Dragnet: The Big Search 07/06/1954

Summary

Summary of "Dragnet: The Big Search"

Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio presents "Dragnet: The Big Search," a gripping episode originally aired on July 6, 1954, and released by Choice Classic Radio on July 15, 2025. This episode delves into a tense investigation led by Detective Sergeant Friday and his partner, Frank Smith, as they search for a missing 13-year-old girl in Los Angeles. Below is a detailed exploration of the episode's key points, discussions, insights, and conclusions.

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Introduction

The episode opens with a brief promotion for Podbean, an AI-powered podcast platform, seamlessly transitioning into the main narrative. The story is framed as a true incident with altered names to protect the innocent, setting the stage for a realistic and engaging detective tale.

The Disappearance

• Incident Overview (00:26 - 03:30):

  Detective Sergeant Friday is assigned to a juvenile detail to investigate the disappearance of a 13-year-old girl, Lucille Moran, affectionately known as Bunny. The case is suspected to involve foul play.

  Friday: "You're assigned a juvenile detail. A 13-year-old girl has disappeared from her home. There's reason to suspect foul play."

  On the night of April 17, Los Angeles is unusually cold. Friday and his partner, Frank Smith, are working the night shift when they receive urgent information about Bunny's disappearance.

• Initial Investigation (03:30 - 07:00):

  The detectives respond promptly, arriving at the Moran household to interview the girl's father, Gilbert Moran. They learn that Bunny left home after her parents attended a show, and her disappearance was not immediately noticed.

  Mr. Moran: "Gladys called them all. None of them have seen her."

  The detectives conduct a thorough search of the house, discovering signs that suggest Bunny was forcibly taken, including the tragic discovery of her dog, Skippy, beaten to death.

Expanding the Search

• Police Mobilization (07:00 - 10:38):

  The investigation intensifies as Captain Warren Stillson mobilizes additional resources. The team sets up a surveillance and communication system in Bunny's room to monitor any contact from the kidnapper.

  Narrator: "By four minutes of six on Sunday morning, there still had been no attempt at communication by the kidnappers."

  Despite extensive efforts, including publicizing Bunny's description to the entire city and cooperating with the FBI, no immediate leads emerge.

• Family and Community Impact (10:38 - 14:50):

  As the search continues, Bunny's parents are emotionally devastated. The community rallies, with newspapers reporting the disappearance, but urgency increases as time passes without any breakthroughs.

  Mr. Moran: "My wife too. I love it."

Breakthrough and Tension

• Suspect Apprehension (14:50 - 17:02):

  A pivotal moment occurs when a suspect, Mark Lawrence Lansdale, is apprehended based on a ransom call demanding $50,000 for Bunny's safe return. However, inconsistencies in descriptions raise doubts about his involvement.

  Lansdale: "If I had it, you'd get it."

  The detectives are conflicted as Bunny fails to identify Lansdale as her kidnapper, leading to suspicions of a possible misidentification or deeper deception.

Bunny's Story Unfolds

• Interrogation and Confession (17:02 - 25:00):

  In a dramatic turn, Bunny is brought in for questioning. Initially recounting a harrowing escape from her captors, she later reveals discrepancies in her story. Under scrutiny, Bunny confesses that her disappearance was fabricated to cover up her poor academic performance.

  Bunny Moran: "I flunked at school. I didn't want my folks to know. They'd be real mad."

  The confession exposes the psychological strains faced by the young girl and highlights the challenges detectives face in discerning truth from deceit in high-stress situations.

Conclusion

• Resolution (25:00 - End):

  The episode concludes with the recognition that Bunny's disappearance was a tragic lie born out of fear and pressure. The detectives decide not to file a criminal complaint, opting instead for family counseling to address the underlying issues.

  Narrator: "It was decided that no criminal complaint be issued. And the girl was released to the custody of her parents with the understanding that she be given psychiatric help."

  The resolution underscores the importance of understanding and addressing the emotional and psychological needs of youth, rather than solely relying on punitive measures.

