Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Ladies and gentlemen. The story you were about to hear
is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Drag Met. You're a detective sergeant, you're assigned a missing
person's detail. You get a call that a man has
(00:30):
failed to return to his home. There's reason to suspect Powell.
Play your job, investigate.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
It was Friday, January two, was overcast in Los Angeles.
We were working to night watch out a homicide division
missing person's detail. My partner's Frank Smith. The boss's Captain Mormon.
My name's Friday. As I'm my way back from communications,
and it was eight twelve am when I got to
Room twenty four, squadroom.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Well, it's hard to believe in it.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
M January second, another year gone by. Yeah, you see
this evening sports page?
Speaker 3 (01:09):
No I didn't.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Why still talking about that Rose Bowl game? You know,
Joe looks to me like that last play of the
game is going to end up like the Dempsey Tony thing.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
What the Dempsey to fight? Oh No, I don't think
it will.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Oh yeah, big controversy over that last play. Well since
when all the sports writers agree.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Well that's where you're wrong, Joe. Why do you figure that.
I read them all Examiner, Times, Harold News, the Mirror.
They all agree. The officials called it right.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
All the sports writers, every one of them.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Currently you hadn't seen this. I never seen that paper
before in my life. No, that's where you're wrong, Joe.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
All the writers don't agree on that last play. See
Finchley Crockett right there. You can see for yourself. Who
Finchley Crockett.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Who's he? Only the sports editor, that's all the editor?
What what paper is this? Jesse County realist picked it
up to night him away in. Yeah, well the game's over,
so let's just forget about it. What he say?
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Oh sure, just overlook the only right call on the game.
I'll just pass it right by Joe. Finchley Crockett's never
been wrong. Called the World Series the All Star Game,
picked a heavyweight champ before the fight. He's accurate, Joe, Well,
good for him, but it's over and the score still stands.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Next year's another game.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
Okay, listen to this. I'm gonna read this column to you.
The bird says by Finchley Crockett.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
What's the name of the column? The bird? Bird Crockett?
Who when?
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Oh, I forgot to tell you when Crockett played for
the Trojans, his nickname was the Bird.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
I don't remember anybody by that name playing for.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
USC you know, Joe jc U Jesse County Trojans.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Oh yeah, sure. I listen to what he says. It
is a rare treat.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
When the editor of a small town paper gets to
see one of the nation's Bowl games. But your editor
was so treated this week at the County Seat. As
you all know, the new television transmitter is now operating,
and it is a rare treat. As you know, there's
nothing like being at the game, But it is a
rare treat when the editor of a small town paper
(03:23):
gets to see one of the nation's Bowl games. He's
a real great guy, Joe. And in closing yours truly
would like to go on record and say that the
last play of the game was a complete.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Mystery to me. We'll go ahead, go ahead. That's it, Joe.
He made his point. That's all there is to the
entire column. Well, that's it.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
It proves that all the sportswriters didn't agree on the
last play of the game.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
I get it.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Missing persons Friday, Yes, ma'am. That's right, all right, we'll
be right out.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
No, ma'am, by the way, good bye.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
What do you got missing? Her husband and wife says,
he and another man went out this afternoon. He's over
three hours late getting home.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
It's kind of early to start worrying.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Huh, you know not the way she puts in. What
do you mean I'm a fellow with him? Yeah, her
husband was gonna have him put in jail. Eight thirty
two pm, Frank and I left the office and drove
out to the address was located on Agatha Street. The
lettering on the window read Helmer's Mannequin, Rental and Sails.
The star was dark except for a single light of
(04:36):
the rear of the place. We knocked and a small
woman in her fifties answered the door. We identified ourselves
and she asked us.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
Him, you wanna come back to the office.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Thank you?
Speaker 5 (04:47):
What's your steps there?
Speaker 3 (04:49):
It's kind of dark, thank you. He's dummy, sure, look
like real people.
Speaker 5 (04:54):
Yes, he specialized and life like models. I've been working
on the book, trying to keep my mind off of
what's happened.
Speaker 6 (05:02):
Uh huh.
Speaker 5 (05:02):
He wanted to sit down.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
That's why I miss helmet.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
You go ahead, anyone tell us what this is all about.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
Now, Oh, Jason's gone.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
That's your husband's name, Jason Helmer.
Speaker 6 (05:12):
That's right. How was he at fifty three?
Speaker 5 (05:15):
He had a birthday last October?
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Why do you think something's happened to him?
Speaker 6 (05:19):
Because it's not like him to do a thing.
Speaker 5 (05:21):
Like this without telling me.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
He told me on the phone that you'd heard from him.
Is that right?
Speaker 6 (05:25):
Not from him?
Speaker 5 (05:26):
Fred Madison called me.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
When was that?
Speaker 5 (05:29):
I guess it was about five forty five, might have
been six, no later?
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Or what this fella Madison say to you?
Speaker 5 (05:35):
Told me that Jason was coming right home.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Were they together when he called? You know?
Speaker 5 (05:39):
Fred said they were?
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Did you talk to your husband? No?
Speaker 5 (05:43):
At the time, I didn't think it'd be necessary.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
You know where they called from? Well?
Speaker 6 (05:48):
Fred said some bar.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Did he mention that name?
Speaker 5 (05:50):
No? And I didn't ask.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
I guess I was afraid to What do you mean? Well?
Speaker 6 (05:56):
Jason used to.
Speaker 5 (05:56):
Drink quite a bit. We had a lot of trouble
over it seemed like everything was falling apart, and then
he straightened upn't quit. He hasn't had to drink a
liquor in ten years. When Fred called, I thought that
maybe he'd gotten Jason started again.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Did he say your husband had been drinking?
Speaker 5 (06:12):
No? No, he just told me that Jason was leaving
the bar and to be right home.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Was he driving well, I don't know, ma'am.
