To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Linda Pyne and I am writing on behalf of my husband, Richard D. Pyne.

As an infant he was abandoned by his parents.

He did know that his mother was murdered in Los Angeles and knew the
year that she died as he did have a copy of the death certificate.
Through research of a friend he did learn who killed her and where it
took place.

According to the death certificate this happened on 8/15/56. Yes, I
know this was 51 years ago, but he needs to put closure on this matter.

If possible we would like to find out if there were any more newspaper
articles on this matter and would like to find out what happened to the
accused man, John Federoff.

I will pay any fees necessary to obtain this information. Due to the
distance I am requesting assistance in finding information. Our adult
children are curious about this matter also.

I am enclosing a copy of the newspaper article from the Los Angeles Times and a copy of Virginia Mae Pyne’s death certificate.

I thank you in advance for any information you may be able to give me.

He sat at the lunch counter of the Owl Drug Store, 8490 Beverly Blvd.,
for 90 minutes, walked behind the counter, pushed a waitress aside and
shot his ex-girlfriend five times. Two motorcycle officers who were
using the pay phone heard the gunshots and captured John Federoff [or
Tederoff], 37, of 2205 W. 6th St.

According to police, Federoff kidnapped and assaulted Virginia Mae Pyne, 5533 Hollywood Blvd.,  the week before, but she refused to press charges.  He told police they had lived together at 349 S. Rampart, but "she took all my money and left me with nothing but bills." 

On Nov. 30, 1956, Federoff pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to five years to life in prison. No further information is available in The Times. 

California death records list a John A. Federoff, who died Aug. 6, 1996, at the age of 76.

I hope this provides some answers, and perhaps, a bit of closure.

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