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Key Takeaways

1. Psychological Depth: The episode offers a profound exploration of the psychological factors that can drive a young individual to drastic measures, emphasizing the need for empathy in law enforcement.

2. Investigation Challenges: It highlights the intricacies and challenges detectives face when initial leads, such as inconsistent suspect descriptions, complicate the search for truth.

3. Community and Family Impact: The narrative illustrates the ripple effects a disappearance has on a family and the broader community, showcasing the collective effort involved in such investigations.

4. Moral Complexity: By choosing not to pursue criminal charges against Bunny, the story delves into the moral complexities of law enforcement, balancing justice with compassion.

Notable Quotes

• Friday on Assignment:

  "You're assigned a juvenile detail. A 13-year-old girl has disappeared from her home."

• Mr. Moran Expressing Despair:

  "You've got to find her. Yes, sir, we'll do our best."

• Bunny's Confession:

  "I flunked at school. I didn't want my folks to know. They'd be real mad."

• Detective's Resolution:

  "It was decided that no criminal complaint be issued. And the girl was released to the custody of her parents with the understanding that she be given psychiatric help."

Final Thoughts

"Dragnet: The Big Search" serves as a compelling narrative that marries procedural investigation with deep emotional storytelling. It not only entertains but also provokes thought about the societal and familial pressures on youth, the complexities of the justice system, and the unwavering dedication of law enforcement personnel. This episode stands as a testament to the enduring relevance of old-time radio dramas in portraying timeless human and societal issues.

Transcript

[Narrator]

Your message amplified. Ready to share your message with the world? Start your podcast Journey with Podbean. Podbean. Podbean. PodBean.

[Bunny Moran]

Podbean.

[Narrator]

The AI powered All in one podcast platform. Thousands of businesses and enterprises trust Podbean to launch their podcasts.

[Bunny Moran]

Launch your podcast on Podbean today.

[Narrator]

My school uses Podbean. My church too. I love it.

[Bunny Moran]

I really do.

[Narrator]

