← Hollywood & Crime
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- [00:01]
Tracy Patton
Hollywood in Crime contains depictions of violence and strong language. Please be advised.
- [00:14]
Detective Ron Ito
Detective Ron Ito races down the hall of the North Hollywood Police Station. His partner, Steve Iguchi, is on his heels. It's been nine days since Bonnie Lee Bakley was murdered and they finally have a break in the case. Thirty minutes ago, Ito got an urgent page to the North Hollywood station. A retired stuntman named Gary McLarty had walked in and said he had firsthand information about Bonnie's murder. He said Robert Blake approached him to kill her. The supervisor gives Ito and Iguchi the lowdown. On the way to the interview room. He tells them McLarty is known as the Whiz Kid in Hollywood because of his insane stunts. He's the guy who rode a motorcycle up a staircase in the movie Animal House. On Twilight Zone, the movie, he survived a helicopter crash that killed three people. Another stunt left him with two broken legs and a severed arm that needed to be reattached. He also worked with Robert Blake as his stunt double on Beretta. When they enter the interview room, McLarty is seated at the table. Ito sizes him up. He looks like he's in his mid-60s, about 510 and beefy. A jagged scar etches his chin. He could probably take a sucker punch and keep on going. But right now he looks defeated. McLarty apologizes for not coming in sooner. He tells the detectives his life has been a mess. A shitty divorce, money problems. But his conscience is eating him up. He says he met Blake on Beretta, but hadn't seen him in over 20 years. A couple months back, he got a call from a mutual friend, a stuntman named Roy Snuffy Harrison. Blake wanted to meet with him. McLarty figured it was for a movie job, so they met at Dupars, a classic old diner in Studio City. They barely sat down when Blake said there was a woman he needed to do something about. A woman he claimed he had sex with once. And then she got pregnant. He kept calling her a broad, said she was a con artist and she was shaking him down. To prove it, Blake took McLarty back to his house and showed him a stack of pornographic letters she had written. Said it was part of some lonely heart scam. Blake was adamant that he didn't want this woman to end up with the baby. Then Blake walked him back to the guest house where she was staying. It had one of those sliding glass doors. He told me someone could easily walk through it at night and pop her. Ito glances at Iguchi. That's exactly what he said, yep. What happened next? McLarty tells them Blake pitched another, even crazier scenario. He was planning a road trip through Arizona. Said he could park on the side of a lonely road and wander off to take a piss. Maybe someone could come along and off her. Ito looks at Iguchi again. Four days ago, they got a tip from one of Bonnie's friends who said Blake wanted his bodyguard, Earl Caldwell, to kill Bonnie on a road trip. How'd the meeting end? He drove me back to Dupars. I asked him how much the job paid. He said 10,000 bucks. Called me a few days later and I told him I didn't want anything to do with it. Edo jots down some notes. This is huge. If McLarty's story checks out, it could be enough to arrest Blake. But Ito's got one burning question. You're a stuntman. Why would he think you'd do a murder for hire? He knew I'd killed somebody once. My roommate. Self defense. Maybe he thought if I did it once, I'd do it again. Ido's surprised at how reckless Blake has been. Didn't he learn anything from doing all those episodes of Beretta? Criminals get caught because they talk too much. Blake assumed he could trust McLarty not to say anything about their meeting. And he was wrong. They need to talk to the middleman, Roy Snuffy Harrison, the mutual friend who put him in touch with McLarty. It's clear what Ito has to do next. Find Snuffy and see what he knows.
- [04:39]
Tracy Patton
This episode is brought to you by Audible, your destination for best selling audiobooks, exclusive Audible originals and more. New members can try audible free for 30 days. Visit audible.com or text cotton to 500. 500.
- [04:57]
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- [05:59]
Tracy Patton
From Wondery. I'm Tracy Patton, along with my co host Josh Lucas, and this is Hollywood in Crime. On our last episode, Blake's lawyer went into full spin mode, painting Bonnie as a scam artist. It made Homicide Special's job to find the killer even harder. Meanwhile, Blake came up with an elaborate scheme to get rid of Bonnie and keep the baby. Bonnie went to the cops and filed kidnapping charges. But she still thinks they're getting married. This is our fourth episode, for Better for Bonnie. Lee Bakley was perched on a plush leather chair in front of an imposing oak desk. She was in the Beverly Hills office of Carrie Goldstein, her palimony lawyer. The portly attorney held a gold pen just out of her reach.
