentimes 276 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 2: I didn't have video of the victims like nowadays. You know, 277 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 2: if somebody ends up being a victim, there's all this 278 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 2: social media stuff that's been posted, and you can really 279 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 2: see the victim in life. In this case, you know, 280 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:47,760 Speaker 2: nineteen thirty five with Thelma Todd. You know, this is 281 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 2: probably an unusual circumstance where now you know, a homicide 282 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 2: victim you can actually see in life. Now she's portraying somebody. 283 00:14:56,280 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 2: She's an actress, right, so it's not necessarily her and 284 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 2: her personality, but it's still a living person that you know, 285 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:06,600 Speaker 2: ended up dying for one reason or another. 286 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 1: Yeah. One thing about Thelma that I think would occur 287 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 1: with any Hollywood actress or actor, or anybody who's well 288 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 1: known as this would be somebody who strangers would recognize. 289 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 1: You know, we're often talking about that. In all of 290 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:22,000 Speaker 1: my cases, it feels like I hear the same thing 291 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 1: over and over again, especially in the eighteen hundreds. It 292 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:27,720 Speaker 1: looks like that guy, Yeah, that guy looked like your suspect. 293 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 1: But Thelma Todd was and I'm going to show you 294 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 1: the photo in a second, Thelma Todd would have stood 295 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 1: out even in Pacific Palisades at this time. So that's 296 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 1: what makes to me this story really interesting too. 297 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 2: Well, it sounds like she was a highly successful actor, 298 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:47,440 Speaker 2: you know, so she was celebrity famous. Yeah, you know, 299 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:50,720 Speaker 2: the name is tickling my brain, you know, but I'm 300 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:51,760 Speaker 2: not picturing who she is. 301 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:55,400 Speaker 1: Well you can picture her now and this is a headshot. 302 00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 1: Let me know what you think. 303 00:15:56,920 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 2: Oh yeah. One of the things that I do that 304 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:03,720 Speaker 2: people might think is somewhat strange. There's a YouTube channel 305 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 2: called Hollywood Graveyard and it's very well done. And this 306 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 2: guy he goes to the various cemeteries around and he's 307 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:14,880 Speaker 2: now doing it all over the world, but he started 308 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:18,800 Speaker 2: out there in the LA area, and he, you know, 309 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 2: tells stories about the various celebrities that are buried or 310 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 2: interred in some manner at these various cemeteries. And I 311 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:31,280 Speaker 2: believe that he's covered Thelma Todd if she's out there, 312 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:32,840 Speaker 2: that she looks very familiar. 313 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 1: Yeah. So Gene Harlowe was considered the original bombshell, and 314 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 1: bombshell now I think would be considered an insult for 315 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 1: a woman, you know, dismissive and really concentrating on her looks, 316 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 1: but Thelma Todd was in that category for Hollywood in 317 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:53,560 Speaker 1: the nineteen thirties. She was definitely considered the blonde bombshell. 318 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:56,680 Speaker 1: I'm going to skip right over that and just say 319 00:16:56,880 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 1: she was an excellent actress, obviously incredibly success and she 320 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 1: was also somebody who had businesses. And that plays into 321 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:08,160 Speaker 1: it a little bit here too. Where we are when 322 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 1: all this stuff starts to happen with Thelma is at 323 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:13,480 Speaker 1: the time of her death, she was shooting a movie, 324 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: and she was starring in two, how roach films that 325 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:19,840 Speaker 1: were about to be released. One was called All American Toothache. 326 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: I watched part of that, and another one was called 327 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:26,720 Speaker 1: Bohemian Girl, and that's on my list. So she lives 328 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:29,760 Speaker 1: in an apartment above the restaurant that she owns. She 329 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:34,080 Speaker 1: runs this place. It's called Thelma Todd's Sidewalk Cafe, and 330 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:37,240 Speaker 1: it's on what we now call the Pacific Coast Highway, 331 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:39,639 Speaker 1: right on the ocean. So this is sort of her 332 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 1: retirement plan. And she was one of the very first 333 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 1: celebrities to sort of use her brand, you know, put 334 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:49,400 Speaker 1: her actual name on a cafe rather than just calling 335 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:52,280 Speaker 1: it the sidewalk Cafe. She put her name on it, 336 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:55,800 Speaker 1: and that was not usual. So that's what we mean 337 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:58,200 Speaker 1: by she was sort of innovative and somebody who really 338 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 1: wanted to be aggressive. Writing that at age twenty nine 339 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:05,440 Speaker 1: in the nineteen thirties, she could have been not far 340 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: another decade off of her career. Unfortunately, I don't know, 341 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:11,919 Speaker 1: but she was planning ahead. So now we've got a 342 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,959 Speaker 1: Hollywood actress who also seems to have some money, and 343 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:17,960 Speaker 1: she has an investment in a business and is well known. 