Welcome to Choice Classic Radio where we bring to you the greatest old time radio shows. Like us on Facebook. Subscribe to us on YouTube and thank you for [e-mail] Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Dragnet, you're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a juvenile detail. A 13 year old girl has disappeared from her home. There's reason to suspect foul play. Your job, investigate. It was Saturday, April 17. Was cold in Los Angeles. We're working the night watch out of juvenile detail. My partner's Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Powers. My name's Friday. I was on my way back from the fourth floor and it was 11:52pm when I got down to the main floor. Squadron, that's you, Joe? Yeah. How'd it go? Oh, not too good. He say anything? No, he says we got him for the job, but it's going to end there. He's playing the big man now. Says he's not going to name that other kid. Yeah, let him sweat it out tonight. He'll feel different in the morning. Maybe. I hope you're right. Anything come in? As soon as I finish up this log. We can shove off if you want to. All right. You going right home, huh? I say you're going right home. Well, I thought maybe I'd go by the city hall. I'd like to see Danny Galindo for a minute. What are you gonna eat then? Yeah, I'll probably grab some. You wanna go? Might as well. Kinda hungry. I don't like to wake Faye up. She sleeps kinda light, you know. She always wakes up when I get to rattling around the kitchen. Yeah, maybe stop and have a poached egg and some corned beef hash. How's that sound to you? Like a poached egg and some corned beef hash. I'm not kidding. I'm hungry. Are you about finished there? Yeah. I want to see Danny before he leaves. What is it, something special? No. I heard that he had a set of golf clubs for sale. I thought maybe I'd look at him. Are you gonna start playing golf No, I thought maybe I'd take a look at him. I got it. Juvenile Division, Friday. Yes, ma', am, that's right. What's that address? All right. No, no, we'll find it. We'll try not to worry. We'll be right there. Yes, ma'. Am. Bye. That food of yours is gonna have to wait. What? 13 year old kid's missing. Probably at a neighbor's. Her mother thinks she's been kidnapped. Frank and I left the office immediately and we drove out to the address I'd been given on the phone. The caller had told me that her 13 year old daughter was missing from the house. We parked our car a block from the place and walked the rest of the way in the event that the house might be watched. 12463 Courtney Terrace was a large house above Hollywood Boulevard. When we got there, all of the lights were on. Frank waited while I went up to the front door and after a few minutes he joined me. We were admitted to the house by a tall man in his early 40s who identified himself as the missing girl's father, Gilbert Moran. He asked us to come into the den of the house where he gave us the story. My wife's with the doctor. She went all to pieces when it finally hit her. Yes, sir. Now you checked with the girl's friends? Yes, sir. Gladys called them all. None of them have seen her. How about the neighbors? Oh, we've talked to them too. They just can't tell us anything. You've got to find her. Yes, sir, we'll do our best. Ms. Moreno, you want to start at the beginning and tell us what happened? Yeah. Do you want a cigarette? No, you go ahead. I have one here. How about you? Oh, I have one. Here's a match. Thank you, Joe? Yeah, thank you. All right, sir, do you want to tell us what happened? Well, Gladys and I went to a show tonight down on the boulevard. We left Bunny here doing her homework. Bunny? That's your daughter? Yes. Her name's really Lucille, but the kids at grammar school tagged her Bunny and she's been called that ever since. Huh. What time did you get here? It must have been about 1140, somewhere near there. Did you notice that your daughter was gone right away? No, sir, not at first. I locked up and then Gladys and I went upstairs. We checked Bunny's room and she was gone. I see. Gladys started to think all kinds of things. I tried to calm her down. We got Bunny's telephone book and started to call her friends. We know most of them. They hadn't Seen her finally. I thought it'd be wrong to wait any longer and we called you. All right, sir. Now, do you want to give us a description of your girl? Would you wait just a minute? I'd like to talk to the doctor and see if Gladys is all right. Yes, sir. You can run ahead. She was terribly upset. Yes, sir, we understand. What do you think? I don't know. Big house, nice neighborhood. Looks like he's pretty well fixed, doesn't he? Yeah. Nothing about a contact yet. Girl's only been gone a couple hours. Doctor's giving her a sedative. She's still pretty much upset? Yes, sir. Now, I wonder if you give us that description. Well, she's 13 and about right for her age. Well, how do you mean, Sir? She's about 4ft 8, weighs around 80 pounds. What color's her hair? Dark blonde. She was always after her mother to let her use one of those rinses to make it lighter. Gladys