- [06:59]
Detective Ron Ito
Don't sign this, Bonnie. We can still renegotiate.
- [07:03]
Tracy Patton
It was October 4th, 2000. Ten days ago, she flew out to LA full of hope. Blake had promised to marry her and take care of their child, but it was all a trick. He kidnapped her baby and got her sent back to Arkansas for violating her parole. Blake thought he outsmarted her, but he was wrong. First Bonnie fought back by filing kidnapping charges. Then she fought dirty. She threatened to go to the tabloids and expose Blake as a deadbeat dad unless he agreed to marry her. Blake caved, just like she knew he would. Now the marriage was on again. Bonnie leaned forward and snatched the pen from Goldstein. Where do I sign?
- [07:54]
Detective Ron Ito
You initial here and here. And sign the last page.
- [07:58]
Tracy Patton
Blake's lawyers had put together an 18 page prenup. Goldstein begged her not to sign it, said it was a terrible deal. If the marriage fell apart, she'd get no child or spousal support, no communal property. But Bonnie didn't care. It wasn't about Blake's money. Goldstein flipped to page 15.
- [08:22]
Detective Ron Ito
If you back out of the marriage, he gets custody of the baby.
- [08:26]
Tracy Patton
I'm not not backing out. Goldstein ticked off more objections. Once Bonnie moved into Blake's house, she'd have to get written approval for any visitors. She wouldn't be allowed to conduct any United Singles business on the premises. And she'd be giving temporary custody of the baby to Blake's daughter, Delina. Goldstein shook his head.
- [08:50]
Detective Ron Ito
This is nuts.
- [08:51]
Tracy Patton
What are you getting him? Bonnie always wanted to marry a celebrity, show the world she was someone. But what she hadn't Counted on were her feelings. Somewhere along the way, she'd fallen in love with Blake. The price of marrying him might come with a prenup, but she'd finally have her happily ever after.
- [09:22]
Detective Ron Ito
It's 11:30 in the morning on May 15. Detective Ito pulls up to a ranch style house in the San Fernando Valley. He and Detective Iguchi are paying a visit to Roy Snuffy Harrison. The guy the stuntman McLarty says connected him with Blake. Come on in, fellas. Roy's Snuffy Harrison looks more like Santa Claus after a bad Christmas run than a guy who did stunts in Total Recall. He's got a stocky frame, white hair, and a scruffy gray beard. He also doesn't look well. He limps into the living room, wheezing like he's just done the hundred meters. I gotta sit down. I got a bad ticker. He drops into a big white chair and takes a ragged breath. They open me up in April. Ido nods politely, then asks the stuntman how he met Blake. Harrison says that they worked together on Beretta and reconnected several years back. A few months ago, Blake asked him how to get in touch with Wiz. That's Gary McClarty's nickname. Did Blake tell you why he wanted to talk to McLarty? Beats me. Some movie or book deal, I think. So I put them in touch. Did McLardy tell you what they talked about? Snuffy considers. Not right away, no. But he did call me a week after Blake's wife was killed. He asked me if I knew what he and Blake talked about in their meeting to Ito. That's a significant detail. It sounds like McLarty was trying to feel Harrison out, see if Blake had also talked to him about killing Bonnie. It's a good start. And did Blake ever tell you anything about the meeting? I didn't even know they met up. And then Wiz asked what I thought about the shit Robert was in. Ito glances at Iguchi, then asks Harrison how he answered, but the old man just shakes his head. He's been on a lot of medication and can't remember much these days. Ito tries to get in another question, but Harrison tells them he's done. The detectives were hoping to get more, but. But at least Harrison confirms he put the two men together. The bigger question is what happened after McLarty turned Blake down? Did Blake find someone else to kill Bonnie or did he do it himself? Somebody knows the truth.