Speaker 5 (06:19):
My husband heard his shoulder a couple of days ago.
Speaker 6 (06:21):
He wrenched it.
Speaker 5 (06:22):
I don't think he's able to drive very well. Well,
he might try to make it with one hand. Our
car had that automatic drives thing, you know, you don't
have to shift gears. Yeah, h but I don't think
he'd have driven.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Did he leave in your car?
Speaker 5 (06:35):
Yes, Fred told him he drives.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Where'd he go?
Speaker 5 (06:39):
Well, like I told you on the phone, to.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
The races, your husband usually go there.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
No. The only reason he went today was to collect
some money from hoo Fred.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
He's the man your husband was gonna put in jail.
Speaker 5 (06:50):
Was I right, Yes, that's right?
Speaker 3 (06:52):
What?
Speaker 5 (06:53):
Oh, he's oldest some money for quite a while. About
four months ago, Jason askin for it. Fred wrote a check.
It wasn't any good.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
That's I'm ahead.
Speaker 6 (07:03):
Well.
Speaker 5 (07:03):
Jason tried to get in touch with Fred and wanted
to give him the chance to make good on the check.
Speaker 6 (07:08):
Was never able to catch him at.
Speaker 5 (07:09):
Home talk to him on the phone, but Fred was
never there when my husband went over to see him.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yep.
Speaker 5 (07:16):
Jason told him to have the money this morning and
the bad check would be turned.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Over to the police. Huh.
Speaker 6 (07:20):
Fred showed up here this morning.
Speaker 5 (07:22):
We thought he'd come to pay the money, but he
told us he didn't have it, and Jason said there
wasn't any reason to spend more time on it, said
they might as well go to the police. That's when
Fred told us that he could get the money out
at the race track. He wanted Jason to drive him
out there.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Is that what happened?
Speaker 6 (07:39):
Yeah, but first Jason didn't want to, you know, with
his sore shouldering, and he told Fred to take a bus.
Speaker 5 (07:45):
Fred said he didn't have any money and begged my
husband to drive him. Told him how he'd pay the
money he owed and have enough to get home.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (07:53):
Well they left here about eleven.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Did Does Fred Madison say who he was gonna get
the money from?
Speaker 5 (07:58):
No, just that it was some friend.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Can you give us a description of your husband's car.
Speaker 5 (08:03):
Yes, I've got the license number two if you want it.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
How about a description of both men?
Speaker 5 (08:08):
Well I can give you that, all right.
Speaker 6 (08:09):
Heller that's the sergeant.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
Yes, ma'am, you've been through this kind of thing before.
You ought to know.
Speaker 6 (08:16):
What's that about Jason?
Speaker 5 (08:18):
Do you think he's all right?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Well, I wouldn't know him as Helmer. We'll try to
find out.
Speaker 5 (08:22):
We've been so close the last ten years, ever since
he stopped drinking. I guess that's what I'm afraid of
more than anything else, him starting up again.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
This man might understand.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
Do you think he might have started up again?
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Well, I wouldn't know that either, but I'd say things
might be in your favor.
Speaker 5 (08:40):
Well, how's that?
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Well, ten years is a long time. Yeah, good habits
you're hard to break too.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Before we left the store, we got a complete description
of Jason Helmer and Fred Madison. We also got Madison's
address and.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
The licensed number of the car they were driving.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Missus Halmer gave us a recent photograph of her husband,
and we checked with R and I on both men.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
We found a record on each one of them.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Helmer had been booked twelve times for drunk, the last
one was over ten years ago. Madison had been picked
up for drunk suspicion of burglary and writing checks without
sufficient funds. We checked the jails in the hospitals.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
And we found that neither man had been booked in
the last five hours.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
We went back to the office and got a local
on an APV on both man and the car. Nine
forty six pm we drove out to talk to Fred Madison.
There was no one at home, but we got the
information that his wife was employed at a restaurant on
Clay Street.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
We went over to see her.
Speaker 6 (09:38):
Can I help you?
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Yeah, I'd like to see missus Madison. Please?
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Who are you police officers? This is my partner, Frank Smith.
My name is Friday. His identification.
Speaker 6 (09:49):
Well, I'm Laurna Madison. What do you want?
Speaker 3 (09:51):
A few questions we'd like to ask?
Speaker 6 (09:53):
Mind going in the back to talk. I don't want
everybody in the place to know the business. Who's back
here hard enough to keep the job? Go ahead and
sit down.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Oh? Thanks?
Speaker 6 (10:05):
Can I get you some coffee?
Speaker 3 (10:06):
No? Thank you?
Speaker 5 (10:07):
No?
Speaker 6 (10:07):
Man, huh, I don't have to ask you what this
is all?
Speaker 3 (10:12):
I guess big pride.
Speaker 6 (10:14):
Something about Fred, ma'am? What'd he do?
Speaker 3 (10:18):
Well? We're not sure that he's done anything yet. Ms Madison?
Speaker 6 (10:20):
And why are you here?
Speaker 3 (10:21):
We're trying to find him?
Speaker 6 (10:23):
He is in trouble.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
We'll just want to talk to him. Could he tell
us where he might be he should be home?
Speaker 6 (10:28):
He tied there, Yes, we have, Well, I don't know.
Then he left this morning, said he'd be home early.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Have you heard from him?
Speaker 7 (10:34):
No?
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Did he say where he was going when he left
the race track? Was he going with anybody? Would you know?
Speaker 6 (10:39):
He didn't say?
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Kind of work does your husband doing, Miss Madison? He's
a collector? What's that?
Speaker 8 (10:44):
He collects corks and bottles? Ma'am, I'm trying to tell
you it doesn't work.