344 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:19,440 Speaker 1: So that's where we stand right now. 345 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 2: Okay, Yeah, So in essence, this celebrity aspect is of 346 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 2: course going to draw attention and just from her, you know, 347 00:18:27,920 --> 00:18:31,640 Speaker 2: the prolific nature of the number of films she's been in. 348 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:35,960 Speaker 2: You know, people that may have bad intent of course, 349 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 2: are going to assume she's got a lot of money, 350 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:41,240 Speaker 2: and it sounds like with some of the business aspects 351 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 2: she's utilizing her money wisely. So she even has more 352 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:47,879 Speaker 2: money than maybe the average actress at that time. Yep. 353 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:51,880 Speaker 1: So let's talk about her as a person. So May 354 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:55,119 Speaker 1: the housekeeper wants to find out where Thelma is, but 355 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 1: she also kind of understands that Thelma is a young 356 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:01,359 Speaker 1: woman who likes to go out a lot. She stays 357 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:03,800 Speaker 1: out late at night. She might not come home, and 358 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:07,400 Speaker 1: so I don't think she's particularly alarmed just yet. It's 359 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 1: not out of character for her to sleep away from home, 360 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 1: especially on a weekend. She has a really active social life. 361 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:15,960 Speaker 1: And we have some more details on water social life 362 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:18,600 Speaker 1: was like coming up, May looks through this apartment, there's 363 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 1: no one there. Then she goes to the house up 364 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:26,679 Speaker 1: the hill, and this is where Thelma stays. Sometimes she 365 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:29,840 Speaker 1: is not there either. Now here is just sort of 366 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:33,560 Speaker 1: a theoretical question. I guess May has not decided to 367 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 1: call the police yet, and you know, I know it's 368 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 1: because she's thinking in her head, well, she doesn't have 369 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:41,159 Speaker 1: to report to me when she's doing what and when. 370 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:44,720 Speaker 1: But at the same time, you know, at what point 371 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:47,760 Speaker 1: should somebody call the police? Is if somebody has not 372 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:50,959 Speaker 1: come home and it's completely out of their character, I 373 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:53,520 Speaker 1: just don't know what at what point do you sort 374 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 1: of draw that line. It's intimidating to call the police, Paul, 375 00:19:56,960 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 1: to me, at least, because you know, if somebody walks 376 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:03,000 Speaker 1: through the door, you feel stupid. You have to explain stuff. 377 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:05,359 Speaker 1: So I think probably a lot of people feel like that. 378 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:08,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, I can see where there would be some reservation. 379 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:12,600 Speaker 2: You know, it's so variable as to when somebody should 380 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:16,439 Speaker 2: call the police. You know. Here with May, it sounds like, 381 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 2: I mean, you described her as a housekeeper, but it 382 00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:21,120 Speaker 2: sounds like she was more of a like an assistant yea, 383 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:23,919 Speaker 2: you know, helping Thelma with all her day in and 384 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:27,879 Speaker 2: day out activities, coordinating things, et cetera. So more of 385 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:31,359 Speaker 2: like an executive assistant. And so I would say, you know, 386 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:35,040 Speaker 2: under that set of circumstances, you know, it sounds like 387 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:40,320 Speaker 2: Thelma not coming back to the apartment that particular night. 388 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:42,960 Speaker 1: It's a Sunday night, and you know, we're going to 389 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 1: find out that she was last seen Saturday. Okay, So 390 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 1: as far as May new, Thelma went out, and I'll 391 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 1: tell you with who in a little bit Saturday night. 392 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 1: She hasn't talked to her since. And it's Monday morning, 393 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 1: and she I think she's thinking, well, I don't know, 394 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:58,840 Speaker 1: because it's been Sunday and Monday. I'm surprised she's not 395 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:02,320 Speaker 1: here Monday morning because she would have been working at 396 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 1: the cafe and doing stuff with the cafe. 397 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:08,560 Speaker 2: I would say, you know, May's insight into what Thelma's 398 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:13,960 Speaker 2: normal routine would be because of May's position with Thelma, 399 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:17,679 Speaker 2: where she's now seeing Thelma is not doing what she 400 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:21,520 Speaker 2: normally would, you know, now it's stepping outside the routine 401 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:24,679 Speaker 2: depending on like if Thelma is not showing up at 402 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:26,879 Speaker 2: the restaurant and the restaurant ends up having to be 403 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:30,919 Speaker 2: closed or whatever, you know, or Thelma has some sort 404 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:34,439 Speaker 2: of meeting with a network executive or whatever it is, 405 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:38,879 Speaker 2: and May's going Thelma wouldn't do this now at this point, 406 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 2: then there should be concerned, Yeah, because now this is 407 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:44,919 Speaker 2: outside of the victimology that we know of for Thelma 408 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:48,399 Speaker 2: that May knows for Thelman. And I would say that's 409 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 2: kind of the same for any time somebody goes missing. 