- [12:05]
Tracy Patton
October was a lonely month for Bonnie. She was back in Arkansas, counting down the Days till her wedding. It was less than a month away, but it felt like an eternity. Enough time for Blake to back out or trick her again. But she wasn't going to think about that. She still had a business to run. United Singles Inc. Was as busy as ever. Lonely men were always desperate for love and the promise of sex. The sound of the mail slot snapping shut always gave her a thrill. It was the sound of money. Some days the envelopes were fat with cash, sometimes just a sad note. But in the moment, right before she opened an envelope, it felt like anything was possible. The day started off well. 20 bucks in the very first letter. She went through the rest of the mail bills. Penny Saver, the National Enquirer. She flipped through the tabloid. Then she did a double take. It was her own face staring back at her. There were two photos. Neither one was flattering. She looked puffy and her hair needed some color. Next to her pictures was one of Blake. He had a scowl on his face and looked old. At the bottom was a soulful shot of Christian Brando. The headline blared, Robert Blake, 67 in bizarre tug of War over Love Child. She quickly scanned the article. It said she was a grifter after Blake's money. Worse, it said Blake's lawyers were secretly drawing up papers to steal the baby from her. The article didn't even spell her name right. She read the words again. A source tells us he's stalling the wedding so he can petition for sole custody. In fact, Robert is having his lawyers draft papers to steal the baby from right under Bonnie Lee's nose. She bet any money Blake was that source. He was trying to control the story, make her look bad so he could get the baby if she backed out of the marriage. Not going to happen. Nothing could stop her from marrying Robert Blake. She looked at the article again. Her eyes landed on the picture of Christian. She forgot how cute he was. Oh, God, Christian. Did he see the article, too? She never even told him the baby was Blake's and he was her plan B. If Blake backed out, she needed to call him. When he picked up the phone, she gave him her cheeriest hello and then turned on her tape recorder. There was a long moment of silence.
- [14:59]
Bonnie Lee Bakley
You care to explain? About what? For the kid and all that. Well, it's not my kid. You know that. No, I don't know that for a fact. Robert Blake Barrett at kid. You know, I mean, you never. You never bother with it. Explain or nothing. You know, I don't know. You have no idea what you do to people with this shit? No idea. It's. You know what? You know what? It kind of. It kind of hurt. You know what? It kind of hurt, but then again, oh, well, that's the way shit goes. It all runs downhill and it ate up my ass. Well, you better really, really get a handle on that and really think about what your hell, you know, you're doing besides running around sending letters to guys and embezzling all this money from these idiots. Think about it. It gets close. You're lucky, you know? I mean, not on my behalf, but you're lucky somebody ain't out there to pull a bullet in your head. Well, what do you want? What do you want? Well, I didn't know how things were all going to turn out and everything. Huh. Well, I'm under a lot of distress here. I didn't know what happened. Well, what's happening here? And what am I supposed to do about it? You created this. I did not start this. You it up. I mean, man. Listen, I got company. Yeah. And I got to go.
- [16:32]
Tracy Patton
Okay.
- [16:33]
Bonnie Lee Bakley
All right. Bye.
- [16:33]
Tracy Patton
Okay. So much for plan B. Bonnie looked down at the Inquirer article again. On the bright side, at least she got her name in the press, and her photos weren't that bad. She got a pair of scissors and carefully cut out the article, then pasted it into her scrapbook. There was only one way for the bizarre tug of war to end. She and Blake were getting married whether he wanted to or not. Thanks to Audible, our presenting sponsor. Imagine having a personal storyteller, a private tutor, and an entertainment guru all rolled into one. Available at your fingertips 24 7. That's the magic of Audible, your gateway to a world of audio adventures. There's something for every taste and mood. Whether you're looking for pulse pounding thrillers, insightful nonfiction, or even classic literature, Audible is the place to discover your next favorite title. And if you're into true crime like I am, I recommend the audiobook the Devil at His Elbow by Valerie Borreline. It's a deep dive into the Murdoch family murders, uncovering layers of the case that go beyond the headlines. As an Audible member, you can choose one title per month to keep from their entire catalog. New members can try audible free for 30 days. Visit audible.com cotton or text cotton to 500. 500, that's audible.com cotton or text cotton c o t t o n to 500. 500.