Speaker 6 (10:48):
It just drinks.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Then how could he afford to go to the races?
Speaker 6 (10:52):
He can't.
Speaker 8 (10:52):
The only money he's gots what he can borrow from
other people, to steal from my purse.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
Did he say why I was going to the races? Oh?
Speaker 6 (10:59):
I don't care what he does anymore.
Speaker 8 (11:00):
I've tried to help him, but he doesn't make any
effort to change, just goes on drinking and feeling sorry
for himself.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Any idea of where he'd go if he was drinking?
Speaker 6 (11:08):
Any place where he can move your drink if he
can try that here?
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Can you give us the name of any of the places?
Speaker 8 (11:15):
Yeah, I can tell you, but would you tell me
what he's done?
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Well, it's just like we said in Miss Madison, we're
not sure that he's done anything yet.
Speaker 6 (11:23):
That's the truth.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Yes, ma'am. We just like to talk to him, alright.
Speaker 6 (11:27):
I think I can help you find him.
Speaker 8 (11:29):
I got a phone call earlier this evening from your husband. No,
from a friend of ours and a valet, David.
Speaker 6 (11:34):
Nie and Fred had.
Speaker 8 (11:35):
Called him that one of the user's place tonight. David
said he could. I ask him if Fred had been drinking.
He said he couldn't tell, but I know he has
follows a pattern.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
How's happening his Madison?
Speaker 8 (11:45):
He's done it before, go out to David's place, drink
himself into a stupor.
Speaker 6 (11:49):
David always calls me, so I don't worry.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
MM.
Speaker 6 (11:53):
Could I have something to your officers?
Speaker 3 (11:55):
MM?
Speaker 6 (11:57):
If you find him there, will you do what you
can for him?
Speaker 3 (12:00):
What do you think it's going to do any good?
Speaker 6 (12:02):
What do you mean, mister?
Speaker 3 (12:03):
I don't think he'd take our help, would he? Why
he didn't want yours?
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Miss Madison gave us the address of the place where
her husband was supposed to be. We also got the
address and phone number of David Neisons. We put in
a call to him, but he hadn't heard from Madison.
Frank and I left the restaurant and drove out to
the San Fernando Valley. On the way out it started
rain three one one three North Off Street was a
small redwood house.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
We parked the car and walked up onto the porch.
Frank tried the door. I better try it again. Yeah, Oh,
who's uh? Madison opened the dark? Oh? Come on, Madison,
open up? Does it sounds like he's doing too good?
(12:54):
You know.
Speaker 9 (13:00):
What do you want?
Speaker 3 (13:01):
Let's talk inside.
Speaker 9 (13:02):
We sure wouldn't keep anybody out at night like this.
Speaker 7 (13:06):
Come on in, police officers. Yeah, let's go about a fire.
Speaker 9 (13:11):
Let's cold out here in the middle room. You Fred Madison,
Well that's what you call me when you ponted on
the door.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
That's right.
Speaker 9 (13:18):
Your friends of Dave's.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
We've talked to him.
Speaker 9 (13:21):
There's a nice fellow, Dave. This is Hushing.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Yeah, we know, nice.
Speaker 7 (13:25):
Place, roof's tight, good bar. He's a great friend, old Dave.
Speaker 9 (13:32):
Come on, Yeah, how you fellows like to drink? You
know something? Keep the chill off.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
No, we don't want one, and we think you've had
enough too.
Speaker 9 (13:42):
Well how about you, mister?
Speaker 2 (13:44):
No, okay, but don't sit and try to glass down Madison.
You don't have enough trouble answering our questions as it is.
Speaker 9 (13:53):
Well, that's just where you're wrong, right, Yeah. The one
thing everybody says is about old Fred. He can handle
his booze. You'll never see old fresh swinging.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
Put that glass down? Okay, like crop right, mind?
Speaker 9 (14:08):
If I sit on.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Here, I'll help you sit right here? All right?
Speaker 9 (14:14):
Oh Dave, I get some chushions for these benches.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
Yeah, you want to start talking now, whenever you're ready.
What'd you do today? All day? That's right? Nothing?
Speaker 9 (14:25):
Absolutely nothing.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
Where'd you go?
Speaker 9 (14:27):
Took a little ride out to the trick racist? Yeah,
took a little.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Ride to go by yourself? I said, did you go
to the races by yourself?
Speaker 9 (14:36):
As a matter of fact, I didn't.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
Who'd you go?
Speaker 9 (14:37):
A friend of mine?
Speaker 3 (14:39):
What's his name?
Speaker 9 (14:40):
Well, you don't know? Give us his name, Jason Homer.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Tell us what happened?
Speaker 5 (14:46):
Well?
Speaker 9 (14:46):
Nothing, We drove out there and saw the horses.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Do you make any bets? No? Then why'd you go?
Speaker 9 (14:52):
I like horses?
Speaker 3 (14:53):
You know that's not the reason I come on?
Speaker 9 (14:55):
Okay, I went out to collect some money from who?
Why are you asking all these question?
Speaker 3 (15:00):
Did you get the money?
Speaker 6 (15:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (15:01):
What did you do with it?
Speaker 9 (15:02):
I don't think that's any of your business.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
You do anything wrong with it? No? Well, then you
don't mind telling us? Do you? Hey to Bill? Who?
Speaker 9 (15:11):
Jason?
Speaker 3 (15:11):
How much? Going?
Speaker 9 (15:12):
One hundred bucks? Listen? I don't like all these questions
the way you guys came in here. I don't like
it at all. I don't think I'm gonna answer anything
more for you.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I think you are or where'd you go after you
left the track? Come on, Madison towards it? Drove out
to the valley?
Speaker 3 (15:29):
Halmer going with you?
Speaker 9 (15:31):
Yes? He did?