410 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 2: You know, law enforcement needs to do a better job 411 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:57,520 Speaker 2: listening to the families because the families go, this isn't right, right, 412 00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:01,480 Speaker 2: But oftentimes they're reporting an adult missing, and so many 413 00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:05,760 Speaker 2: times when that happens, law enforcement, you know, goes, well, 414 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 2: this person has just left and they have an absolute 415 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:12,280 Speaker 2: right to leave, and we're not going to spend resources 416 00:22:12,320 --> 00:22:15,399 Speaker 2: to try to track that person down until there's a 417 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:18,439 Speaker 2: set of circumstances in which now we think there's an 418 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:23,879 Speaker 2: endangered aspect to this missing adult. But with Thelma right now, 419 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 2: it seems like May is recognizing Thelma would not normally 420 00:22:28,600 --> 00:22:31,400 Speaker 2: be missing at this particular time during the day. 421 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:38,199 Speaker 1: Absolutely, so May knows there are a few more places 422 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 1: she can check. She's not in the apartment down below, 423 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 1: She's not up the hill at this place, and this 424 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 1: is a big hill too, you know where she would 425 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 1: kind of go back and forth between staying at the 426 00:22:47,640 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 1: house at the top of the hill staying in her apartment. 427 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:53,320 Speaker 1: So May decides she needs to look a few more 428 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:57,119 Speaker 1: places before we talk about, you know where else she looks. 429 00:22:57,200 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 1: I want to say that the reason that Thelma stays 430 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 1: at the house on the hill sometimes is that she's 431 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:05,199 Speaker 1: been dating a movie director for quite a while. His 432 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:08,879 Speaker 1: name is Roland West, and he's the one who owns 433 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:13,240 Speaker 1: that house. Nobody's at this house, and May has apparently 434 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:16,040 Speaker 1: a key to be able to get in Roland and Thelma. 435 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:18,399 Speaker 1: This is where things get a little complicated. Roland and 436 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 1: Thelma own the apartment above the restaurant together, but they 437 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:26,720 Speaker 1: have separate bedrooms which are divided by a sliding wooden door, 438 00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:34,120 Speaker 1: and Roland is still technically married to another actress named 439 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 1: jul Carmen. Jewel is not a big Hollywood star. She's 440 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:41,800 Speaker 1: a small time actress and it sounds like her career 441 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:47,280 Speaker 1: acting might be somewhat over. So she is married to Roland, 442 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:53,160 Speaker 1: and technically, while Thelma owns part of the restaurant Thelma 443 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 1: Todd's Cafe, Roland and Jewel together own part of it. Also, 444 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:00,480 Speaker 1: it's a little murky with this whole relation ship thing 445 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,439 Speaker 1: is like, but it doesn't sound like there have been 446 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:08,159 Speaker 1: public blowups. They're not in the press. It seems like 447 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:12,040 Speaker 1: whatever is happening seems kind of cordial in a way, 448 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:14,400 Speaker 1: or maybe they've worked out some kind of an agreement. 449 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:18,639 Speaker 1: But now you've got Thelma involved with another Hollywood actress 450 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:21,560 Speaker 1: and then a director, and everybody seems to be kind 451 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:25,760 Speaker 1: of sharing residences. It kind of gets odd after this, Yeah. 452 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:28,240 Speaker 2: You know, of course, you know, this sounds like the 453 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:32,080 Speaker 2: typical lover's triangle, you know, in which you could potentially 454 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:35,760 Speaker 2: have jealousies arise. And it really does come down to, 455 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:40,720 Speaker 2: you know, what does Jewel, Roland's wife know about his 456 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:44,840 Speaker 2: relationship with Thelma. Is this something that she has accepted, 457 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:49,800 Speaker 2: you know? So of course, early investigations into the victimology, 458 00:24:50,119 --> 00:24:53,639 Speaker 2: and once this is found out, then it's you know, 459 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:56,880 Speaker 2: talking to Roland, talking to Jewel and go, okay, what's 460 00:24:56,920 --> 00:24:59,600 Speaker 2: going on here? You know? Is this something that's just 461 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:02,879 Speaker 2: a an open type of marriage and this was an 462 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:08,160 Speaker 2: accepted relationship. There's financial aspects that bind the three together 463 00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:12,080 Speaker 2: up and beyond the relationships, you know, with the ownership 464 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:15,240 Speaker 2: of the restaurant, et cetera. So that's that's interesting. 465 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 1: What do you think about the separate bedrooms thing? Is 466 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:21,480 Speaker 1: that surprising to you? Knowing he's married, and I do 467 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:22,639 Speaker 1: think Jewel stays there. 468 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:24,639 Speaker 2: I don't know, I don't think, you know, I'm not 469 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:27,119 Speaker 2: overly surprised by that. I think it just depends on 470 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:32,439 Speaker 2: what Thelma and Roland's relationship really is like, you know, 471 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:35,199 Speaker 2: and it could just be a convenience aspect, you know, 472 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:38,880 Speaker 2: whether maybe these these rooms above the restaurant are very small, 473 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:42,760 Speaker 2: you know, or they just prefer to sleep separately when 474 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:46,399 Speaker 2: they're not engaging together. You know. I don't know, you know, 475 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:49,159 Speaker 2: I don't put a lot of weight on that right now, 476 00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:52,240 Speaker 2: you know, I think just the dynamics of the Thelma, 477 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:57,639 Speaker 2: Roland and Jewel triangle, of course, is a red flag 478 00:25:57,880 --> 00:25:59,320 Speaker 2: at least at this stage. 479 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 1: Okay, tell me tell you about the connection and how 480 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:07,400 Speaker 1: you would travel from the apartment, which is by the ocean, 481 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:12,760 Speaker 1: up to this monster hill to get to Roland's beautiful house. 482 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:17,520 Speaker 1: The restaurant and the apartment are directly downhill from Roland's house. 