Transcript
Joe Friday (0:00)
Limu Emu.
Ben Romero (0:02)
And Doug, here we have the Limu emu in its natural habitat, helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug. Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us. Cut the camera. They see us. Only pay for what you need@libertymutual.com Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Savings vary underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and affiliates. Excludes Massachusetts. What do you think makes the perfect snack? Hmm, it's gotta be when I'm really craving it and it's convenient.
Joe Friday (0:35)
Could you be more specific?
Ben Romero (0:36)
When it's cravinient.
Joe Friday (0:38)
Okay.
Ben Romero (0:38)
Like a freshly baked cookie made with real butter, available right down the street at a.m. p.m. Or a savory breakfast sandwich I can grab in just a second at AM pm. I'm seeing a pattern here. Well, yeah, we're talking about what I crave, which is anything from AM pm. What more could you want? Stop by AM PM where the snacks and drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient. That's cravenience and AM pm Too much good stuff.
Adam Graham (1:28)
Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're going to bring you this week's episode of Dragnet. But first, I do want to encourage you. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. Today's program is brought to you in part by the financial support of our listeners. You can support the show on a one time basis by mailing a donation to Adam Graham, peelbox 115913. That's P.O. box 159 13, Boise, ID 83715. And you can also become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little as $2 per month at patreon.greatdetectives.net but now, from August 16, 1951, here is the big Winchester.
Ben Romero (2:30)
The story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a homicide detail. An elderly man is found dead in the living room of his home. There's a single bullet hole in his chest. On the surface, it appears the man took his own life. But the evidence points to the opposite. Your job, investigate Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 minutes, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case transcribed from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment. Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. Was Wednesday, January 10th. It was cold in Los Angeles. We're working the day watch out of Homicide detail. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Thad Brown, Chief of Detectives. My name's Friday. It was 8:25am when I got to the Police academy. The doctor's office. Morning. Morning. Can I help you? I'm checking in for my annual physical. Oh, okay. All right, let's see. Your name? Joe Friday. See Friday. Just like the day in the week. Yeah, that's right. Friday. Can't seem to find it. You sure you were notified? Yeah, the teletype was posted in the office a couple of days ago. Annual physical exams. My name was right near the top of the list. F, R, I, D A Y. Huh? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Here you are. Joseph Friday. That's it. Yeah. Well, all right, Friday, let's get your name down here. Okay. Age 34. Where you work? Central Homicide. Serial number 2288. 2288. Okay, pilot, you want to step this way? All right, Step off your shoes, your coat and shirt. Okay. Well, they're keeping you busy? Oh, pretty busy, yeah. 4,500 men in the department. Everyone has to have an annual physical. Better get you Wade, and send you along inside. Doc's probably ready for you by now. Over here. Well, never fails. Dr. Vance is off him. Is that. Just a minute. It's for you. Friday. Your office. Thank you. Body talking. This is Ben, Joe. You about through over there? No, not quite. I haven't seen Doc Vance yet. What's the matter? Dead body. Call out by Westlake Park. Radio cars out there now. No one else in Homicide to handle it? Not right now. They're pretty busy. No use you coming back to the office. Why don't you meet me out there? It's 9320 Laurel Lane. All right. Just a minute. Have that pad, doc. Thank you. 9320 Laurel. I got it. What's the story? Old man was found dead in his living room, bullet hole in his chest. Men in the radio car said. At first it looked like the old man had killed himself. They're not so sure now. What do you mean? They think he had some help. 8:45am I left the doctor's office at the Police academy and drove to the Westlake area where I met Ben in front of the cottage where the dead body had been found. We went inside and checked with one of the men from the radio car who was standing by. The dead man was identified as Martin Latimer. Age 68, a retired owner of a couple of neighborhood grocery stores in the city. He was lying sprawled on his side on the floor. There was a bullet hole in his chest, just above the heart where the slug had entered the body. There was another, larger wound in the back through the left shoulder blade where the bullet had emerged. Approximately eight feet across the room from the body was another chair. It was a Winchester rifle wired firmly to the top, its muzzle pointing directly above the spot where the body lay on the floor. A thick white string was found, wound firmly around the trigger of the rifle. It ran through a metal ring on the stock of the gun and stretched across the room where it had been tied to the dead man's right index finger. At first glance, it seemed like an obvious suicide arrangement. Officer Harkness, one of the men in the radio car who had answered the call, took exception. I know, Sergeant. Maybe I'm all wet. Just doesn't gel right for me. Who discovered the body, Harkness? Next door neighbor, Mrs. Donworth. My partner's with her now. You fellas call the crime lab? Yeah, they're on their way out. Was the old man the only one who lived in the house here? Yeah, that's what the neighbor told us. Sure like to see what the crime lab crew's gonna think of it. What's the big question, Harkness? Well, I know it's none of my business, Sergeant. You fellas are the detectives. I just couldn't help but notice, though. What's that? Well, here, over here. This rifle wire to the back of the chair. Take a sight along the barrel of the rifle, see what you think. Right through the sight, huh? Mm. Pointed right above the arm chair over there. It's in a straight line with the body. That much fits. The old man pulled a string tied to his index finger and it set off the trigger. Took the slug through the chest. Yeah, that's what I figured. Now here, take a look at the wall directly behind the old man. Yeah, the slug went clean through the body, we know that. Through the chest, above the heart, then out through the shoulder blade. I see what you mean. Oh, here, now take a look at this wall here. Got a mark on it. Yeah. One thing sure. If the old man was shot in that position, the slug had to come this way. Well, pass through his body right about this height here. Uh huh. We ought to find the bullet hole in this wall right around here. It ought to be. Not a trace of a slug here. Not much chance it could have been deflecting. Do you think well, that's what I thought. It's a. 3030 Winchester. Enough power to go through a couple of plaster walls. Well, we know the slug went through the body. It's gotta be somewhere in one of these four walls. Take a look over here and see what you think. All right. Down here, near the corner of the wall. Where? Well, right here. Yeah, it looks like it. Ben. Something's out of kilter. The rifle never could have thrown the slug this far down on the wall. Not the way it's wired to the chair there. Besides that, it's way out of line. At least four feet, the way I figured. Here. I know it's none of my business, Sergeant. I couldn't help but notice it, though. You want me to stand by outside? Yeah. Okay, if you will. Would you mind checking with your partner? See if we can have that neighbor lady brought over for questioning, will you? Right. I'll check with him now. Thank you. Sure. I'm gonna take another look at that rifle. Well, it sure doesn't add up too well, does it? Even if the old man jerked the gun when he pulled the trigger, with that string arrangement, the slug couldn't have passed through his chest, out his back, and then hit the wall where it did. Stand just behind the body, will you, Joe? See if it's possible to line it up. All right. What about here? Look about it to you. Yeah, that's good. Let me see. No, not a chance, Joe. It's way out of line. That's the gun that killed him. The old man didn't pull the trigger. Not from there, anyway. Well, there's one other chance. Yeah, Somebody pulled it for him. Lt. Lee Jones arrived with his crime lab crew and went to work. We put in a call to the coroner's office. And then the dead man's neighbor, Mrs. Elsie Dunworth, was brought over for questioning. She was a chubby, matronly lady, about 45. She told her she'd been a neighbor to the aging Martin Latimer for more than 10 years. I take it you knew Mr. Latimer pretty well, man?