- [18:22]
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- [19:34]
Detective Ron Ito
Detectives rich harrow and Adrian Solar pull into a parking lot of a Blockbuster Video store in Victorville, California, about 100 miles from Los Angeles. Victorville is one of the many cities in the sprawling county of San Bernardino, better known by cops as meth country. In this area, law enforcement bus more than 300 labs a year, sometimes three a night, and they still can't make a dent. One goes down and another goes up. Not exactly the place Harrow would have picked for an interview with a witness. But they had no choice. A squat, sweaty man makes his way across the blacktop, giving furtive looks over his shoulder. When he catches Harrow's eye, he gives a small wave. Harrow cocks his head toward the backseat. You Atwater? Yep. Earlier that morning, a guy named David Attwater called the San Bernardino Sheriff's Office with a tip. Said he knew something about Bonnie Lee Bakely's murder, but he was afraid to go into the station. Didn't want to be seen. Harrow hopes Attwater's nervous because he's got something big to tell them. Okay, we're going to record your statement. Attwater wipes sweat off his face and jumps right in. I know an old stuntman that said Robert Blake offered him money to kill his wife. Harrow looks at his partner, another retired stuntman who Blake approached to kill his wife. Atwater tells them he rents a room in a house nearby owned by a guy named Ronald Duffy. Hamilton. Hamilton said Blake offered him $100,000 to kill Bonnie about a week before the murder. Atwater says he answered the phone and a guy on the other end said he was Blake. He asked for Duffy. He wasn't sure what the two talked about. There were a lot of yeses and no's on Duffy's side. Then on the weekend of the murder, the phone wouldn't stop ringing. But Duffy told him not to pick it up. He said Blake wanted to meet with him badly. But Duffy didn't go. Ever since Bonnie's murder hit the news, Duffy has been paranoid. He said people might be coming to the house. Either cops or whoever killed that woman. He told me he knew who pulled the trigger. Harrow tries to sound casual. Did he say who? He said it could be one of two people. One of them being Blake's bodyguard. I don't think he knew that guy's name. Harrow knows who Atwater is talking about. Blake's bodyguard is Earl Caldwell. Do you think Duffy could have done it? He told me he didn't do it. We were both at his place that whole weekend. All I'm saying is Duffy is really mad at Blake. He called him a hatful of motherfuckers. Why was he mad? Well, he said he was worried people were going to think he was involved because Blake called him so many times before the murder. Harrow makes a note to check Blake's phone records. Anything else we should know about this Duffy Hambleton? He's got a lot of guns. He carries his shotgun around with him. I think he has AK47s too. Harrow glances at Solar, who takes over. Anything else? There are a bunch of chemicals buried around the property. You'll see the mounds of dirt. You might not want to dig in there. Harrow's gotta call Ito and tell him what they've learned. Duffy lives nearby. He'd bet his paycheck Ito will want them to interview the guy while they're here. Duffy could be the crucial link in the chain that puts Robert Blake behind bars.
- [23:23]
Tracy Patton
Bonnie Lee Bakley put a lot of lipstick on a lot of pigs in her life. She always tried to make things look better. But there was no amount of Maybelline pearly pink that would cover the flaws of her wedding day to Robert Blake. It was November 19, 2000. The wedding was in Blake's backyard. And there was no champagne, music or hors d'oeuvres. The ring Blake got her came from a flea market and wasn't even a diamond. And then there was that other little detail. He didn't want to marry her. But in the end, Bonnie won out.
- [24:02]
Detective Ron Ito
I now pronounce you man and wife.
- [24:05]
Tracy Patton
It was official. The little girl who stared out the window of her grandmother's trailer and dreamed of marrying someone famous got her wish at long last. She was one of them. The wife of a celebrity. In fact, the pastor who married them officiated at Drew Barrymore's wedding. Bonnie and Drew were connected now. Bonnie padded across the yard to see if she felt different. Not really. Maybe it would take time, but right now she felt alone. She figured she'd mingle, but she didn't know any of the guess There were just a handful of Blake's friends, one of his lawyers, and Earl Caldwell. It would be a lie to say Blake looked happy, but she hoped he would come around. They just needed some quiet time together. Like a honeymoon, though Blake hadn't mentioned any plans. For one, Blake caught her eye and strolled over, Earl close behind.
- [25:11]
Detective Ron Ito
Well, that's done. I'll have Earl drive you back to the hotel.