Speaker 3 (15:31):
Who drove me? Jason has a sore shoulder? All right?
Speaker 9 (15:36):
We stopped at the bar, had a couple of drinks.
Homer was feeling pretty good that he got paid.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
How about Hammer? Did he have anything to drink? Who?
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Halmer?
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Yeah? Yeah, a couple. What was the name of the bar?
The bar? What's the name of it?
Speaker 9 (15:51):
Oh, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
You stopped at a place and you don't know the
name of it.
Speaker 9 (15:54):
That's the way it is. It doesn't matter what name's
on the outside anyway. Just what's on the bottles? That's
what's important, all right?
Speaker 3 (16:01):
What happened? Then?
Speaker 9 (16:03):
Jason said he had to go home. He wanted me
to call his wife and tell her he was on
the way.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Did you Yeah? What time was that?
Speaker 7 (16:10):
I guess about five thirty someplace in there.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 9 (16:14):
Well we sat around and had a couple more and.
Speaker 7 (16:16):
Then he left.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
You stayed on after helm Or left? Yeah? Who paid
for the drinks? Well?
Speaker 9 (16:20):
What do you think me?
Speaker 3 (16:22):
How much money did you collect that at the track?
Speaker 9 (16:23):
One hundred bucks collected and then paid Jason?
Speaker 2 (16:26):
All right, let's see your wallet, Ah, come on, get
it up. How much money have you got?
Speaker 9 (16:33):
I don't know, not much.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
We'll take a guess, will you?
Speaker 9 (16:36):
Twenty thirty dollars?
Speaker 3 (16:38):
All right, open your wallet and count it.
Speaker 9 (16:39):
Well, it might be better if you did.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
I said you counted, okay.
Speaker 9 (16:44):
But don't get mad at me if I do it wrong.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
We'll try not to. All right, Let's see this.
Speaker 9 (16:50):
Ten twenty.
Speaker 7 (16:55):
Twenty five, twenty six, twenty seven, twenty seven.
Speaker 9 (17:01):
Dollars that in the change I still got in my pocket.
You want me to count that too?
Speaker 3 (17:05):
Never mind, I'll be glad the door for you. Let
me see your wallet well, certainly here you are you
keep the money? They give me the wallet.
Speaker 7 (17:13):
Wallet's a present from my wife, real nice cardian leather,
not a stitch in it, you know, all folded.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Okay, here, put a bank in your pocket?
Speaker 7 (17:23):
Yeah, thank you?
Speaker 3 (17:25):
Where'd you get the money medicine from? Then? My wallet
for that?
Speaker 9 (17:29):
I had it this morning?
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Why I got it that you were broke this morning?
Speaker 9 (17:36):
I got it now now I have got it.
Speaker 7 (17:39):
Yeah, you think I'm a thief, isn't that it?
Speaker 3 (17:42):
We'll let you tell us.
Speaker 9 (17:43):
No, I didn't steal it, all right?
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Then when you get it from my bank? When'd you
get it tonight? When you're gonna do a little better
on that medicine? Well, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Why, be perfectly happy to prove it to you when
you're ready.
Speaker 9 (17:55):
Huh, all right, I'll show you. Take your right out there.
You think all about it close at the same.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
Time, don't you go ahead?
Speaker 9 (18:02):
Well you're wrong. Mine's always open.
Speaker 7 (18:05):
Of course, you don't pay any interest, but it's there
and it's always open.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Let's go. Sure, take you right out there.
Speaker 9 (18:11):
It's out in Knoga Park.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
You got a coach, nosher.
Speaker 9 (18:14):
Hey, how about a drink before we go?
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Kind of warm up that down. I told you once
you've had enough of that.
Speaker 9 (18:22):
It ain't that much.
Speaker 7 (18:24):
I hate to figure what happened if I ever ran out.
I hate to think about it. Be terrible to have
to go around it.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
But I'll tell you something.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
What's set that Bankers isn't there? You're going to get
the chance. Because of Fred Madison's condition, it was difficult
to know how much of the truth he was telling us.
We went back to the car and started to drive
toward Canoga Park. On the way, we stopped and put
in a call to missus Helmer. Her husband still hadn't returned.
Madison directed us to drive to a ranch type house
(18:52):
on Kelvin Avenue. By the time we got there and
stopped raining, we parked the car and walked up to
the house. There were no lights on and no answer
when we rang a bell.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
Al right, Madison, you threw playing games.
Speaker 7 (19:01):
Now bank shot in the backyard. Backyard, there's a barbecue
out there. Banks that tin can near there a right,
show us.
Speaker 9 (19:11):
I used to live in this house.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
That's so yeah.
Speaker 7 (19:13):
I always figured the Sunday I was gonna need some money.
One time I just went out and buried some figure
there'd be a time when.
Speaker 9 (19:19):
I was gonna need it.
Speaker 7 (19:20):
Yeah, and it's a tin can near the barbecue.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
What time are you here today?
Speaker 9 (19:24):
Well, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
I don't have a watch, haven't got any idea. I'm sorry.
Speaker 9 (19:30):
That cats is kind of tricky.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
You gotta put towards you.
Speaker 9 (19:33):
I always meant to fix that when we lived here.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
All right, Now, where's the barbecue one?
Speaker 7 (19:37):
You got a flashlight and let me have it.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
You tell us where you want it pointed.
Speaker 9 (19:42):
See, you don't trust anybody.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Where's the barbecue.
Speaker 9 (19:45):
It's over in.
Speaker 7 (19:45):
The corner of the yard, right near the fence.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Where over here?
Speaker 9 (19:50):
And I'll swing the light over to the left.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
All right, there's nothing there.
