Category Archives: Crime and Courts

Grim Sleeper Nos. 141-142

Posted on December 17, 2010 by lmharnisch

    Grim Sleeper No. 141 appears to be a Polaroid marked Deborah B. Cleveland, Sept. 18, 2001, although there seems to have been some hesitation about the “18,” as if the writer started with 28 and changed his mind. … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Courts, Grim Sleeper, Homicide, LAPD, Photography | 3 Comments

Grim Sleeper No. 149

Posted on December 17, 2010 by lmharnisch

       Grim Sleeper photo No. 149 has quite a bit of detail. The picture apparently shows Frenchie’s Patio Soul Food, which was located 8101 S. Western Ave. (323) 753-2614. The only mention in The Times is a 1998 … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Courts, Grim Sleeper, Homicide, Photography | 3 Comments

Grim Sleeper No. 166

Posted on December 17, 2010 by lmharnisch

        Grim Sleeper No. 166 is wearing an ID badge reading “Ms. D. Johnson, N.A.” If I had to guess, I would say this was taken professionally and is some sort of graduation picture, and I would … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Courts, Grim Sleeper, Homicide, Photography | 2 Comments

Grim Sleeper Nos. 4 and 52

Posted on December 17, 2010 by lmharnisch

    I also got to wondering if No. 4 and No. 52 were the same woman. ALSO Grim Sleeper Nos. 48-49Grim Sleeper Nos. 51-53.Grim Sleeper Nos. 56-57Grim Sleeper Nos. 59 and 81Grim Sleeper Nos. 75-78, labretsGrim Sleeper Nos. 75 … Continue reading →

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Grim Sleeper Nos. 51-53

Posted on December 17, 2010 by lmharnisch

    Here are three more photos that seem to belong together, Nos. 51-53. Perhaps the women will be more recognizable in context with one another. ALSO Grim Sleeper Nos. 4 and 52Grim Sleeper Nos. 48-49Grim Sleeper Nos. 56-57Grim Sleeper … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Courts, Grim Sleeper, Homicide, Photography | 5 Comments

Grim Sleeper Nos. 56-57

Posted on December 17, 2010 by lmharnisch

    Here’s another pair of photos that belong together. Maybe these women will be more recognizable in context with one another. No. 56 is on the right, No. 57 is on the left. ALSO Grim Sleeper Nos. 4 and … Continue reading →

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Grim Sleeper Nos. 48-49

Posted on December 16, 2010 by lmharnisch

     I noticed in going through the LAPD’s photos in the Grim Sleeper case that several images were taken from one photo. Here’s Nos. 48 and 49, pasted back together. Maybe these women will be more recognizable in context … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Courts, Grim Sleeper, Homicide, Photography | 4 Comments

Death in Miami

Posted on November 20, 2010 by lmharnisch

One magazine, October 1954 In August 1954, a couple parking at a North Miami “lovers lane” found the body of a 27-year-old man in a pool of blood.  About 500 yards away, police located a 1950 convertible with blood spatters … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, #gays and lesbians, 1954, Crime and Courts, Homicide | 6 Comments

The ‘Onion Field’ Remembered [Update]

Posted on January 25, 2010 by lmharnisch

Photograph by Don Cormier / Los Angeles Times March 11, 1963: Jimmy Lee Smith returns to the crime scene to reenact the “Onion Field” killing with Sgt. G.H. Bates, left, as Officer Ian Campbell; Sgt. Danny Galindo, center, as Officer … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1963, books, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Photography | 7 Comments

Grim Sleeper Revisited — January 1987

Posted on March 2, 2009 by lmharnisch

Barbara Ware, killed at the age of 23, whose body was found Jan. 10, 1987. I thought it would be interesting to examine the 1987 LAPD tape of the call reporting the death of Barbara Ware, one of 11 homicides … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Courts, Grim Sleeper, Homicide, LAPD | 10 Comments