483 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:21,280 Speaker 1: And I will have two incredibly confusing maps for you 484 00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:24,400 Speaker 1: in just a few minutes. And thank you for You're 485 00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:27,840 Speaker 1: welcome for that. Sometimes I think that these are awful maps, 486 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:29,520 Speaker 1: and then you look at them and go, well, this 487 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:31,320 Speaker 1: is the best thing I've ever seen, Kate. Thank you 488 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:34,120 Speaker 1: bring me more of these terrible maps, so we'll see 489 00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:37,760 Speaker 1: what you say. But to get from the apartment or 490 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:41,639 Speaker 1: the cafe up to Roland's place in a car, there 491 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:44,240 Speaker 1: are a lot of little hairpin turns that you would 492 00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:45,919 Speaker 1: have to get to. It's not easy. It's not a 493 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:49,439 Speaker 1: straight shot. And then if you're going by foot, it 494 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:51,680 Speaker 1: would have been a hill of a climb. It's several 495 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:56,960 Speaker 1: steep staircases in the hillside. Thelma, and I'll tell you 496 00:26:56,960 --> 00:26:59,160 Speaker 1: a little bit more about this in a second had 497 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:02,919 Speaker 1: developed a heart can and May used to drive her 498 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:06,280 Speaker 1: up in her car to get to the top. If 499 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:08,680 Speaker 1: she wanted to spend the night at Roland's house, and 500 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:11,560 Speaker 1: then Thelma would drive down or maybe May would walk up, 501 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:13,880 Speaker 1: and it didn't seem like a huge deal for May, 502 00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:15,800 Speaker 1: but it was substantial. I don't know if you want 503 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:18,240 Speaker 1: to see that now, but it does come into play 504 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:21,200 Speaker 1: about Thelma and how she would have gone from one 505 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 1: place to the other if she had a heart condition, 506 00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:26,520 Speaker 1: or we could get to her what happens to her. 507 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:29,639 Speaker 2: Yeah, let's get to let's get to sort of the 508 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:33,880 Speaker 2: heart of the matter, and then we can expand out 509 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 2: from there. 510 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:37,800 Speaker 1: There's no sign of Thelma anywhere. May looks in the 511 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:41,920 Speaker 1: house's too car garage, So I think I said this before. 512 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:43,880 Speaker 1: On most days May is going to park her own 513 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:47,000 Speaker 1: car in this garage, so she'll drive up, she'll park 514 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:49,280 Speaker 1: her car or walk up or whatever, and then she'll 515 00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:52,680 Speaker 1: drive Thelma's car to the bottom of the cliff where 516 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:55,200 Speaker 1: the cafe and the apartment are, so that Thelma doesn't 517 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:58,320 Speaker 1: have to make this track because she fainted on the 518 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:01,439 Speaker 1: set of a film, and her mom says, the doctor 519 00:28:01,560 --> 00:28:04,080 Speaker 1: diagnosed her with this heart condition. So what would that be. 520 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:07,120 Speaker 1: Is that just a slow heart rate or I don't 521 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:08,879 Speaker 1: know what that would even be. It could be anything, 522 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:10,840 Speaker 1: I guess. 523 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:13,000 Speaker 2: Just low blood pressure, you know, you know she stood 524 00:28:13,080 --> 00:28:15,679 Speaker 2: up too quickly, and yeah, so it just depends. But 525 00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:18,479 Speaker 2: of course, you know, the heart condition is something that 526 00:28:18,520 --> 00:28:21,800 Speaker 2: has to be weighed in in terms of you know, 527 00:28:22,040 --> 00:28:24,960 Speaker 2: what happens to Thelma down the road, you know, is 528 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:28,760 Speaker 2: this something where she could have had a fatal incident 529 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:33,159 Speaker 2: and is found dead right now? Of course I know 530 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:34,800 Speaker 2: nothing about what's going on with Elma. 531 00:28:35,280 --> 00:28:40,320 Speaker 1: So in the garage may finds Thelma's total kick ass car. 532 00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:44,680 Speaker 1: And I liked it so much that I included not 533 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:46,760 Speaker 1: it because I couldn't find a photo of it, but 534 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:49,560 Speaker 1: I included this type of car, so you probably know 535 00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:52,480 Speaker 1: it because you're smarty about cars. This is a chocolate 536 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:55,280 Speaker 1: brown Lincoln Phaantin. Have you heard of that? 537 00:28:55,720 --> 00:28:57,480 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, I've heard of that for sure. 538 00:28:57,760 --> 00:28:59,440 Speaker 1: I just wanted to show it to you. I mean, 539 00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:02,160 Speaker 1: this car, and not to talk about her looks, but 540 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:04,320 Speaker 1: she would have looked gorgeous in this car, and she 541 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:07,200 Speaker 1: had a driver much of the time. I mean, this 542 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:08,760 Speaker 1: is what I mean by later on when we have 543 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:12,160 Speaker 1: witnesses to different things. She would have stood out on 544 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:14,840 Speaker 1: so many different levels. And I know that this is 545 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:16,960 Speaker 1: still Hollywood, but this was a beautiful car. 546 00:29:17,280 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 2: Yeah. No, that's a head turner. If Thelma's a head turner. 547 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 2: So of course you know she's you know, she's driving 548 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:25,960 Speaker 2: around in a vehicle like this. She's not trying to 549 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:29,640 Speaker 2: be discreet, you know that, she's like here, I am Okay. 550 00:29:29,760 --> 00:29:32,959 Speaker 1: May sees her car. She is alarmed because she couldn't 551 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 1: find Thelma anywhere else. She looks inside the car, and 552 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:40,080 Speaker 1: this is where we see Thelma's body. May does not 553 00:29:40,160 --> 00:29:42,800 Speaker 1: examine her at all. She just sees her slumped over, 554 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 1: and she gets very upset. Of course, she runs down 555 00:29:47,360 --> 00:29:51,160 Speaker 1: to the cafe, flying down those steep steps. She finds 556 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:54,800 Speaker 1: a general manager. He calls the police. So this is 557 00:29:54,840 --> 00:29:59,360 Speaker 1: all Monday morning, and she was last seen Saturday night 558 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 1: as far as we know right now. So I can 559 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:05,080 Speaker 1: tell you what her body looked like. But I also 560 00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 1: can immediately talk about the autopsy too. 561 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:07,920 Speaker 2: So you tell me. 562 00:30:07,960 --> 00:30:10,080 Speaker 1: I know you like autopsy stuff, but what do you think. 