Speaker 9 (19:57):
Maybe I made a mistake. It's been a while since
I been here. There must be any.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Other corner of the yard over here. Huh yeah, all right,
take a good look. You're not doing so good tonight,
are you, Madison.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
I don't understand I saw it today, probably the owner
of the house, and we check with him.
Speaker 7 (20:20):
Sure, don't understand it right in the corner of the
yard near the fence.
Speaker 9 (20:23):
How do you, fellows?
Speaker 3 (20:24):
You're looking for police officers, sir. We tried the door.
There wasn't anybody home.
Speaker 9 (20:28):
And tell me what this is all about.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
You live here, do you? That's right? What are you
looking for? You know anything about a barbecue pit in
the backyard here?
Speaker 9 (20:36):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (20:36):
What one? Tell us where it is? I tore it down.
Speaker 9 (20:39):
Three months ago.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
We returned Fred Madison to the office for further interrogation.
Frank and I attempted to talk to him, without result.
He said he couldn't remember where he'd got the money.
He couldn't tell us where Jason Halmer was. They put
in a call to the missing man's home, but he
still hadn't returned. We rechecked the hospitals and the jail
without result. One fourteen am, we were ready to give
it up for the night. Frank went over to the
(21:05):
office and I got Madison.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
Ready to leave.
Speaker 7 (21:07):
Are you're going to take me to jail now?
Speaker 3 (21:09):
You call it? Come on? Pulled it up, Madison? What
do you got? A call? Just came in by a
Homer's car and they just found it.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
While men from the business office took Madison over to
the main jail for booking, Frank and I drove out
to the valley again. Halmer's car had been found about
a mile off the Panca Canyon Boulevard on Farreview Road.
It was back off the road and partially hidden by
the trees. When we got there, a radio car was
standing by.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
We talked to the officers.
Speaker 10 (21:43):
Take a look at the back.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
Stuff on the ground there.
Speaker 11 (21:47):
I covered it with the boxes in case it started
to rein again.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
It's good.
Speaker 9 (21:52):
The stains here on the ground.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
I don't know if they're gonna mean anything. You got
anyone use over this? Trump check our car? Right? What
do you think? I don't know. Better, get in touch
with the crime lab. Have him come out and go
over the place. Yeah, ye, I got something. A thanks,
(22:16):
then you get it. Put that light over here. We Yeah,
how's that? That's better? He needs some help. No, I
got it here once more. Ought to do it now. Yeah,
where we are, let's get it open up m But
(22:38):
maybe we'd be wrong. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
We put in a call to the crime lab and
they came out and made an investigation of the scene.
From what we could tell, Halimer had been killed by
some sort of blood instrument. His empty wallet was in
the trunk beside the body. Six forty eight am.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
We had Bred Madison brought from his cell he lazi.
My head feels like it don't belong to me.
Speaker 7 (23:02):
Why don't you tell us the truth? You haven't told
me what this is about. There's no reason why I
should answer your questions if I don't know what you're
trying to get.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
I told you we want the truth.
Speaker 7 (23:10):
All these questions, over and over the same things.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
You can make it easy on yourself. Well, come up
with the right answers.
Speaker 9 (23:16):
But I've told you.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Yeah, I like the bar you want to call the
I don't know.
Speaker 9 (23:19):
I'd tell you the name if I knew.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
I've been drinking pretty good. I'll get right. Yeah here,
Joe Madison, Yeah, this is about your bank.
Speaker 9 (23:39):
What do you mean?
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Let's explain when you got the money.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
When you took the currency from Helmer's wallet, you left
three perfect prints on one of the saloid envelopes.
Speaker 9 (23:48):
It means something has happened to Helmer.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
You tell us, go on, you can drop the bluff.
These prints are enough to invite you. You won't tell.
Speaker 7 (23:55):
Us he was gonna send me to jail. I didn't
get the money at the track.
Speaker 9 (24:02):
I tried to get him to give me some more time.
Speaker 7 (24:04):
Yeah, I was so righteous about it, said I had
enough time he was going to go to police. I
pleaded it with him, but he wouldn't listen. It happened
real quick. Maybe if I hadn't been drinking, it might
not have been this way.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
I don't know.
Speaker 7 (24:17):
Yeah, I started to think about the big trouble was in.
I think it was all a kind of money right.
There really was a guy at the track. You know,
he was going to lend me the money to pay home.
If he owe me the money would have solved everything.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
It was another way. What do you mean that money
owed helmer? Yeah, he could have worked for it.
Speaker 11 (24:45):
Frederick Carson Madison was tried and convicted of murder in
the first degree and received sentence as prescribed by law.
On recommendation of the jury, he was sentenced to life
imprisonment in the state Penitentiary San Quentin, California.
Speaker 7 (25:09):
You have just heard Dragon, the Authentic Story of your Police.
Speaker 10 (25:13):
Force elections and starring Jack Webb, the presentation of the
United States Armed Forces Radio Services.
Speaker 7 (26:10):
That's about
Speaker 8 (26:20):
Asser
Ladies and gentlemen. The story you were about to hear
is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Drag Met. You're a detective sergeant, you're assigned a missing
person's detail. You get a call that a man has
(00:30):
failed to return to his home. There's reason to suspect Powell.
Play your job, investigate.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
It was Friday, January two, was overcast in Los Angeles.
We were working to night watch out a homicide division
missing person's detail. My partner's Frank Smith. The boss's Captain Mormon.
My name's Friday. As I'm my way back from communications,
and it was eight twelve am when I got to
Room twenty four, squadroom.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Well, it's hard to believe in it.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
M January second, another year gone by. Yeah, you see
this evening sports page?
Speaker 3 (01:09):
No I didn't.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Why still talking about that Rose Bowl game? You know,
Joe looks to me like that last play of the
game is going to end up like the Dempsey Tony thing.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
What the Dempsey to fight? Oh No, I don't think
it will.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Oh yeah, big controversy over that last play. Well since
when all the sports writers agree.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Well that's where you're wrong, Joe. Why do you figure that.