- [25:15]
Tracy Patton
Bonnie blinked. She was going to spend her wedding night alone. Clearly Earl was embarrassed, too. He couldn't even look her in the eye. Maybe he felt sorry for her. She felt sorry for herself, too. Later, in her room, she let it all out. The kind of ugly crying that strange streaked her mascara and made her feel like she couldn't breathe. How could she be spending her honeymoon night alone? The next day, Bonnie packed for her flight home. She still had three more months of probation left to serve in Arkansas, and Blake had convinced her to leave the baby with him. She wasn't sure how she felt about it, but at least the baby would start getting settled and get to know her father. After all, this would be their new home. At least she was leaving as the wife of a celebrity and movie star. That perked her up. She dashed out a postcard to an old friend in New Jersey. Hi. Guess what? I married Robert Blake on November 19th. I'm real happy I finally accomplished everything I always wanted. It was true. Bonnie had gotten what she wanted. It may not have been the fantasy she played out in her dreams, but it still counted.
- [26:47]
Detective Ron Ito
Detectives Soler and Harrow follow a San Bernardino sheriff's cruiser down a winding dirt road near the Mojave Desert. A cloud of dust engulfs the car. This guy Duffy lives in the middle of nowhere. Meth heads are paranoid. Probably figured no one will bother him up here. Just an hour ago they interviewed David Atwater in the back of their cruiser. He told them Blake offered Duffy money to kill Bonnie. The sheriff's cruiser slows down and puts on his blinker. Duffy's house is a Spanish style adobe set back off the road, surrounded by a chain link fence. The front is all dirt with dry scrub brush and cacti. At least a dozen junk cars and trucks litter the yard the sheriff knows Duffy personally. The whole department knows him. Duffy goes on meth binges and hallucinates. One time he thought he saw people disguised as Joshua trees in his yard. The sheriff knocks and calls out to Duffy, says a couple of detectives want to chat with him. That's Stoller's cue. He says they're investigating the murder of Robert Blake's wife. Duffy doesn't look surprised. Duffy's a big guy with large aviator glasses, a thick walrus mustache and a beer gut. He mentions he recently got out of the hospital. He has leukemia and one kidney left. 30 years as a stuntman has taken a toll. He clears some magazines and auto parts off the couch. They sit down and Duffy confirms some of what Atwater told them. He saw Blake a few weeks ago. They talked about working on a motorcycle movie. But then he mentions where he met Blake. At a Studio City diner called Dupars. This gets the detectives attention. It's the same diner where Gary McLarty said he met Blake and Blake tried to recruit him to murder Bonnie. Do you have any idea who killed Blake's wife? I've been keeping up on the radio reports and I have the Globe and the Star and whatever. Outside of that, I wouldn't have the slightest idea. The detectives press him, but Duffy keeps insisting the only thing he talked to Blake about was the movie and gun collecting. Do you guys get together often? Duffy says he was surprised to hear from Blake. They'd lost touch. In fact, Blake had to get his phone number from another former stuntman, Roy Snuffy Harrison. Harrow glances up from his notepad and gives Solar a look. Snuffy Harrison is the guy who put Blake together with Gary McLarty too. Maybe when McLarty refused to kill Bonnie, Blake went back to Harrison to find someone else for the job. And that someone else might be sitting across from them. Let me ask you a couple real blunt questions. At any time, did Mr. Blake attempt to solicit you or ask you for a referral of somebody that could do a hit on his wife? No, no, nothing like that. Solar tries again. What about Blake? What's your opinion of him? Do you think he would be pushed to the edge to do something like that? The stuntman hesitates. People under certain circumstances do some goddarn weird things. When you're pressed, you never know how somebody's going to respond. And if you guys are homicide detectives, I'm not telling you a damn thing you don't know. Duffy ends the interview. But if Solar were a betting man, he'd lay odds they're not done with the stuntman. They'll call Detective Ito from the road and fill him in. It's After Dark on May 15, 2001. The ringing of Ito's desk phone echoes off the walls of the Homicide Special squad room. He snatches the receiver off the hook. Solar tells Ito about the interview with Duffy. When he gets to the part about Duffy meeting Blake at Dupars, he Ito whistles under his breath. That's really good. There's more, he says. The guy who put him in touch with Blake is snuffy Harrison. When McLarty turned on the job, Harrison trolls for someone else. That's what I thought. If one stuntman won't do it, he'll find another one who will. Ito is pleased. The timeline is starting to fill out with stories from different people that are remarkably similar. Too much to be a coincidence. Harrison connected Blake with both stuntmen, supposedly about a movie job. They met Blake at the same restaurant. Blake told them the real point of the meeting was to kill Bonnie. For the first time since this case started, Ito feels like he's got something solid. They have multiple witnesses who can connect Blake with all three of the stuntmen. But it's not a home run. Background checks show none of these guys are boy Scouts. There's a mix of drug problems, bad debts and run ins with police. All things that would make a jury doubt their credibility in a trial. Especially in the hands of a high priced defense attorney. Or maybe that was Blake's intention all along. Find someone who wouldn't hold up in front of a jury. But Ito is sure Duffy and Harrison no more than they're saying now he's gotta make one of them crack.