563 00:30:10,320 --> 00:30:14,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, let's uh, let's get into the crime scene 564 00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:19,360 Speaker 2: first in terms of understanding her body in context, you know, 565 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:21,959 Speaker 2: in sits you in the back of this car, and 566 00:30:22,040 --> 00:30:23,760 Speaker 2: then go into the autopsy. 567 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:28,560 Speaker 1: So she has found slumped over the steering wheel. We 568 00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:31,920 Speaker 1: find out that her nose is broken and she was 569 00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:36,120 Speaker 1: bleeding from the mouth, but police think it's because she 570 00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:39,640 Speaker 1: passed out and hit her face against the steering wheel. 571 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:42,239 Speaker 1: I think one of the reasons is, this is an 572 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:47,479 Speaker 1: interesting bit here. May said the garage was closed and 573 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:50,200 Speaker 1: that when she saw Thelma and she saw, you know, 574 00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:53,680 Speaker 1: a little bit of bleeding and she's laying over the 575 00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:58,360 Speaker 1: steering wheel, that she was unusually red. Her face was 576 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:01,640 Speaker 1: really red. Let's kind of of start there. They're not 577 00:31:01,720 --> 00:31:05,800 Speaker 1: saying trauma, and their immediate response is not this is 578 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:08,480 Speaker 1: you know, somebody who's been beaten up. But what do 579 00:31:08,520 --> 00:31:10,240 Speaker 1: you kind of think so far the way that I've 580 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:12,320 Speaker 1: laid it out, or do you need more info? 581 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:17,560 Speaker 2: Well, I think with sort of the thumbnail sketch, broken nose, 582 00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:21,040 Speaker 2: bleeding out of the mouth, which you know possibly can 583 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:23,480 Speaker 2: occur as a result of you know, the trauma to 584 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:28,320 Speaker 2: the nose, in terms of evaluating the fracture to the nose, 585 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:32,160 Speaker 2: you know, is you know, how much damage is truly there? 586 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:35,680 Speaker 2: Is it consistent with somebody who's just now passes out 587 00:31:35,760 --> 00:31:39,400 Speaker 2: and nose hits a hard steering wheel or is there 588 00:31:39,480 --> 00:31:42,360 Speaker 2: more damage to that, And so that'd be something that 589 00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:46,200 Speaker 2: would be determined at autopsy, as well as what other 590 00:31:46,280 --> 00:31:49,120 Speaker 2: injuries she has on her body. You know, the red 591 00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:53,040 Speaker 2: kind of it sounds like her face is flush, and 592 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:56,080 Speaker 2: you know, there's a variety of reasons why that can occur. 593 00:31:56,320 --> 00:31:58,480 Speaker 2: You know, one of the first things, just due to 594 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:00,920 Speaker 2: the context of where she's found out in a car 595 00:32:01,080 --> 00:32:05,840 Speaker 2: inside a closed garage, is is it possible that there's 596 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:10,520 Speaker 2: a carbon monoxide poisoning accidental? Potentially? You know, she was 597 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:13,800 Speaker 2: sitting in that that car for too long? Is the 598 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:18,880 Speaker 2: car still running when may you know, enters in? Does 599 00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:22,240 Speaker 2: she detect something's wrong? Is a car completely out of 600 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:25,160 Speaker 2: gas but the ignition is turd like it's still running? 601 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:27,680 Speaker 2: You know, then that might suggest that you know, she 602 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:31,160 Speaker 2: for whatever reason, drove into the garage, closed the garage 603 00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:35,320 Speaker 2: and stayed in there too long and then ultimately succumbed 604 00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:38,840 Speaker 2: to carbon monoxide. So there's that aspect, you know, is 605 00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:42,400 Speaker 2: there potentially does the heart condition weigh in? Is there 606 00:32:42,400 --> 00:32:47,120 Speaker 2: a circulatory type of issue that's causing the red flushing? 607 00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:50,280 Speaker 2: And then of course there's there's different acts of islence 608 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:53,479 Speaker 2: such as strangulation, you know, which could cause that that 609 00:32:53,520 --> 00:32:56,200 Speaker 2: red flushing. So at this point, I think, you know, 610 00:32:56,240 --> 00:33:00,080 Speaker 2: the investigators are, they're evaluating what's going on. It. It 611 00:33:00,160 --> 00:33:05,840 Speaker 2: is unusual to see a homicide victim just seated in 612 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:08,680 Speaker 2: a car, slumped over the steering wheel, if it's not 613 00:33:08,760 --> 00:33:12,320 Speaker 2: a gunshot victim. You know, we often see that today 614 00:33:12,520 --> 00:33:16,440 Speaker 2: with shootings. But I'm assuming right now she's not a 615 00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:19,440 Speaker 2: gunshot victim or a stabbing victim or something like that. 616 00:33:19,560 --> 00:33:22,480 Speaker 2: And so now they're assessing things and reconstructing, and they're 617 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:27,400 Speaker 2: probably going this very likely could just be an accidental 618 00:33:27,920 --> 00:33:31,680 Speaker 2: death or could be a natural if she had if 619 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:34,120 Speaker 2: the heart condition weighed in as to the reason why 620 00:33:34,160 --> 00:33:37,800 Speaker 2: she ended up deceased inside this vehicle. 