I read them all Examiner, Times, Harold News, the Mirror.
They all agree. The officials called it right.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
All the sports writers, every one of them.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Currently you hadn't seen this. I never seen that paper
before in my life. No, that's where you're wrong, Joe.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
All the writers don't agree on that last play. See
Finchley Crockett right there. You can see for yourself. Who
Finchley Crockett.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Who's he? Only the sports editor, that's all the editor?
What what paper is this? Jesse County realist picked it
up to night him away in. Yeah, well the game's over,
so let's just forget about it. What he say?
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Oh sure, just overlook the only right call on the game.
I'll just pass it right by Joe. Finchley Crockett's never
been wrong. Called the World Series the All Star Game,
picked a heavyweight champ before the fight. He's accurate, Joe, Well,
good for him, but it's over and the score still stands.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Next year's another game.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
Okay, listen to this. I'm gonna read this column to you.
The bird says by Finchley Crockett.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
What's the name of the column? The bird? Bird Crockett?
Who when?
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Oh, I forgot to tell you when Crockett played for
the Trojans, his nickname was the Bird.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
I don't remember anybody by that name playing for.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
USC you know, Joe jc U Jesse County Trojans.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Oh yeah, sure. I listen to what he says. It
is a rare treat.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
When the editor of a small town paper gets to
see one of the nation's Bowl games. But your editor
was so treated this week at the County Seat. As
you all know, the new television transmitter is now operating,
and it is a rare treat. As you know, there's
nothing like being at the game, But it is a
rare treat when the editor of a small town paper
(03:23):
gets to see one of the nation's Bowl games. He's
a real great guy, Joe. And in closing yours truly
would like to go on record and say that the
last play of the game was a complete.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Mystery to me. We'll go ahead, go ahead. That's it, Joe.
He made his point. That's all there is to the
entire column. Well, that's it.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
It proves that all the sportswriters didn't agree on the
last play of the game.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
I get it.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Missing persons Friday, Yes, ma'am. That's right, all right, we'll
be right out.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
No, ma'am, by the way, good bye.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
What do you got missing? Her husband and wife says,
he and another man went out this afternoon. He's over
three hours late getting home.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
It's kind of early to start worrying.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Huh, you know not the way she puts in. What
do you mean I'm a fellow with him? Yeah, her
husband was gonna have him put in jail. Eight thirty
two pm, Frank and I left the office and drove
out to the address was located on Agatha Street. The
lettering on the window read Helmer's Mannequin, Rental and Sails.
The star was dark except for a single light of
(04:36):
the rear of the place. We knocked and a small
woman in her fifties answered the door. We identified ourselves
and she asked us.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
Him, you wanna come back to the office.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Thank you?
Speaker 5 (04:47):
What's your steps there?
Speaker 3 (04:49):
It's kind of dark, thank you. He's dummy, sure, look
like real people.
Speaker 5 (04:54):
Yes, he specialized and life like models. I've been working
on the book, trying to keep my mind off of
what's happened.
Speaker 6 (05:02):
Uh huh.
Speaker 5 (05:02):
He wanted to sit down.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
That's why I miss helmet.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
You go ahead, anyone tell us what this is all about.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
Now, Oh, Jason's gone.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
That's your husband's name, Jason Helmer.
Speaker 6 (05:12):
That's right. How was he at fifty three?
Speaker 5 (05:15):
He had a birthday last October?
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Why do you think something's happened to him?
Speaker 6 (05:19):
Because it's not like him to do a thing.
Speaker 5 (05:21):
Like this without telling me.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
He told me on the phone that you'd heard from him.
Is that right?
Speaker 6 (05:25):
Not from him?
Speaker 5 (05:26):
Fred Madison called me.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
When was that?
Speaker 5 (05:29):
I guess it was about five forty five, might have
been six, no later?
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Or what this fella Madison say to you?
Speaker 5 (05:35):
Told me that Jason was coming right home.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Were they together when he called? You know?
Speaker 5 (05:39):
Fred said they were?
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Did you talk to your husband? No?
Speaker 5 (05:43):
At the time, I didn't think it'd be necessary.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
You know where they called from? Well?
Speaker 6 (05:48):
Fred said some bar.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Did he mention that name?
Speaker 5 (05:50):
No? And I didn't ask.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
I guess I was afraid to What do you mean? Well?
Speaker 6 (05:56):
Jason used to.
Speaker 5 (05:56):
Drink quite a bit. We had a lot of trouble
over it seemed like everything was falling apart, and then
he straightened upn't quit. He hasn't had to drink a
liquor in ten years. When Fred called, I thought that
maybe he'd gotten Jason started again.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Did he say your husband had been drinking?
Speaker 5 (06:12):
No? No, he just told me that Jason was leaving
the bar and to be right home.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Was he driving well, I don't know, ma'am.
Speaker 5 (06:19):
My husband heard his shoulder a couple of days ago.
Speaker 6 (06:21):
He wrenched it.
Speaker 5 (06:22):
I don't think he's able to drive very well. Well,
he might try to make it with one hand. Our
car had that automatic drives thing, you know, you don't
have to shift gears. Yeah, h but I don't think
he'd have driven.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Did he leave in your car?
Speaker 5 (06:35):
Yes, Fred told him he drives.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Where'd he go?
Speaker 5 (06:39):
Well, like I told you on the phone, to.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
The races, your husband usually go there.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
No. The only reason he went today was to collect
some money from hoo Fred.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
He's the man your husband was gonna put in jail.
Speaker 5 (06:50):
Was I right, Yes, that's right?
Speaker 3 (06:52):
What?