- [32:22]
Tracy Patton
Harvard is the oldest and richest university in America. But when a social media fueled fight over Harvard and its new president broke out last week, fall that was no protection. Claudine Gay is now gone. We've exposed the DEI regime and there's much more to come. This is the Harvard Plan, a special series from the Boston Globe and WNYC's on the Media. To listen, subscribe to OnThem Media wherever you get your podcasts. Mrs. Robert Blake became a free woman on January 29, 2001. She'd spent the first 72 days of her marriage on parole in Little Rock, Arkansas. Now the wait was over. Decades of waiting were over. She wasn't sure how her new life as a celebrity wife would unfold. But she was free to find out without risking arrest. She was ready to hop the next plane west but first she went to visit her sister and check her mail drops in New Jersey. A condition of her prenup was that she not conduct any United Singles business on Blake's premises. She figured she'd answer as many letters as she could and assign the rest to her ex husband and business partner, Paul. Bonnie's plane touched down on a warm March afternoon. She stepped into the terminal a moment to celebrate. Alone. Blake refused to pick her up. She called him to say she'd be there soon. Then he said the guest house wasn't ready.
- [34:07]
Detective Ron Ito
Why don't you check into a hotel?
- [34:10]
Tracy Patton
She could have said, that's okay, I'll move into your bedroom. But she knew what the answer would be. She just needed to be patient. But once she checked in, he ignored her. Bonnie twiddled her thumbs at the Beverly Garland Hotel for a whole week. If she wanted her life to be a country music song, she could have stayed in Arkansas. Finally, Blake called and told her the guest house was ready. He sent Earl to pick her up. Blake was smiling when she arrived. He showed off the guest house. It was a cozy split level with a small kitchen and a den. Sliding glass doors open to the backyard. Nice setup for someone who was going to live alone once Bonnie settled in. She barely saw him when she did. He didn't say much. He wouldn't let her use his car either. If she wanted to go anywhere, Earl had to drive her. It was embarrassing. She'd have to tell him she needed to go to the store for hair dye or diet soda. Blake didn't even give her spending money. If she wasn't allowed to do United Singles business, how was she supposed to survive? Bonnie ignored him. The little den proved to be a good spot to dash out her letters in the wee hours of the morning. Blake was asleep by 9pm anyway. By the time she rolled out of bed at noon, he would be long gone. She rented a post office box on Ventura Boulevard to get return mail. It was close to the house and Blake was none the wiser. But the truth was she was lonely. She was used to having her kids and her ex husband Paul filling the space and seeing her pals. It wasn't the same, just hearing their voices on the phone. And the baby was always with Blake's daughter, Delena. Whenever Bonnie wanted to see her, he came up with some excuse. Bonnie was good at making lemonade out of lemons, but this was too much for her. She was stir crazy. After two weeks, she'd had enough. Robert had frozen her out of sunny Los Angeles. Bonnie Packed her things and flew back to Memphis. She'd figure out her next move when she got there.