621 00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:39,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I think there's a lot of speculation about that. 622 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:43,440 Speaker 1: Was it the heart condition that contributed to this? Did 623 00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:46,160 Speaker 1: she climb up all of those stairs herself? And then 624 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:49,120 Speaker 1: something happened she got into the car. So let me 625 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:51,640 Speaker 1: just tell you a couple of facts that are important 626 00:33:52,240 --> 00:33:54,600 Speaker 1: and then we can get to the autop seat. Number One. 627 00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:59,000 Speaker 1: May saw Thelma Saturday night before she went to an event, 628 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:02,960 Speaker 1: and she said she's wearing the same clothing she was 629 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:07,080 Speaker 1: wearing a mauve and silver dress and a mink coat 630 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:11,880 Speaker 1: and lots of expensive jewelry. She had an expensive handbag 631 00:34:11,920 --> 00:34:15,040 Speaker 1: with her. None of it was touched. It's all there, 632 00:34:15,640 --> 00:34:18,720 Speaker 1: so you know at first blush. She's been there since 633 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:22,680 Speaker 1: Saturday night, early Sunday morning, whenever you know she left 634 00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:27,520 Speaker 1: this event. So they're trying to get a timeline together, 635 00:34:27,600 --> 00:34:30,479 Speaker 1: but that's going to come into questions soon. The other 636 00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:33,680 Speaker 1: note is that police do find the key in the 637 00:34:33,719 --> 00:34:37,520 Speaker 1: ignition to her fancy car. It was turned to the 638 00:34:37,600 --> 00:34:41,920 Speaker 1: on position, but the car was not running. So this 639 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:43,400 Speaker 1: is out of my pay grade. So I'm just going 640 00:34:43,480 --> 00:34:44,640 Speaker 1: to tell you what it is and you can tell 641 00:34:44,680 --> 00:34:47,200 Speaker 1: me what you think. This is a combustible engine, so 642 00:34:47,280 --> 00:34:50,239 Speaker 1: there is no catalytic converter. I don't even know what 643 00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:52,520 Speaker 1: that was. I didn't until I had to pay for one, 644 00:34:52,640 --> 00:34:54,320 Speaker 1: and then I found out really quick witted. 645 00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:57,040 Speaker 2: Expensive because of the precious metals inside there. 646 00:34:57,280 --> 00:34:59,239 Speaker 1: I mean, I think it's the worst thing you can 647 00:34:59,280 --> 00:35:01,879 Speaker 1: pay for. So I can think my kids for all 648 00:35:01,880 --> 00:35:05,440 Speaker 1: the driving with them with a new catlet converter. He said, 649 00:35:05,480 --> 00:35:07,160 Speaker 1: how did you put this many miles on this car? 650 00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:10,760 Speaker 1: It's only a couple of years old. So the police 651 00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:13,440 Speaker 1: say that this is because the car's engine, because it's 652 00:35:13,440 --> 00:35:17,800 Speaker 1: a combustible engine, needs oxygen to run. So if something 653 00:35:17,880 --> 00:35:21,520 Speaker 1: happens and the car has turned on, once the garage 654 00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:24,440 Speaker 1: is filled up with carbon monoxide, there's no more oxygen 655 00:35:24,480 --> 00:35:27,279 Speaker 1: and the engine would just cut off. Does that sound right? 656 00:35:27,520 --> 00:35:28,120 Speaker 2: Yes, it does. 657 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:31,120 Speaker 1: What happens now with the engine? First of all, what 658 00:35:31,200 --> 00:35:32,120 Speaker 1: kind of engines do we have? 659 00:35:32,160 --> 00:35:32,319 Speaker 2: Now? 660 00:35:32,360 --> 00:35:33,920 Speaker 1: I know we should know that I should know that. 661 00:35:34,239 --> 00:35:37,400 Speaker 2: It's the same, you know, in terms of for gasoline engines. 662 00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:41,640 Speaker 2: In essence, they're just combustion engines, and so you know, 663 00:35:41,680 --> 00:35:47,280 Speaker 2: they're fundamentally operate the same way as this particular engine, 664 00:35:47,600 --> 00:35:51,919 Speaker 2: just obviously more advanced. You need oxygen for fire. Well, 665 00:35:51,920 --> 00:35:56,120 Speaker 2: that's in essence what happens inside the cylinder of you know, 666 00:35:56,160 --> 00:35:59,120 Speaker 2: one of the chambers within these engines, and you know this, 667 00:35:59,120 --> 00:36:03,920 Speaker 2: this particular car possibly had anywhere from eight to twelve cylinders, 668 00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:08,520 Speaker 2: and there's a spark plug in each cylinder, and then 669 00:36:08,560 --> 00:36:12,480 Speaker 2: there's a source of fuel that sprays into the cylinder, 670 00:36:13,120 --> 00:36:16,319 Speaker 2: and so now you have this gas vapor and then 671 00:36:16,520 --> 00:36:22,439 Speaker 2: as the cylinder comes up and compresses that gas, there's 672 00:36:22,480 --> 00:36:25,520 Speaker 2: a spark from the spark plug that ignites the gas 673 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:29,200 Speaker 2: and in order for that gas to actually combust to 674 00:36:29,280 --> 00:36:32,680 Speaker 2: produce pressure to force the cylinder down, which ultimately is 675 00:36:33,080 --> 00:36:37,040 Speaker 2: the mechanism that is translated into being able to move 676 00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:41,640 Speaker 2: the vehicle. Once there's no oxygen, that combustion engine can't 677 00:36:41,680 --> 00:36:45,880 Speaker 2: operate anymore. So if that garage filled up with sufficient 678 00:36:45,960 --> 00:36:49,880 Speaker 2: carbon monoxide, I would say, yeah, theoretically, it's possible that 679 00:36:49,960 --> 00:36:53,360 Speaker 2: the engine just died and had been left running for 680 00:36:53,480 --> 00:36:54,520 Speaker 2: a period of time. 681 00:36:55,239 --> 00:36:58,239 Speaker 1: Okay, well, let's keep that in mind, because you know, 682 00:36:58,320 --> 00:36:59,680 Speaker 1: there are a lot of theories that are going to 683 00:36:59,719 --> 00:37:03,759 Speaker 1: be flowing around nineteen thirty five LA. Pretty soon. There 684 00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:06,359 Speaker 1: is someone who comes, a doctor who comes and examines 685 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:10,640 Speaker 1: her body. His name is JP Sampson. When doctor Sampson 686 00:37:10,719 --> 00:37:14,279 Speaker 1: looks at Thelma's body, he says, she has been dead 687 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:19,480 Speaker 1: for about twelve hours. Now. I don't know how he 688 00:37:19,760 --> 00:37:23,080 Speaker 1: determines that. I don't think they use liver temperature, but 689 00:37:23,640 --> 00:37:27,000 Speaker 1: maybe it was rigor. But just doing math, let's say 690 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:30,160 Speaker 1: this happens at nine am. That puts her death at 691 00:37:30,360 --> 00:37:34,319 Speaker 1: nine pm Sunday night. But she's wearing the clothes from 692 00:37:34,360 --> 00:37:35,120 Speaker 1: Saturday night. 693 00:37:35,680 --> 00:37:37,279 Speaker 2: So you know, one of the things I want to 694 00:37:37,400 --> 00:37:40,680 Speaker 2: address about her clothes. You know, may sees her leaving 695 00:37:40,760 --> 00:37:46,440 Speaker 2: Saturday night in those clothes. What we don't know is 696 00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:52,440 Speaker 2: it possible that she stayed in those clothes alive for 697 00:37:52,680 --> 00:37:56,600 Speaker 2: how long period of time? More did she redress into 698 00:37:56,640 --> 00:37:59,400 Speaker 2: those clothes, you know? And those are the clothes she 699 00:37:59,480 --> 00:38:03,840 Speaker 2: came back to Roland's place in this vehicle. So it's 700 00:38:04,040 --> 00:38:08,960 Speaker 2: kind of hard to draw a firm conclusion that whatever 701 00:38:09,080 --> 00:38:13,800 Speaker 2: happened to Thelma happened Saturday night because we just don't 702 00:38:13,840 --> 00:38:16,960 Speaker 2: know anything about her state of dress, and you know 703 00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:19,239 Speaker 2: how long she had those clothes on before she ended 704 00:38:19,320 --> 00:38:22,719 Speaker 2: up dying. So it's interesting it. I would say, what 705 00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:25,800 Speaker 2: you could conclude as well, she did not get back 706 00:38:25,840 --> 00:38:29,640 Speaker 2: to her residence or a location where she had closed 707 00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:32,440 Speaker 2: that she would be wanting to change into, you know, 708 00:38:32,800 --> 00:38:35,520 Speaker 2: that would be part of it. To try to timeline 709 00:38:35,600 --> 00:38:40,160 Speaker 2: exactly when something happened to Thelma based on her dress 710 00:38:40,360 --> 00:38:41,040 Speaker 2: would be tough. 