December 2, 1958: Model stabbed, dumped off mountain highway

Posted on December 5, 2008 by lmharnisch

People v. Feasby (1960) 178 Cal.App.2d 723 [3 Cal.Rptr. 230] [Crim. No. 6783.Second Dist., Div. Three. Mar. 9, 1960.] THE PEOPLE, Respondent, v. GERALD BYRON FEASBY, Appellant. COUNSEL Ellery E. Cuff, Public Defender (Los Angeles), Richard S. Buckley and Richard … Continue reading →

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Our lawless city

Posted on January 1, 2008 by lmharnisch

<p><p><p><p><p><p><p><p><p><p><p><p><p>lapd_crime_stats</p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p></p> Los Angeles Police Department Crime Statistics Offense 1956 1957 Increase/Decrease Homicide 104 119 +14.4% Rape 1,056 1,271 +20.4% Robbery 3,548 4,269 +20.3% Aggravated Assault 5,315 5,786 +8.9% Burglary 22,799 26,887 +17.9 Larceny (Except Auto Theft) 45,276 50,173 +10.8% Auto … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1956, 1957, Crime and Courts, Homicide, LAPD, Robberies | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Our lawless city

December 3, 1957: Girl kidnapped

Posted on December 6, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Dec. 3, 1957-April 26, 1958 Sycamore, Ill Maria E. Ridulph* was a 7-year-old girl from Sycamore, Ill., who was kidnapped Dec. 3, 1957, and whose decomposed body was found April 26, 1958, near Woodbine, a tiny, unincorporated settlement in … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1957, 1958, Crime and Courts, Homicide | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Wife shoots husband

Posted on November 21, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Nov. 21, 1957 Los Angeles You remember that 35-year-old woman out in the Valley who hooked up with her daughter's 16-year-old boyfriend three years ago? Well, she shot him. Accident. Jimmy and Dee Dee got married in 1957 and … Continue reading →

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Trick or Treat murder

Posted on November 14, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Nov. 13-14, 1957Los Angeles Just as I suspected. Although The Times was too squeamish to even allude to homosexuality in the Trick or Treat murder of Peter Fabiano, the Mirror was a bit more brave. A bit. It’s fairly … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, #gays and lesbians, 1957, Crime and Courts, Homicide, LAPD, San Fernando Valley | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

As crazy as two waltzing mice

Posted on October 9, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Oct. 9, 1957 Ventura, Calif. Renzee Louis Alameda, 36, was the quietest man on the block. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound ex-Marine, a USC graduate, was unmarried and had lived alone at 2412 Ridgeley Drive for the last 10 years. He … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, #gays and lesbians, 1957, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, Music | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on As crazy as two waltzing mice

Confidential–Tells the Facts and Names the Names

Posted on September 5, 2007 by lmharnisch

Scenes from the Confidential trial: Sept. 4, 1957, Dorothy Dandridge testifies Photograph by Dan McCormack, Los Angeles Times

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Judith Mae Andersen

Posted on August 27, 2007 by lmharnisch

Photographs courtesy of the Chicago Tribune Investigators examine the oil drum containing the remains of Judith Mae Andersen that was found Aug. 22, 1957, in Lake Michigan. Aug. 28, 1957Chicago Seek and ye shall find, and so it is with … Continue reading →

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Cold case

Posted on August 25, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Aug. 25, 1957 Chicago Chicago police recovered the torso from a battered, cut-down 55-gallon drum floating in Lake Michigan. A 5-gallon metal bucket containing the head, hands and one arm were found in the lake two days later. The … Continue reading →

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CSI–2007

Posted on July 24, 2007 by lmharnisch

I had the good fortune to attend the first day of the International Assn. for Identification convention in San Diego yesterday and although most of the sessions are focused on new technologies, I was there to talk about the past, … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, books, Crime and Courts, Current Affairs, Homicide, LAPD, Robberies, Science | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on CSI–2007