Category Archives: LAPD

August 17, 1958: Fugitive couple attack LAPD officer

Posted on August 17, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 17, 1958: A detective from the LAPD’s Bunco squad is attacked by a fugitive couple at the Alexandria Hotel.
Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, LAPD | Comments Off on August 17, 1958: Fugitive couple attack LAPD officer

Aug. 12-13, 1907: Bucket of Blood Is a Den of Drunken Debauchery

Posted on August 12, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 12, 1907: The L.A. Times describes the Bismark Cafe, known to police as the Bucket of Blood, as “drunken debauchery among girls of tender ages, painted women and men.” It is an “immoral pesthole” where “young girls are enticed nightly do drink and listen to a band concert.” Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, 1908, Crime and Courts, Food and Drink, LAPD, Main Street, Music, Streetcars | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Aug. 12-13, 1907: Bucket of Blood Is a Den of Drunken Debauchery

August 11, 1969: Ritual Killings Terrorize L.A.

Posted on August 11, 2025 by lmharnisch

Here is Deputy District Attorney Vincent Bugliosi’s opening statement in the Tate-La Bianca murders of August 9-10, 1969. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Music, Rock 'n' Roll, Television | Comments Off on August 11, 1969: Ritual Killings Terrorize L.A.

Aug. 11, 1947: Two Men Found Shot to Death in Bizarre Mystery

Posted on August 11, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 11, 1947: Two men are found shot to death in a motel room on Cahuenga Boulevard. They were fully clothed except for their shoes. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Aug. 11, 1947: Two Men Found Shot to Death in Bizarre Mystery

L.A. Welcomes Harbor Freeway Extension With Four-Block Traffic Jam

Posted on August 8, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 8, 1953: If you build it, they will drive. New extension of Harbor Freeway results in four-block traffic jam. And a Marine deserter is killed by a liquor store owner during an attempted robbery. Continue reading →

Posted in 1953, African Americans, Comics, Film, Freeways, Hollywood, LAPD, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on L.A. Welcomes Harbor Freeway Extension With Four-Block Traffic Jam

Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything, August 2025

Posted on August 5, 2025 by lmharnisch

This month’s Ask Me Anything on the Black Dahlia case, including a progress report on Heaven Is HERE! and look at William Mann’s forthcoming “Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood.” Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything, August 2025

Aug. 1, 1907: Swarm of Bees Terrorizes Downtown Los Angeles

Posted on August 1, 2025 by lmharnisch

August 1, 1907: ‘Naughty’ bees swarm on South Broadway! Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Animals, LAPD, Music, Streetcars | Tagged , | Comments Off on Aug. 1, 1907: Swarm of Bees Terrorizes Downtown Los Angeles

July 31, 1907: After a Day at the Beach, Beer, a Fight and Gunshots

Posted on July 31, 2025 by lmharnisch

July 31, 1907: A day at the beach ends in a fight over beer. Evelyn Ferguson is accused of shooting newsboy Charles ‘Winnipeg’ Wilson with a policeman’s gun because Wilson was attacking her friend, who ‘was not in a condition to remember much about how it happened.’ Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Crime and Courts, LAPD, Streetcars | Tagged , , | Comments Off on July 31, 1907: After a Day at the Beach, Beer, a Fight and Gunshots

July 28, 1907: L.A. Seeks to Clear Books of Old Laws on Bear Baiting, Quail Hunting by Streetcar Conductors

Posted on July 28, 2025 by lmharnisch

July 28, 1907: Los Angeles seeks to rid itself of outdated laws like hunting rabbits on Spring Street or conductors abandoning their streetcars to go quail hunting at the end of the line. Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Animals, City Hall, Crime and Courts, LAPD, Streetcars, Transportation | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on July 28, 1907: L.A. Seeks to Clear Books of Old Laws on Bear Baiting, Quail Hunting by Streetcar Conductors

Dead Man’s Last Words: ‘Here’s a Good Spot to Shoot, Baby,’ July 25, 1944

Posted on July 25, 2025 by lmharnisch

July 25, 1944: William B. Smith’s last words to his angry girlfriend were “Here’s a good spot to shoot, baby,” after he said he was going back to his wife. Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Dead Man’s Last Words: ‘Here’s a Good Spot to Shoot, Baby,’ July 25, 1944

July 24, 1947: Honor Student Vesta Belle Sapenter, 17, Strangled

Posted on July 24, 2025 by lmharnisch

July 24, 1947: Jefferson High honor student Vesta Belle is found strangled in her bedroom. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, African Americans, Crime and Courts, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on July 24, 1947: Honor Student Vesta Belle Sapenter, 17, Strangled

July 23, 1907: A Belated Tribute to Heroic Officer

Posted on July 23, 2025 by lmharnisch

July 23, 1907: Police capture a burglar who entered a jewelry store through a skylight. Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Books and Authors, LAPD, Streetcars, Transportation | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on July 23, 1907: A Belated Tribute to Heroic Officer

George Hodel: Ask Me Anything, July 2025

Posted on July 15, 2025 by lmharnisch

This month’s Ask Me Anything on George Hodel and Steve Hodel in the Black Dahlia case. Continue reading →

Posted in Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on George Hodel: Ask Me Anything, July 2025

Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything, July 2025

Posted on July 1, 2025 by lmharnisch

This month’s Ask Me Anything on the Black Dahlia case, including a progress report on Heaven Is HERE! and a summary of the forthcoming book that “solves” the Black Dahlia case, Eli Frankel’s “Sisters in Death.” Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything, July 2025

George Hodel: Ask Me Anything, June 2025

Posted on June 17, 2025 by lmharnisch

This month’s Ask Me Anything on George Hodel and Steve Hodel in the Black Dahlia case. Continue reading →

Posted in Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on George Hodel: Ask Me Anything, June 2025

Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything, June 2025

Posted on June 3, 2025 by lmharnisch

This month’s Ask Me Anything on the Black Dahlia case, including a progress report on Heaven Is HERE! and a summary of the forthcoming book that “solves” the Black Dahlia case, Eli Frankel’s “Sisters in Death.” Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything, June 2025

George Hodel: Ask Me Anything, May 2025

Posted on May 20, 2025 by lmharnisch

This month’s Ask Me Anything on George Hodel and Steve Hodel in the Black Dahlia case. Continue reading →

Posted in Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on George Hodel: Ask Me Anything, May 2025

Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything, May 2025

Posted on May 6, 2025 by lmharnisch

This month’s Ask Me Anything on the Black Dahlia case, including a progress report on Heaven Is HERE! and a summary of the forthcoming book that “solves” the Black Dahlia case, Eli Frankel’s “Sisters in Death.” Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything, May 2025

George Hodel: Ask Me Anything, April 2025

Posted on April 15, 2025 by lmharnisch

This month’s Ask Me Anything on George Hodel and Steve Hodel in the Black Dahlia case. Continue reading →

Posted in Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything, April 2025

Posted on April 1, 2025 by lmharnisch

This month’s Ask Me Anything on the Black Dahlia case, including a progress report on Heaven Is HERE! and forthcoming books that “solve” the Black Dahlia case by William Mann and Eli Frankel Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything, April 2025