711 00:38:41,520 --> 00:38:44,040 Speaker 1: Yes, I have had times in my youth where I 712 00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:48,160 Speaker 1: have been in the same clothing for six years and 713 00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:51,239 Speaker 1: I wasn't camping, I was living in New York, So yes, 714 00:38:51,360 --> 00:38:55,280 Speaker 1: well we'll see I don't trust the twelve hour timeline either. 715 00:38:55,320 --> 00:38:58,879 Speaker 1: I guess we'll just see how this progresses well. 716 00:38:58,880 --> 00:39:01,920 Speaker 2: And even the pathologist saying she's been dead for twelve hours, 717 00:39:02,800 --> 00:39:05,080 Speaker 2: that's just a rough rough guess. 718 00:39:05,400 --> 00:39:09,160 Speaker 1: So we've got the autopsy. Thelma's brain and organs are 719 00:39:09,200 --> 00:39:14,200 Speaker 1: described in the autopsy report as scarlet red of blood, 720 00:39:14,600 --> 00:39:19,120 Speaker 1: and her body is also discolored red. Her blood is 721 00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:23,560 Speaker 1: found to have a seventy five to eighty percent saturation 722 00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:25,800 Speaker 1: of carbon monoxide, which. 723 00:39:25,640 --> 00:39:29,280 Speaker 2: Is classic, you know, this is when you see somebody 724 00:39:29,360 --> 00:39:33,680 Speaker 2: like this and at autopsy the pathologist is immediately going, okay, 725 00:39:33,680 --> 00:39:36,320 Speaker 2: we've got carbon monoxide. You know, this is even before 726 00:39:36,360 --> 00:39:40,360 Speaker 2: there's any type of toxicology testing going on. It's that 727 00:39:40,440 --> 00:39:44,120 Speaker 2: this is almost diagnostic, you know. And the question is 728 00:39:44,120 --> 00:39:47,920 Speaker 2: is you know, at this point, okay, is this is 729 00:39:47,960 --> 00:39:52,040 Speaker 2: it accidental? Is it natural? Or is there a chance 730 00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:56,040 Speaker 2: that there is violence inflicted on her to a point 731 00:39:56,080 --> 00:40:00,160 Speaker 2: to where she is unconscious and is left inside this 732 00:40:00,280 --> 00:40:04,000 Speaker 2: garage and now the carbon monoxide is building up from 733 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:07,040 Speaker 2: the running car and then she succumbs to the carbon 734 00:40:07,080 --> 00:40:11,520 Speaker 2: monoxide poisoning. But the reality is is that there was 735 00:40:11,680 --> 00:40:14,279 Speaker 2: a violent act at the hands of another you know, 736 00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:18,439 Speaker 2: so too early to really draw a conclusion, but most 737 00:40:18,480 --> 00:40:21,520 Speaker 2: certainly at this point unless you tell me of other 738 00:40:21,600 --> 00:40:26,000 Speaker 2: significant injuries to her. At this point, carbon monoxide sounds 739 00:40:26,040 --> 00:40:27,600 Speaker 2: like the primary cause of death. 740 00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:31,839 Speaker 1: Yes, and there are no other significant injuries other than 741 00:40:31,880 --> 00:40:33,759 Speaker 1: what I had mentioned before, a little bleeding at the 742 00:40:33,800 --> 00:40:38,680 Speaker 1: mouth and a broken nose, which investigators conclude very quickly 743 00:40:39,239 --> 00:40:43,360 Speaker 1: is because you know, when carbon monoxide started to take effect, 744 00:40:43,760 --> 00:40:46,080 Speaker 1: that her face hit the steering wheel, which would have 745 00:40:46,080 --> 00:40:48,960 Speaker 1: been a very heavy steering wheel, would probably or mahoggitting, 746 00:40:49,000 --> 00:40:50,319 Speaker 1: I don't know what it would have been, and broke 747 00:40:50,360 --> 00:40:53,000 Speaker 1: her nose. The question I think that is going to 748 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:56,680 Speaker 1: come as is this suicide? Is this an accident? How 749 00:40:56,719 --> 00:40:59,720 Speaker 1: would this have been an accident? Or is this something else? 750 00:40:59,800 --> 00:41:02,880 Speaker 1: Because there are a lot of complicated things happening. 751 00:41:03,040 --> 00:41:09,800 Speaker 2: Right now, it appears that the medical findings aren't differentiating 752 00:41:10,040 --> 00:41:14,439 Speaker 2: the manner of death. So there is no sign of strangulation, 753 00:41:14,719 --> 00:41:18,560 Speaker 2: there's no defensive injuries obviously I've already asked, there's no 754 00:41:18,680 --> 00:41:24,280 Speaker 2: stab wounds, no gunshot wounds, etc. So fundamentally, you've got 755 00:41:24,320 --> 00:41:29,400 Speaker 2: a fractured nose, bleeding out of the mouth, and carbon 756 00:41:29,440 --> 00:41:34,239 Speaker 2: monoxide poisoning. Basically, all types of manners of death potentially 757 00:41:34,280 --> 00:41:38,520 Speaker 2: are on the table, though homicide kind of becomes less 758 00:41:39,080 --> 00:41:42,240 Speaker 2: likely but not eliminated. Based on these circumstances. 759 00:41:42,600 --> 00:41:44,560 Speaker 1: I'm going to talk in a little bit about what 760 00:41:44,680 --> 00:41:47,680 Speaker 1: she did that night, who she was with, and the 761 00:41:47,680 --> 00:41:52,360 Speaker 1: circumstances about why homicide definitely needs to stay on the table. 762 00:41:52,680 --> 00:41:56,040 Speaker 1: The corner, so there was doctor Sampson, but there's also 763 00:41:56,160 --> 00:42:00,160 Speaker 1: a corner, separate person who said after his examination and 764 00:42:00,600 --> 00:42:04,680 Speaker 1: that Thelma had been dead more like thirty hours when 765 00:42:04,719 --> 00:42:07,239 Speaker 1: she was found, which of course is much closer to 766 00:42:07,440 --> 00:42:12,560 Speaker 1: the Saturday night mark. Again, what's reliable here and what isn't. 767 00:42:12,920 --> 00:42:15,200 Speaker 1: I don't have notes on what they were using. I 768 00:42:15,239 --> 00:42:17,319 Speaker 1: think it was probably rigor. I don't think they were 769 00:42:17,480 --> 00:42:19,280 Speaker 1: using liver temperature at this point. 770 00:42:19,520 --> 00:42:21,279 Speaker 2: You know, rigor would be part of it. You know, 771 00:42:21,320 --> 00:42:23,719 Speaker 2: that's one of the first things that the pathologists are 772 00:42:23,760 --> 00:42:25,920 Speaker 2: going to note in terms of how long the body 773 00:42:25,960 --> 00:42:28,799 Speaker 2: has been dead, you know, the body temperature. You know, 774 00:42:28,880 --> 00:42:32,640 Speaker 2: this was occurring mid December, you know, but you're also 775 00:42:32,680 --> 00:42:35,959 Speaker 2: dealing with la you know, on the coastal front there. 776 00:42:36,040 --> 00:42:39,319 Speaker 2: You know, it's maybe seventy degrees in the winter time 777 00:42:39,360 --> 00:42:41,520 Speaker 2: at times. You know, it's not excessively hot, it's not 778 00:42:41,560 --> 00:42:45,319 Speaker 2: excessively cold. My assessment what I would want to be 779 00:42:45,400 --> 00:42:48,880 Speaker 2: taking a look at. You know, they're drawing a conclusion 780 00:42:48,920 --> 00:42:51,600 Speaker 2: that she hit her nose on the steering wheel. If 781 00:42:51,600 --> 00:42:55,640 Speaker 2: that's what happened, you know, you imagine her head going forward. 782 00:42:56,080 --> 00:43:01,280 Speaker 2: She's basically collapsing and probably doesn't revive after that point. Right, So, now, 783 00:43:01,320 --> 00:43:04,480 Speaker 2: are the blood flows out of the nose, the blood 784 00:43:04,520 --> 00:43:08,440 Speaker 2: patterns inside the vehicle consistent with that last movement of 785 00:43:08,480 --> 00:43:12,000 Speaker 2: her body that caused the bleeding to occur, or is 786 00:43:12,040 --> 00:43:17,600 Speaker 2: there blood in discrete locations that would not line up 787 00:43:17,719 --> 00:43:21,279 Speaker 2: with this idea of just slumping forward, as if she 788 00:43:21,800 --> 00:43:24,359 Speaker 2: let's say, somebody punched her in the nose, she gets 789 00:43:24,440 --> 00:43:27,000 Speaker 2: knocked out, and then that person puts her into a 790 00:43:27,120 --> 00:43:29,959 Speaker 2: seated position in the driver's seat, you know, and leaves 791 00:43:29,960 --> 00:43:33,879 Speaker 2: the vehicle running inside this closed garage. That's where now 792 00:43:33,880 --> 00:43:36,319 Speaker 2: you have to start really paying attention to the details. 793 00:43:36,880 --> 00:43:39,160 Speaker 2: And I'm not sure you have those details. 