Buried Bones – “Prime Time Crime Pt 1”

Hosts: Kate Winkler Dawson & Paul Holes
Date: July 9, 2025
Episode Focus: The 1978 murder of TV star Bob Crane in Scottsdale, Arizona – a deep forensic and historical dive, exploring the case’s complexities, the victim’s controversial life, and the investigative missteps that followed.

Main Theme

The episode kicks off a two-part exploration of the unsolved murder of Bob Crane, famed star of Hogan’s Heroes. With journalist Kate Winkler Dawson and cold case investigator Paul Holes, the case is re-examined with a modern forensic lens, investigating what went wrong in the original inquiry, the sensational and complicated personal life of the victim, and the pool of possible suspects.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Personal Anecdotes & Setting the Stage

• Birds and Influence: Kate describes a family of birds nesting at her home, segueing into a discussion about habits passed down from parents. Paul reminisces about his father’s influence on his lifelong workout routine.
  • [04:11–07:54] “...starting at like, age 12, I started lifting weights, you know, and that just kind of has stuck with me.” – Paul Holes.

2. 1970s Background & Crime Scene

• Scottsdale, AZ in 1978: Known for affluence, heat, and relative safety, police in the area weren’t seasoned in handling major crimes.
• Victim Introduction: Bob Crane, former star of Hogan’s Heroes, was working a dinner theater run in Scottsdale.
  • [09:49] “We’re going to the 70s and we’re going to Arizona and Scottsdale. And this is a very big case. So it’s a two parter for us.” – Kate.

3. Discovery of the Body [22:24–33:59]

• Victoria Berry’s Discovery: Co-star Victoria Berry finds Bob Crane dead in his apartment after he failed to answer the door. She describes a shocking, bloody scene, with Crane in bed, bludgeoned and tied with an electrical cord.

  • [28:52] “At first I thought it was a girl with long dark hair because all the blood had turned real dark. The whole wall was covered from one end to the other with blood.” – Kate reading Victoria’s account.

• Paul’s Forensic Analysis:

  • Lack of blood smears or sign of struggle suggests Crane was likely killed while sleeping or otherwise incapacitated.
  • Two linear head wounds, likely caused by a blunt object.
  • Blood spatter and patterns suggest minimal post-attack movement.
  • The electrical cord was tied post-mortem, likely to guarantee death.
    • [34:43] “This is a common thing...the offender...doesn’t know if [the victim] is dead or not and is making sure...by applying a ligature.” – Paul.

4. Crime Scene Investigation Flaws [39:20–41:54]

• Police Inexperience:
  • Scottsdale PD lacked a homicide unit, didn’t secure the crime scene, allowed Victoria to remain, and the medical examiner disturbed evidence improperly.
  • [40:13] “...as you started talking about Scottsdale...they may have been in over their head. 1978 Scottsdale PD, it’s possible...medical examiner–why is a pathologist climbing all over this bed? That’s a no-no.” – Paul

5. Key Suspect: John Carpenter [44:36–48:19]

• Phone Calls Raise Suspicion:

  • Within hours of the discovery, a man named John Carpenter (not the director, but a close friend of Crane’s) calls the apartment. He’d been with Crane the previous night, then left for LA. His lack of curiosity when told something had happened raises police suspicion.
  • [46:35] “Do you think that not asking what this incident was...should be alarming? He had just been with this guy 12 hours earlier...” – Kate
  • [47:41] “That would make it suspicious if there was some sort of messaging...that Carpenter should have picked up on.” – Paul

• Timeline Problems:

  • Carpenter’s shifting account of what time he left Crane (initially 1am, later 2:45am) puts him in the likely time of death window.