- [36:44]
Detective Ron Ito
It's mid May 2001. Detectives Chuck Knowles and Brian McCarten have been crisscrossing the country, questioning people who knew Bonnie, including a few men she scammed to find out whether someone was angry enough to kill her. They're also talking to friends and relatives to try to get a better picture of Bonnie. Though they're beginning to wonder with her dozens of aliases and Personas. Did anyone really know Bonnie Lee Bakley? Today, they're in Memphis at Bonnie's house, the one United Singles paid for in cash. They're here to talk to Paul Goran, the man who should know Bonnie better than anybody. Goran is Bonnie's first cousin. He's also her second husband and the father of three of her four children. They were married in 1977, when Bonnie was just starting her letter writing business. They got divorced four years later when he discovered she was planning to travel to Mexico for a quickie divorce so she could marry a man she was trying to scam. So Goran divorced her first. Detective Knowles wears his industrial grade poker face. No matter what Goran says, he'll act like it's perfectly normal. After the divorce, the two of you moved back in together, correct? Yes. But you didn't remarry? Bonnie did. Just not to me. I thought Blake was her fifth marriage, but I went through her papers after she died and found out she was married several more times. So out of all these guys she scammed, did anyone ever come after her? One time I heard yelling out front. I went out and there was a guy parked in the driveway. Bonnie said he threatened to kill her. He took off and we filed a police report. The detective sits up. Finally a credible threat. When did this take place? Let me see. It would have been around 1978. Knowles sighs unlikely someone would wait over 20 years to get revenge. Okay, so when was the last time you heard from Bonnie? The day before she was killed. She'd just gotten back from a road trip with Blake and that bodyguard, Earl. She didn't like that guy much. Earl? Why not? She said he was always lurking around. She told Blake to fire him, but he wouldn't do it. She thought maybe the two of them were lovers. Knowles is having his poker face put to the test. When they finish the interview, Goran shows them Bonnie's office. He tells them to take whatever they want. It's a motherload. Fake IDs, phone records, audio tapes and attorney documents. The detectives put anything they think might be relevant into a large gray suitcase to take back to la. But Knowles thinks they're wasting their time. Sure, Bonnie made some enemies over the years, but so far the only viable suspect is still Robert Blake.
- [39:56]
Tracy Patton
Bonnie Lee Bakley always loved old movies. The lavish sets, the glamorous actors, the star crossed lovers. Tonight was movie night with her sister, Marjorie. She needed something to take her mind off of Blake. They were watching her favorite film, Sunset Boulevard. She'd seen it more times than she could count. She loved the story of the aging silent film star who lived in a giant old mansion and never gave up on her dream. Blake could afford a place like that. I don't know why he lives in that old ranch house. You need to get over him. Just watch the movie. It had been two weeks since Bonnie left Blake. She went to Memphis first, but she felt lost. So she drove to her sister's house in New Jersey. Marjorie was her soft landing spot when she was down. Oh, gosh, I hate this part. This is when William Holden gets shot.
- [40:55]
Detective Ron Ito
Go.
- [41:01]
Tracy Patton
Bonnie grabbed a handful of popcorn and stared at the screen. I wonder what it's like to get shot in the head. Why would you even think that? I just wonder if it would hurt. I'm picking the movie next time. Something happy. Bonnie hoped Marjorie could help her plot her next move, but her answer was church. Marjorie had recently converted to Catholicism. She said God could help her get over Blake. Bonnie wasn't so sure. The Lord didn't call Bonnie, but Robert Blake did the second week of April, three weeks after she left. It felt like a miracle. He was up and jovial, like nothing had happened. When he said he wanted her to move back in, Bonnie wasn't sure she heard him correctly. Then Blake brought up a honeymoon. He wanted to take her on a road trip, camping and fishing along the river in Arizona. They would end up back in California at Sequoia National Park. It sounded so rugged and romantic she could hardly believe it. Neither could Marjorie, who goes fishing on their honeymoon. Bonnie tried to brush Marjorie's concerns aside, but the truth was she didn't quite trust Blake either. Not after everything he'd done. So she told him she'd drive out and meet him in Arizona. She wanted her own car once they got to la, so she wouldn't be dependent on Earl again. That's when Blake told her Earl would be coming along. He was going to drive Blake. Bonnie thought that was odd. Marjorie thought it was downright dangerous camping out in the desert with no one but those two around. Bonnie had to admit Marjorie had a point. Marjorie begged Bonnie to change her mind, so Bonnie came up with a compromise. How about if Marjorie came with her? Marjorie wasn't crazy about the idea, but she said it was better than Bonnie going alone.