Speaker 5 (06:53):
Oh, he's oldest some money for quite a while. About
four months ago, Jason askin for it. Fred wrote a check.
It wasn't any good.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
That's I'm ahead.
Speaker 6 (07:03):
Well.
Speaker 5 (07:03):
Jason tried to get in touch with Fred and wanted
to give him the chance to make good on the check.
Speaker 6 (07:08):
Was never able to catch him at.
Speaker 5 (07:09):
Home talk to him on the phone, but Fred was
never there when my husband went over to see him.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yep.
Speaker 5 (07:16):
Jason told him to have the money this morning and
the bad check would be turned.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Over to the police. Huh.
Speaker 6 (07:20):
Fred showed up here this morning.
Speaker 5 (07:22):
We thought he'd come to pay the money, but he
told us he didn't have it, and Jason said there
wasn't any reason to spend more time on it, said
they might as well go to the police. That's when
Fred told us that he could get the money out
at the race track. He wanted Jason to drive him
out there.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Is that what happened?
Speaker 6 (07:39):
Yeah, but first Jason didn't want to, you know, with
his sore shouldering, and he told Fred to take a bus.
Speaker 5 (07:45):
Fred said he didn't have any money and begged my
husband to drive him. Told him how he'd pay the
money he owed and have enough to get home.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (07:53):
Well they left here about eleven.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Did Does Fred Madison say who he was gonna get
the money from?
Speaker 5 (07:58):
No, just that it was some friend.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Can you give us a description of your husband's car.
Speaker 5 (08:03):
Yes, I've got the license number two if you want it.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
How about a description of both men?
Speaker 5 (08:08):
Well I can give you that, all right.
Speaker 6 (08:09):
Heller that's the sergeant.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
Yes, ma'am, you've been through this kind of thing before.
You ought to know.
Speaker 6 (08:16):
What's that about Jason?
Speaker 5 (08:18):
Do you think he's all right?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Well, I wouldn't know him as Helmer. We'll try to
find out.
Speaker 5 (08:22):
We've been so close the last ten years, ever since
he stopped drinking. I guess that's what I'm afraid of
more than anything else, him starting up again.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
This man might understand.
Speaker 5 (08:33):
Do you think he might have started up again?
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Well, I wouldn't know that either, but I'd say things
might be in your favor.
Speaker 5 (08:40):
Well, how's that?
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Well, ten years is a long time. Yeah, good habits
you're hard to break too.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Before we left the store, we got a complete description
of Jason Helmer and Fred Madison. We also got Madison's
address and.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
The licensed number of the car they were driving.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Missus Halmer gave us a recent photograph of her husband,
and we checked with R and I on both men.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
We found a record on each one of them.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Helmer had been booked twelve times for drunk, the last
one was over ten years ago. Madison had been picked
up for drunk suspicion of burglary and writing checks without
sufficient funds. We checked the jails in the hospitals.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
And we found that neither man had been booked in
the last five hours.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
We went back to the office and got a local
on an APV on both man and the car. Nine
forty six pm we drove out to talk to Fred Madison.
There was no one at home, but we got the
information that his wife was employed at a restaurant on
Clay Street.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
We went over to see her.
Speaker 6 (09:38):
Can I help you?
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Yeah, I'd like to see missus Madison. Please?
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Who are you police officers? This is my partner, Frank Smith.
My name is Friday. His identification.
Speaker 6 (09:49):
Well, I'm Laurna Madison. What do you want?
Speaker 3 (09:51):
A few questions we'd like to ask?
Speaker 6 (09:53):
Mind going in the back to talk. I don't want
everybody in the place to know the business. Who's back
here hard enough to keep the job? Go ahead and
sit down.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Oh? Thanks?
Speaker 6 (10:05):
Can I get you some coffee?
Speaker 3 (10:06):
No? Thank you?
Speaker 5 (10:07):
No?
Speaker 6 (10:07):
Man, huh, I don't have to ask you what this
is all?
Speaker 3 (10:12):
I guess big pride.
Speaker 6 (10:14):
Something about Fred, ma'am? What'd he do?
Speaker 3 (10:18):
Well? We're not sure that he's done anything yet. Ms Madison?
Speaker 6 (10:20):
And why are you here?
Speaker 3 (10:21):
We're trying to find him?
Speaker 6 (10:23):
He is in trouble.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
We'll just want to talk to him. Could he tell
us where he might be he should be home?
Speaker 6 (10:28):
He tied there, Yes, we have, Well, I don't know.
Then he left this morning, said he'd be home early.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Have you heard from him?
Speaker 7 (10:34):
No?
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Did he say where he was going when he left
the race track? Was he going with anybody? Would you know?
Speaker 6 (10:39):
He didn't say?
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Kind of work does your husband doing, Miss Madison? He's
a collector? What's that?
Speaker 8 (10:44):
He collects corks and bottles? Ma'am, I'm trying to tell
you it doesn't work.
Speaker 6 (10:48):
It just drinks.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Then how could he afford to go to the races?
Speaker 6 (10:52):
He can't.
Speaker 8 (10:52):
The only money he's gots what he can borrow from
other people, to steal from my purse.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
Did he say why I was going to the races? Oh?
Speaker 6 (10:59):
I don't care what he does anymore.
Speaker 8 (11:00):
I've tried to help him, but he doesn't make any
effort to change, just goes on drinking and feeling sorry
for himself.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Any idea of where he'd go if he was drinking?
Speaker 6 (11:08):
Any place where he can move your drink if he
can try that here?
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Can you give us the name of any of the places?
Speaker 8 (11:15):
Yeah, I can tell you, but would you tell me
what he's done?
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Well, it's just like we said in Miss Madison, we're
not sure that he's done anything yet.