said she should wait. I see. How about her eyes? Sort of brown, light. We used to tell her that she had honey colored eyes. A sort of golden brown. Real long eyelashes. Can you remember what she was wearing? Let me think. Well, as I remember, sir, she had on a pair of clam diggers, sir. Clam digger? Short slacks. Hit her about right here. Short. What color? Denim, sort of light blue. I see. White blouse. Sort of like a man shirt. How about shoes? Well, I think they were. Gosh, I'm sorry, sir. I just can't remember. Now, is it possible she might have changed her clothes before she left? She didn't leave, Sergeant. She was taken out of here. I'm sure it wasn't her idea. All right, sir, we understand. Is there anything else about your daughter that'll make it easier for us to identify her? I can't think of anything. All right, Frank, what if you call us in, please? Yeah. May I use your phone, Mr. Moran? Certainly. Where is it, please? Right through that door. There's an alcove in the hall. All right. The light switch is on the right, just behind the door. Thanks. Sir. Say, wait a minute. Yes, sir? I forgot about Skippy. Who is that? Skippy the dog. Bunny's dog. He's gone, too. Is that right? He must be with Bunny. First time I thought of him. He's usually right with her all the time. I haven't seen him since we got home. What kind of an animal is he? Golden cocker, about four years old. Bunny got him for a ninth birthday. I see. Better call on him too, huh? Yeah, I Wonder if I could see her room. Oh, sure. It's upstairs. This way. Mm. I hope you're not gonna be angry, Mr. Moran. What? Has there been any trouble here in your home that might have affected the girl? What do you mean? Well, any arguments, disagreements, anything that might have upset her? No. Upstairs, yes. How about boyfriends? You mean, does Bunny have any? That's right. Well, there are a couple of kids in her class she has over once in a while. She's not allowed any nighttime dates. I see. Once in a while on a weekend, we go to a show and take one of the kids with us. Is there any one boy that she sees more than the others? Oh, no. Gladys and I both think she's too young for that. It's down this way, Sergeant. All right. This is her room. When we left, she was sitting right there at the desk. You can see how there's paper scattered all over. Yeah. Looks a little like it was a struggle, doesn't it? She wouldn't do a thing like this if you just walked out. No, sir. Where does this door lead? Over here, outside, to a walk that runs around the house. Locked. Was it this way when you came home? Oh, yes, sir. I didn't touch a thing. As soon as I realized she was gone, the radio was still on. I told you, I didn't touch a thing. She's been kidnapped, Sergeant. Somebody took her out of this house. Wait a minute, Mr. Man, what is it? What are you. Found something under the bed here, doesn't it? It's her dog, Skippy. Yeah, looks like he's been beaten to death. Then Frank called the office and the description of the missing girl was broadcast. Captain Warren Stillson was contacted and he sent a crew of men out to the house to go over the room for physical evidence. The telephone company was contacted and arrangements were made for an extension phone to be placed in the same room as the existing instrument. In this manner, if the kidnapper should attempt to make contact with Moran, we could relay instructions to him easily. All of these preparations, however, were made with the thought that the house might be under surveillance by the person or persons who had taken the child. A team of men from Georgia Street Juvenile was sent out to the house and a 24 hour watch was set up. Frank and I began to talk to the neighbors and friends of the Moran. None of them could shed any light on the missing teenager. By four minutes of six on Sunday morning, there still had been no attempt at communication by the kidnappers. By this time, the girl's description had been given out to all officers in the city who might come in contact with her. Although when we talked with the neighbors, we'd ask them to keep the inquiries and strictest confidence. One of them had gotten in touch with a local newspaper before we had a chance to stop at the news of Bunny Moran's disappearance was out. The other papers in the city picked up the news and by noon on Sunday special editions were on the streets. 1:40pm still no word from the girls abductors. Her friends were requested without results. All of the people who knew her or who had any dealings with her were interrogated. Still no leads. The examination by members of the crime lab turned up no usable evidence. They established that the dog had been killed with a metal bookend. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was contacted and they assigned a team of agents to work with us. By 6:20pm Mrs. Moran was in a state of complete collapse. The entire city in the state were looking for a 13 year old daughter. A roundup of all known deviants was started. 