- [43:17]
Detective Ron Ito
Three hours after interviewing Paul Goran, detectives Knowles and McCarten are in Walls, Mississippi. They're sitting with Judy Howell, who is Bonnie's best friend of nearly 20 years. No matter where Bonnie was, they spoke weekly for hours.
- [43:35]
Tracy Patton
Bonnie was sweet and kind. All this stuff in the tabloids about how terrible she was is a lie.
- [43:42]
Detective Ron Ito
Detective Knowles looks down at his notes. So what do you know about Christian Brando? Bonnie named the baby after him.
- [43:50]
Tracy Patton
She liked him. She actually went to see him when she was pregnant. He thought the baby was his.
- [43:57]
Detective Ron Ito
Well, why would he think that?
- [43:59]
Tracy Patton
It's what she told him. But she knew the baby was Blake's. That's what she told me.
- [44:06]
Detective Ron Ito
Did you know about the trip she took with Blake just before she was killed?
- [44:10]
Tracy Patton
Yeah, I knew about it. She called me from Phoenix and said Blake and Caldwell weren't there yet. She said while they were waiting, she was going to get cleaned up and fleece a couple of guys because she was running out of cash.
- [44:23]
Detective Ron Ito
Did Bonnie ever say anything about Blake being threatening or abusive?
- [44:28]
Tracy Patton
He had a temper. She told me he was physically abusive at times.
- [44:33]
Detective Ron Ito
Anything else?
- [44:34]
Tracy Patton
She thought Blake was having her followed. She said, if anything ever happens to me, call the lapd. Tell them Blake did it, and don't let him get away with it.
- [44:48]
Detective Ron Ito
Knowles no nods to his partner. They're doing everything they can to honor Bonnie's wish.
- [45:04]
Tracy Patton
Bonnie loved road trips. The wind in her hair. Frankie Valley on the tape deck. Freedom. Like anything could happen. On April 5, 2001, Bonnie and her sister were headed for Arizona to meet Blake and his bodyguard for her honeymoon. But first, Bonnie had to tie up a loose end at the vital records department in Little Rock. Bonnie had one year to change her baby's name without incurring court costs. So as a sign of good faith, she changed her baby's name from Christian Shannon Brando to Rose, Lenore, Sophia Blake. Their next stop was Dallas. Blake kept calling, asking where she was, telling her to hurry up. Sometimes it would lead to an argument. Bonnie tried to deflect his anger with jokes, but Marjorie's face said it all. This wasn't good. Marjorie thought Blake sounded unstable, and she was still suspicious. Why did he want them to in some remote spot that probably didn't have cell phone service? Honey, we're walking into a trap. Oh, Marjorie, don't be so dramatic. It'll be fun. But when they got to Dallas, Marjorie put her foot down. She told Bonnie to come back with her to New Jersey or she'd have to go on alone. Bonnie knew her little sister was looking out for her, but Bonnie lived by the creed of that vanity plate on her blue Mercedes number one risk taker. Besides, she promised Blake she was going. It was the last time she would see her sister. In less than a month, Bonnie would be dead. This is Episode four of the Execution of Bonnie Lee Bakley. A quick note about our scenes Some scripted dialogue has been added for narrative cohesiveness. We used many sources when researching this story, but sources we found exceptionally helpful are Blood, Fame, Sex and Murder in Hollywood by Dennis McDougal and Mary Murphy and Homicide special A year with the LAPD's elite detective unit by Miles Corwin. Our show was produced by Rebecca Reynolds, Jim Carpenter and myself for Hollywood and Crime. Our writers are Steve Chivers and Elizabeth Cosin. Our senior producer and editor is Lora Donna Palavotta with additional editing by Natalie Shisha, consulting by Thomas J. Additional reporting by Rachel B. Doyle. Sound design is by Kyle Randall audio assistance from Sergio Henriquez. Executive producers are Stephanie Jens and Marsha Louie. For Wondery, follow the Wonderland Murders by Hollywood and Crime on the Wondery app. You can binge the entire series exclusively and ad free right now by joining Wondery in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey@wondery.com survey.