794 00:43:39,520 --> 00:43:42,080 Speaker 1: Well, let's see, we do have a lot of information 795 00:43:42,120 --> 00:43:44,160 Speaker 1: about what she did that night, and you're right, like 796 00:43:44,280 --> 00:43:47,400 Speaker 1: more theories and maybe a little bit more information do 797 00:43:47,480 --> 00:43:51,479 Speaker 1: you think that carbon monoxide poisoning would throw off time 798 00:43:51,520 --> 00:43:53,399 Speaker 1: of death estimations at all or. 799 00:43:53,600 --> 00:43:57,319 Speaker 2: No, generally not. Now, part of what you know we 800 00:43:57,400 --> 00:44:01,120 Speaker 2: look at at a crime scene is lividity. Blood settles 801 00:44:01,160 --> 00:44:04,439 Speaker 2: with gravity. After you die, your heart is no longer pumping, 802 00:44:04,840 --> 00:44:09,920 Speaker 2: and so as Thelma is seated there slumped over, heart stops. 803 00:44:10,160 --> 00:44:14,680 Speaker 2: Blood settles to the lower parts of her body, showing 804 00:44:14,719 --> 00:44:18,160 Speaker 2: the position that she's in. That lividity is something that 805 00:44:18,280 --> 00:44:20,759 Speaker 2: I would be paying attention to to see had she 806 00:44:20,960 --> 00:44:24,400 Speaker 2: laid in a position different than the position that she 807 00:44:24,560 --> 00:44:29,040 Speaker 2: is ultimately found in. Lividity sets after a certain period 808 00:44:29,040 --> 00:44:32,799 Speaker 2: of time, So if somebody has moved prior to the 809 00:44:32,840 --> 00:44:36,480 Speaker 2: lividity setting, then the lividity the blood shifts inside the 810 00:44:36,480 --> 00:44:40,960 Speaker 2: body and so the original lividity pattern is changed. But 811 00:44:41,080 --> 00:44:45,839 Speaker 2: once the lividity pattern sets, when the body's moved from 812 00:44:45,920 --> 00:44:49,200 Speaker 2: the time that they die to the time that they 813 00:44:49,280 --> 00:44:52,799 Speaker 2: ultimately are found, the libidity will show that. And the 814 00:44:52,920 --> 00:44:56,799 Speaker 2: extent of the lividity is possibly something the pathologists may 815 00:44:57,000 --> 00:44:59,720 Speaker 2: be relying upon to get a better sense in terms 816 00:44:59,760 --> 00:45:03,840 Speaker 2: of of how long somebody's been dead under select circumstances, 817 00:45:04,120 --> 00:45:07,680 Speaker 2: the carbon monoxide poisoning can make it tougher to see 818 00:45:07,960 --> 00:45:12,000 Speaker 2: the faint lividity aspects just because of the coloration due 819 00:45:12,040 --> 00:45:17,359 Speaker 2: to the carbon monoxide. Various decomposational processes are occurring, and 820 00:45:17,440 --> 00:45:20,840 Speaker 2: if she's been dead for thirty hours, it's possible you 821 00:45:20,880 --> 00:45:23,880 Speaker 2: could start to see some of like her veins become 822 00:45:24,000 --> 00:45:29,720 Speaker 2: darker as the bacteria are starting to decompose the blood 823 00:45:29,760 --> 00:45:33,400 Speaker 2: inside the veins, they become very prominent looking. This is 824 00:45:33,400 --> 00:45:37,719 Speaker 2: what we call marbling, and that possibly can occur within 825 00:45:37,760 --> 00:45:40,600 Speaker 2: that thirty hour period of time. Or you could start 826 00:45:40,600 --> 00:45:43,080 Speaker 2: to see the dissension of the you know, the bloating 827 00:45:43,120 --> 00:45:45,680 Speaker 2: of the abdomen, you know, as the gases from the 828 00:45:46,239 --> 00:45:49,719 Speaker 2: gut bacteria start to build up, or you get a 829 00:45:49,719 --> 00:45:53,600 Speaker 2: greenish tinge to the abdomen. You know, this is indicating 830 00:45:53,640 --> 00:45:56,279 Speaker 2: that she's probably been dead longer than twelve hours. So 831 00:45:56,400 --> 00:46:01,640 Speaker 2: the pathologist, if he's doing proper documentation in his autopsy report, 832 00:46:01,680 --> 00:46:04,080 Speaker 2: if he's saying she's been dead for thirty hours, then 833 00:46:04,120 --> 00:46:07,799 Speaker 2: he should be listing the characteristics that he is observing 834 00:46:08,200 --> 00:46:09,440 Speaker 2: to come to that opinion. 835 00:46:10,000 --> 00:46:13,920 Speaker 1: Well, as we wrap up this first episode, I'm going 836 00:46:13,960 --> 00:46:17,000 Speaker 1: to talk about why this is a two parter because 837 00:46:17,520 --> 00:46:21,879 Speaker 1: there were a lot of suspicions about her death. There 838 00:46:21,880 --> 00:46:24,760 Speaker 1: were a lot of things that investigators thought were really odd, 839 00:46:24,840 --> 00:46:27,440 Speaker 1: and her mother really thought was odd. So Number one, 840 00:46:27,480 --> 00:46:31,319 Speaker 1: we've already noted that her car is parked in the 841 00:46:31,360 --> 00:46:34,640 Speaker 1: garage at the top of this massive hill, and I 842 00:46:34,680 --> 00:46:37,680 Speaker 1: will give you a hint for the next episode. She 843 00:46:38,360 --> 00:46:42,200 Speaker 1: did not drive it. She had a driver who took 844 00:46:42,239 --> 00:46:45,040 Speaker 1: her to an event and then took her and dropped 845 00:46:45,040 --> 00:46:48,640 Speaker 1: her off at three am at her apartment. Oh right, 846 00:46:48,880 --> 00:46:51,920 Speaker 1: And her car had been at Roland's house up the 847 00:46:52,040 --> 00:46:55,240 Speaker 1: hill all day. She just didn't want to deal with driving, 848 00:46:55,239 --> 00:46:57,400 Speaker 1: and she had a driver, you know, take her places 849 00:46:57,400 --> 00:47:01,120 Speaker 1: that day. Her mother says that there is no way 850 00:47:01,360 --> 00:47:03,840 Speaker 1: at three in the morning she climbed the steps that 851 00:47:03,920 --> 00:47:06,439 Speaker 1: would have just taken her out completely. She had never 852 00:47:06,480 --> 00:47:09,719 Speaker 1: done it before to get up to Roland's house. How 853 00:47:09,760 --> 00:47:12,640 Speaker 1: did she get up to Roland's house? And she's also 854 00:47:12,680 --> 00:47:15,839 Speaker 1: had some threats in the last couple of months, so 855 00:47:16,120 --> 00:47:18,040 Speaker 1: there's a lot happening with this story. 856 00:47:18,520 --> 00:47:20,239 Speaker 2: Yeah, so the plot thickens. 857 00:47:20,600 --> 00:47:27,359 Speaker 1: Mary stole that from some hard boiled detective novel you read. 858 00:47:28,200 --> 00:47:30,360 Speaker 1: Have you ever said that in real life? The plot thickens. 859 00:47:30,520 --> 00:47:32,879 Speaker 2: No, not that I can recall except now. 860 00:47:33,719 --> 00:47:37,040 Speaker 1: Okay, So next week we will talk more about that 861 00:47:37,120 --> 00:47:41,760 Speaker 1: absolutely fantastic Thelmatod and the tragedy that is her death, 862 00:47:41,840 --> 00:47:43,080 Speaker 1: whatever happened to her. 863 00:47:43,640 --> 00:47:45,640 Speaker 2: Hopefully, by the end of the next episode we will 864 00:47:45,680 --> 00:47:46,680 Speaker 2: get to the bottom of this. 865 00:47:47,160 --> 00:47:49,120 Speaker 1: I hope so too. I will see you next week. 866 00:47:49,520 --> 00:47:50,920 Speaker 2: All right, kay, thank you. Thanks. 867 00:47:55,560 --> 00:47:58,160 Speaker 1: This has been an exactly right production for. 868 00:47:58,200 --> 00:48:00,960 Speaker 2: Our sources and show notes go to a exactly wrightmedia 869 00:48:01,040 --> 00:48:03,480 Speaker 2: dot com slash Buried Bones sources. 870 00:48:03,680 --> 00:48:06,000 Speaker 1: Our senior producer is Alexis Emosi. 871 00:48:06,320 --> 00:48:10,560 Speaker 2: Research by Maren mcclashan, Ali Elkin, and Kate Winkler Dawson. 872 00:48:10,840 --> 00:48:13,120 Speaker 1: Our mixing engineer is Ben Tolliday. 873 00:48:13,400 --> 00:48:15,680 Speaker 2: Our theme song is by Tom Bryfogel. 874 00:48:15,920 --> 00:48:17,960 Speaker 1: Our artwork is by Vanessa Lilac. 875 00:48:18,200 --> 00:48:22,360 Speaker 2: Executive produced by Karen Kilgaroff, Georgia hard Stark, and Daniel Kramer. 876 00:48:22,640 --> 00:48:26,000 Speaker 1: You can follow Buried Bones on Instagram and Facebook at 877 00:48:26,120 --> 00:48:27,280 Speaker 1: Buried Bones Pod. 878 00:48:27,719 --> 00:48:30,280 Speaker 2: Kate's most recent book, All That Is Wicked, a Gilded 879 00:48:30,280 --> 00:48:32,319 Speaker 2: Age story of murder and the race to decode the 880 00:48:32,320 --> 00:48:34,400 Speaker 2: criminal mind, is available now. 881 00:48:34,440 --> 00:48:38,680 Speaker 1: And Paul's best selling memoir Unmasked My Life Solving America's 882 00:48:38,719 --> 00:48:40,799 Speaker 1: cold cases is also available now. 883 00:48:41,080 --> 00:48:44,839 Speaker 2: Listen to Buried Bones on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 884 00:48:44,920 --> 00:48:46,839 Speaker 2: or wherever you get your podcasts.