10:38pm Frank and I got back to the office. I'll check the book. All right. The skipper in? No, I don't think so. I grew up. Said he went over to city hall meeting with Chief Brown and Lorman. Anything in the book? Let's see. He has a couple of calls. Nothing that can't wait though. Well, you better call Faye, hadn't you? And tell her where you are. Yeah, I guess so. I want to tag by Leighton Prince before we go out to the house. Yeah. You check with the FBI? Yeah. They got the description of all of the border points. None of the guards remember seeing the girl. Figure she's still in the state then. Oh, hi, honey. That's me. I know. Well, I didn't get a chance. Well, I figured you'd read it, you know. No. Okay. Pretty beat. Yeah. Joe is too. No, nothing yet. What's that? Well, you know I can't talk about that, honey. Yeah, well, don't worry. No. Little headache. Yeah, I'll take some action. Look, I'll call you first chance I get. Yeah, okay. Goodbye then. Worried, huh? Yeah, she always is when I'm late. Let's go, huh? Yeah, let's go. I get it. Funeral division, Friday. How long ago? Where? Right. We'll wait here. Yeah, no, I'll call. He's over Chief Brown. We'll wait. Yeah, bye. What do you got? Kidnapper made contact. A note. He called and wanted to talk to Moran. Druggist heard him make the call and notified Hollywood division. Yeah, he's in Custody. Now. Frank and I waited until the suspect was brought into the office for questioning. He'd been apprehended in a drugstore. While he was on the phone talking to Mr. Moran, a radio card picked him up and driven him over to Georgia Street Juvenile. We called captain Powers at the City hall and he immediately came to the office. At 10:56pm the suspect arrived. He was taken to the office of the night watch commander for questioning. All right. What's your name? You're the cop, you tell me. Take everything out of your pockets. What is this, a shakedown? Don't you hear good? All right, there's my wallet. Any money in it? A couple of bucks I get out. What are you doing, playing a lucky dollar contest? Get some money in your hands. Put the wallet on the table. Get the other pockets out. Nothing in them. Let us worry about that. All right. Change. Here's a comb. Handkerchief. Clean too. Matches. Cigarettes. Here's a pen and pencil set. Couple more pennies. That's it. Wanna check it? Joe, this is your wallet? It was in my pocket. I asked you if it was yours. Yeah. Driver's license. Here. That's your true name. Better read it so you can have it in the record. Mark. Lawrence Lansdale. Is that your true name? It's what it says. You still live at the same address? Yeah. I'm going to ask you one question, Lansdell. I want the right answer. What do I get if I come up with a winner? Where's the Moran girl? I know what you're talking about, and you better find out. 13 year old kid's missing. You called her parents and asked for $50,000 for a return. Now where's the girl? I thought you arrested guys for using the needle. Answer the question, mister. If I had it, you'd get it. All right, mister, I'm gonna ask you once more. Where's the girl? I don't know what you're talking about. Think you're pretty big, don't you? I'll answer that one for you. You do that, will you? You say this girl's been kidnapped? All right, this is your party. You say you can prove that? I made a call asking for 50,000 bucks. So far, I'm on the right track. All right, then it figures that if you're so sure, I got something to do with it. If I'm here, the girl's in trouble, don't it? Go ahead. If I don't turn up, something bad's likely to happen to her. True. You're still on? Well, if it's like I say, that I don't know anything about it, then you're gonna have to turn me loose. Anyway, I got nothing to worry about, Goth. You keep me here, and your prized kids wife will end up in a ditch. You let me go and maybe you got a chance of getting her back. I'm gonna spell it out for you, Lancelo, and you listen good. There's nothing getting you out of here. Nothing. I got two kids of my own. And I know how those parents feel. I'm on their side. If anything happens to that girl, you won't forget it for the rest of your life. And if I've got anything to say about it, that won't be very long. I'll pull every string I know to see that I get to take you to the joint and strap you in the chair myself. If you harm that kid in any way, you won't live long enough to regret it. Big man with a badge. I get it. Juvenile Friday. He's right here. Where? All right, I'll tell him. All right, fine. Bye. The Hollywood station, Skipper. Yeah. They found the girl. The call had come from the Hollywood police station telling us that the Moran girl had been found. We contacted Lt. Hartgrove and had Mark Lansdale held for further questioning. Frank, Captain Powers and I left the office and drove to the Courtney Terrace address where the girl had been taken. When we got there, there was a uniformed officer standing by the front door. We went in and found Mr. And Mrs. Moran with their daughter Bunny waiting for us. The girl appeared to be all right. Her face was dirty and scratched. Her clothing was torn, but she appeared to be in good health.