6. Sex, Videotape, and Motive [50:58–56:03]

• Shocking Discoveries:

  • Police find hundreds of nude photos and videos of Crane having sex with women, some with knowledge, some not. Electronics expert Carpenter had set up the equipment.
  • Possibility of commercial or blackmail motive is raised.
  • [52:00] “Are they producing porn? Is this a business venture?...Is there any type of sexual paraphilia, unusual sex acts that they are filming?” – Paul

• Hauling the Evidence:

  • The sizable cache was surprising given Crane’s short stay in Scottsdale; it’s unclear whether he transported all the material from LA.

7. Additional Suspects

• Wife & Jealous Exes:
  • Crane’s tumultuous marriage and serial infidelity are discussed. A local woman’s jealous ex and her boyfriend (with a similar car to a reported sighting) are noted, but neither emerges as a strong suspect.
• Targeted Attack, Not Robbery:
  • No valuables stolen; only missing item is a tripod, suggesting a focused, personal motive.

8. Forensic Limitations [58:44–61:30]

• Paul cautions:
  • The absence of forced entry isn’t proof the victim knew the killer. Forced entry could have occurred with no external damage (e.g., a push-in or a weapon).
  • [61:15] “So that’s where it’s hard to draw a firm conclusion. Oh, Crane must’ve known the offender and let him in...” – Paul

Notable Quotes

• On Forensic Crime Scenes:

  • “What Victoria is seeing is spatter, which comes from the blows to his head... to the inexperienced person... that may be overwhelming.” – Paul Holes [30:23]
  • “Climbing all over the bed? That’s a no-no…” – Paul Holes, criticizing the medical examiner [40:13]

• On Crane’s Lifestyle:

  • “Now they say this guy’s a pervert and has got some pretty big issues...” – Kate [56:03]
  • “Are they producing porn? Is this a business venture?” – Paul [52:00]

• On Police Focus & Flawed Inquiry:

  • “The Scottsdale PD does get a little bit of praise for just, for trying to sort through this scene...” – Kate [41:54]
  • “It’s a cluster. None of this should be happening.” – Paul [40:47]

• Episodic Hook:

  • “This case is turning out to be more interesting than what I realized.” – Paul Holes [62:16]

Important Timestamps

• 04:11–07:54: Personal connections, generational habits
• 09:49–13:00: The 1970s setting, victim profile
• 22:24–29:05: Victoria Berry discovers the body
• 29:05–34:05: Paul’s forensic blood spatter analysis
• 34:05–37:23: Cord tied around Crane’s neck; forensic reconstruction
• 39:20–41:54: Investigation missteps
• 44:36–50:03: John Carpenter’s calls and shifting timeline
• 50:58–56:03: Discovery of sex tapes, implications for motive
• 58:44–61:30: Alternative suspect possibilities, critique of police focus

Memorable Moments

• Paul’s forensic walkthrough – a play-by-play on interpreting blood patterns and crime scene photos, demystifying what “blood everywhere” actually means in context.
• Kate’s pop culture/generation reflections – relating the emotional impact of learning TV heroes aren’t always as they appear.
• Discussion of the sensational elements – clandestine videotaping, consent, and questions about sexual addiction, especially by today’s standards.

Overall Tone and Flow

The episode is a spirited and empathetic exchange blending Paul’s insightful crime scene expertise with Kate’s storytelling and journaling instincts. Both probe the assumptions of the original investigation, patiently untangling facts from supposition, and resisting sensationalism in favor of evidence.

The hosts maintain a conversational, friendly tone, occasionally injecting humor and expressing wonder at the period’s attitudes and investigative gaps. The complex, human side of the case—victim flaws, police inexperience, the wild social whirl of the 1970s—remains ever-present.

To Be Continued…

Part 1 ends with the case at an impasse: John Carpenter is the leading suspect, but other possibilities linger. With the promise of more revelations regarding Bob Crane’s life and legacy—plus further investigation of Carpenter—the hosts tease even deeper mysteries for Part 2.

“Don’t Google anything about Bob Crane.” Kate [62:34]

For more case documents and images, visit @buriedbonespod on Instagram.