[Bunny Moran]

Are you hungry, dear? Would you like a bowl of soup or something? It's not too much trouble? Not at all, honey. I'll get it right away. Now, you stop when you get tired. I will, Mother.

[Narrator]

You want to go ahead? Vine?

[Bunny Moran]

Yes. Where do you want me to begin?

[Narrator]

What happened on Saturday night?

[Bunny Moran]

Daddy and Mother went to a show. I was upstairs doing my homework.

[Narrator]

I see.

[Bunny Moran]

I guess I was up there a half an hour, maybe more. Seems like that long. Hard to tell when you're doing work, you know?

[Narrator]

Yeah.

[Bunny Moran]

Anyway, the first thing I knew, it was somebody at the front door. I heard the bell and went downstairs. There were two men there.

[Narrator]

I see.

[Bunny Moran]

They asked if my mother and father were home. I told them, though, that they'd gone out. And then they told me that they knew that all the time. Said there'd been some kind of an accident and that I should go with them. Right away. Said it was an emergency.

[Narrator]

And you went with them, did you?

[Bunny Moran]

Yes. I went upstairs to my room to get a coat. I wanted to make sure Skippy was all right. Yeah, one of them went with me. While I was getting my coat, I remembered that sometimes kidnappers tell people there's been an accident so they can take them away. You know how they do.

[Narrator]

That was good thinking, Bunny. Would you go ahead please, miss?

[Bunny Moran]

I asked the man who followed me where mom and dad were. What hospital? He said they were in a hospital. They'd been taken to some kind of an emergency place.

[Narrator]

He said that they were not in a hospital?

[Bunny Moran]

No, he said they'd been taken to some sort of emergency.

[Narrator]

Go ahead, please.

[Bunny Moran]

Well, when I asked him for the name of the place, he wouldn't tell me. Just said I should hurry up. My folks had been hurt pretty bad.

[Narrator]

It was a dirty lie.

[Bunny Moran]

Anyway, I told him I wouldn't go, and he grabbed me. Said he was gonna take me.

[Narrator]

I should like to get my hands on him. Was the other man downstairs all this time?

[Bunny Moran]

I guess so. I didn't see him.

[Narrator]

All right, go ahead, miss, please.

[Bunny Moran]

Here's your soup, honey. Now drink it while it's still hot. Oh, kind. It's black bean, just like you. Like me? Go on now, while it's hot. There's some nice crackers there, too. Thanks, Mother.

[Narrator]

Podbean, your message amplified. Ready to share your message with the world? Start your podcast Journey. Journey with Podbean.

[Bunny Moran]

Podbean, the AI powered all in one podcast platform.

[Narrator]

Thousands of businesses and enterprises trust Podbean to launch their podcasts. Use Podbean to record your podcast. Use PodBean AI to optimize your podcast. Use PodBean AI to turn your blog into a podcast. Use Podbean to distribute your podcast everywhere.

[Bunny Moran]

Launch your podcast on Podbean today. That's good. I'm hungry.

[Narrator]

Would you like to go ahead, miss? Please.

[Bunny Moran]

Can't you let her eat? Poor child, after what she's been through?

[Narrator]

There's another man out, Mrs. Moran. We gotta find him. He's right, Gladys.

[Bunny Moran]

Well, you go ahead and eat while you're talking. Yes, Mother. And not too fast, all right?

[Narrator]

Please go ahead, miss.

[Bunny Moran]

Well, when he grabbed me, Skippy, that's my dog, he got sore, got real mad when he saw the man grab me. And he jumped at the man, tried to bite him.

[Narrator]

I see.

[Bunny Moran]

The man hit Skippy. Grabbed him and hit him a lot, I guess. Killed him.

[Narrator]

I don't know what happened then.

[Bunny Moran]

Well, they took me out the car Parked outside in front of the house.

[Narrator]

Did you get a good look at the car?

[Bunny Moran]

Mm.

[Narrator]

You can give us a description of it then?

[Bunny Moran]

Yeah, I can tell you all about it.

[Narrator]

All right. Where'd the men take you?

[Bunny Moran]

They go for a long time. I think it's up in the hill someplace. Up in Laurel Canyon.

[Narrator]

Mm.

[Bunny Moran]

There's this kind of a house there. Tar paper. Looks like the buildings they had when they were building the freeway. Tar paper shacks, like the. You know they keep the blueprints in?

[Narrator]

Uh huh.

[Bunny Moran]

One of those didn't even have a floor. Just dirt. They put me in there and left me. I heard them lock the door when they went away.

[Narrator]

I see.

[Bunny Moran]

I didn't know what to do. Sat there for a little while and tried to think what to do.

[Narrator]

Did they have you tied in any way?

[Bunny Moran]

Yeah, they had ropes around my hands and around my feet. I fell asleep after a while. Cried for a while and then he fell asleep. Oh, my poor baby. I guess it was morning when I woke up. I couldn't tell too good because there wasn't any window in the shack. Just the walls and no floor. First when I woke up, I didn't know where I was and I remembered.

[Narrator]

Did either of the men come back at all? No.

[Bunny Moran]

I sat there for a while and then I tried to think of some way I could get away.

[Narrator]

Yeah.

[Bunny Moran]

There was a whiskey bottle on the floor and I kicked it until I broke it. Then I took one of the pieces and cut the ropes on my hands. I untied my feet and then just went around the shack, kicking the walls until I found a place that wasn't strong. I found one and I crawled through.

[Narrator]

What'd you do then?

[Bunny Moran]

I started to walk. It was pretty late by that time and I started to walk down the road. I was looking for a house. I got to a street and walked along it for a while. There weren't many cars, but a truck came along and a driver stopped and gave me a lift. Drove me to Laurel and Hollywood Boulevard and then let me out. After that I walked home.

[Narrator]

You were real brave, honey.

[Bunny Moran]

I was pretty scared. A lot of times I didn't know what to do. You just bet there were a baby. But you did good. You're safe now.

[Narrator]

Can you describe the two men for us, do you think?

[Bunny Moran]

I guess so. One of them was dark, kind of short. Looked like. Oh, what's his name? You see him on television all the time. Real mean looking. I'll think of his name exactly like him.

[Narrator]

What about the other one?

[Bunny Moran]

He Wasn't very big either. Kind of brown hair, thin. Had blue eyes. Watery blue eyes.

[Narrator]

Were those the only two men you saw?

[Bunny Moran]

Yeah, just the two.

[Narrator]

Did they talk about anybody else being in on the kidnapping with him? Do you remember?

[Bunny Moran]

Not that I could hear.

[Narrator]

You're sure about that, are you? Yes, Sergeant. What's so important about that? Well, sir, we've got a man in custody. The one who calls you? Yes. Neither one of these descriptions match him. We continued to talk to the Moran girl. We got a complete description of both men involved and of the car they to used. Local and APBs were gotten out on them. The fact that the descriptions varied and did not match the suspect we had in custody meant very little. A witness or a victim under stress might easily be mistaken. We talked with a family doctor and he told us that after a good night's sleep, the girl would be able to cooperate with us completely. The following morning, Monday, April 19, a special show up was arranged at the main jail. Our suspect was placed in a line with other men in custody. Bunny Moran failed to identify him. Frank and I took her over to the city hall and had her look through mug shots that had been pulled from packages. As a result of a run by the stats office, she was unable to point out a suspect. 1:40pm we asked her if she could show us the shack where she'd been held captive. She said she could. We called her parents and told them where we were going and then we left the office. We picked up a policewoman and drove out the freeway to Sunset Boulevard and turned off. When we got to Laurel Canyon Boulevard, we drove past Lookout Mountain Avenue and then we turned left onto a dirt road. Drove for about a mile and a half. There was no sign of any type of building.

[Bunny Moran]

It's right up ahead, around the next corner.

[Narrator]

You sure you're on the right road?

[Bunny Moran]

Yeah, I remember walking down this one. That's right.

[Narrator]

Hey, that's as far as we can go. Dead end.

[Bunny Moran]

Maybe I did make a mistake. Maybe I did. I was sure it was a long year, but maybe I was wrong. It might have been the next road up. You know the one pass where we turned off?

[Narrator]

Uh huh. You want to turn around, Frank? Yeah.

[Bunny Moran]

Sure am sorry about it.

[Narrator]

That's all right, miss.

[Bunny Moran]

Guess it seems like a wild goose chase, huh? No, sure hope not. I know where it is. I just got mixed up.

[Narrator]

All right.

[Bunny Moran]

We'll find it. I'm sure we will. Can't just disappear, can it?

[Narrator]

No, not likely.

[Bunny Moran]

Here someplace. You'll see.

[Narrator]

Yeah, we'll See, we went back to Laurel Canyon Boulevard and drove up all of the dirt roads in the vicinity. We didn't find the shack. Each time, Bunny Moran would offer some excuse. Finally, we asked her to describe the truck that had picked her up. She gave us a description that would fit two or three hundred vehicles in the city. She was unable to tell us the name of the driver who'd stopped. We took her back to the office and asked her to go over the story again. When she finished, Frank left to get Captain Powers. Don't you want to tell us now?

[Bunny Moran]

What do you mean?

[Narrator]

The real story, the way it really happened. Might be easier if you told us first, don't you think?

[Bunny Moran]

I told you there isn't any more to tell. I told you all how it happened.

[Narrator]

Why you line.

[Bunny Moran]

I am not lying. This is the way it happened.

[Narrator]

Now, look, there are half a dozen places where the story you just told us doesn't fit with what you said last night.

[Bunny Moran]

I was tired last night. Maybe I didn't remember.

[Narrator]

That's kind of hard to buy. Too many things that don't check out, miss. The story about your dog. The fact that you can't find the shack. You don't know who the driver of the truck was.

[Bunny Moran]

There are a lot of things I forgot, that's all. I made a mistake. Didn't you ever make a mistake?

[Narrator]

A lot of them. But last night you said that only one of the men went upstairs with you. Now, isn't that right?

[Bunny Moran]

I remember.

[Narrator]

You seem pretty sure about it, Dan.

[Bunny Moran]

And I guess that's what I said.

[Narrator]

Only one of the men went with you, huh?

[Bunny Moran]

That's what I said, yes.

[Narrator]

Well, then why, when you told the story just now, did you say that both of them went with you?

[Bunny Moran]

I don't know. I don't know. You're getting me all mixed up.

[Narrator]

Did you kill your dog? Did you?

[Bunny Moran]

Yes.

[Narrator]

Why?

[Bunny Moran]

I had to. To make the story sound realized. I didn't want to, but I had to.

[Narrator]

Why'd you do it at all, miss?

[Bunny Moran]

So they wouldn't mind. That's the reason.

[Narrator]

What do you mean? So who wouldn't mind?

[Bunny Moran]

You'll think it's silk. You won't think it's a good reason.

[Narrator]

Why'd you tell me anyway, huh?

[Bunny Moran]

Because I was failing.

[Narrator]

What?

[Bunny Moran]

I flunked at school. I flunked and I didn't want my folks to know. They'd be real mad. Real mad.

[Narrator]

So you figured this kidnapped thing out, huh? Played it that way, yes.

[Bunny Moran]

I thought that if something bad happened to me, they'd be so glad to have me back, it wouldn't matter about my flunking.

[Narrator]

The whole thing was a lie from the beginning to end. Huh?

[Bunny Moran]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

All of it. All right, youngster, we better get going.

[Bunny Moran]

Where?

[Narrator]

We'll take you home.

[Bunny Moran]

You gonna tell my folks about it?

[Narrator]

We haven't got much choice, have we?

[Bunny Moran]

They'll be mad. Madder than they've ever been.

[Narrator]

Well, I guess they will.

[Bunny Moran]

What'll I tell them? What'll I say?

[Narrator]

I'll tell you. Why don't you try something different? Tell them the truth. Present at the meeting were Mr. And Mrs. Gilbert Moran and their daughter, Lucille. It was decided that no criminal complaint be issued. And the girl was released to the custody of her parents with the understanding that she be given psychiatric help. Further investigation showed Mark Hartwell Lansdale was wanted by authorities in Sacramento to answer a burglary charge. He was released to them. Dragnet. The story of your police force in action is a presentation of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service.