Speaker 6 (11:23):
That's the truth.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Yes, ma'am. We just like to talk to him, alright.
Speaker 6 (11:27):
I think I can help you find him.
Speaker 8 (11:29):
I got a phone call earlier this evening from your husband. No,
from a friend of ours and a valet, David.
Speaker 6 (11:34):
Nie and Fred had.
Speaker 8 (11:35):
Called him that one of the user's place tonight. David
said he could. I ask him if Fred had been drinking.
He said he couldn't tell, but I know he has
follows a pattern.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
How's happening his Madison?
Speaker 8 (11:45):
He's done it before, go out to David's place, drink
himself into a stupor.
Speaker 6 (11:49):
David always calls me, so I don't worry.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
MM.
Speaker 6 (11:53):
Could I have something to your officers?
Speaker 3 (11:55):
MM?
Speaker 6 (11:57):
If you find him there, will you do what you
can for him?
Speaker 3 (12:00):
What do you think it's going to do any good?
Speaker 6 (12:02):
What do you mean, mister?
Speaker 3 (12:03):
I don't think he'd take our help, would he? Why
he didn't want yours?
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Miss Madison gave us the address of the place where
her husband was supposed to be. We also got the
address and phone number of David Neisons. We put in
a call to him, but he hadn't heard from Madison.
Frank and I left the restaurant and drove out to
the San Fernando Valley. On the way out it started
rain three one one three North Off Street was a
small redwood house.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
We parked the car and walked up onto the porch.
Frank tried the door. I better try it again. Yeah, Oh,
who's uh? Madison opened the dark? Oh? Come on, Madison,
open up? Does it sounds like he's doing too good?
(12:54):
You know.
Speaker 9 (13:00):
What do you want?
Speaker 3 (13:01):
Let's talk inside.
Speaker 9 (13:02):
We sure wouldn't keep anybody out at night like this.
Speaker 7 (13:06):
Come on in, police officers. Yeah, let's go about a fire.
Speaker 9 (13:11):
Let's cold out here in the middle room. You Fred Madison,
Well that's what you call me when you ponted on
the door.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
That's right.
Speaker 9 (13:18):
Your friends of Dave's.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
We've talked to him.
Speaker 9 (13:21):
There's a nice fellow, Dave. This is Hushing.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Yeah, we know, nice.
Speaker 7 (13:25):
Place, roof's tight, good bar. He's a great friend, old Dave.
Speaker 9 (13:32):
Come on, Yeah, how you fellows like to drink? You
know something? Keep the chill off.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
No, we don't want one, and we think you've had
enough too.
Speaker 9 (13:42):
Well how about you, mister?
Speaker 2 (13:44):
No, okay, but don't sit and try to glass down Madison.
You don't have enough trouble answering our questions as it is.
Speaker 9 (13:53):
Well, that's just where you're wrong, right, Yeah. The one
thing everybody says is about old Fred. He can handle
his booze. You'll never see old fresh swinging.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
Put that glass down? Okay, like crop right, mind?
Speaker 9 (14:08):
If I sit on.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Here, I'll help you sit right here? All right?
Speaker 9 (14:14):
Oh Dave, I get some chushions for these benches.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
Yeah, you want to start talking now, whenever you're ready.
What'd you do today? All day? That's right? Nothing?
Speaker 9 (14:25):
Absolutely nothing.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
Where'd you go?
Speaker 9 (14:27):
Took a little ride out to the trick racist? Yeah,
took a little.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Ride to go by yourself? I said, did you go
to the races by yourself?
Speaker 9 (14:36):
As a matter of fact, I didn't.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
Who'd you go?
Speaker 9 (14:37):
A friend of mine?
Speaker 3 (14:39):
What's his name?
Speaker 9 (14:40):
Well, you don't know? Give us his name, Jason Homer.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Tell us what happened?
Speaker 5 (14:46):
Well?
Speaker 9 (14:46):
Nothing, We drove out there and saw the horses.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Do you make any bets? No? Then why'd you go?
Speaker 9 (14:52):
I like horses?
Speaker 3 (14:53):
You know that's not the reason I come on?
Speaker 9 (14:55):
Okay, I went out to collect some money from who?
Why are you asking all these question?
Speaker 3 (15:00):
Did you get the money?
Speaker 6 (15:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (15:01):
What did you do with it?
Speaker 9 (15:02):
I don't think that's any of your business.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
You do anything wrong with it? No? Well, then you
don't mind telling us? Do you? Hey to Bill? Who?
Speaker 9 (15:11):
Jason?
Speaker 3 (15:11):
How much? Going?
Speaker 9 (15:12):
One hundred bucks? Listen? I don't like all these questions
the way you guys came in here. I don't like
it at all. I don't think I'm gonna answer anything
more for you.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I think you are or where'd you go after you
left the track? Come on, Madison towards it? Drove out
to the valley?
Speaker 3 (15:29):
Halmer going with you?
Speaker 9 (15:31):
Yes? He did?
Speaker 3 (15:31):
Who drove me? Jason has a sore shoulder? All right?
Speaker 9 (15:36):
We stopped at the bar, had a couple of drinks.
Homer was feeling pretty good that he got paid.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
How about Hammer? Did he have anything to drink? Who?
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Halmer?
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Yeah? Yeah, a couple. What was the name of the bar?
The bar? What's the name of it?
Speaker 9 (15:51):
Oh, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
You stopped at a place and you don't know the
name of it.
Speaker 9 (15:54):
That's the way it is. It doesn't matter what name's
on the outside anyway. Just what's on the bottles? That's
what's important, all right?
Speaker 3 (16:01):
What happened? Then?
Speaker 9 (16:03):
Jason said he had to go home. He wanted me
to call his wife and tell her he was on
the way.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Did you Yeah? What time was that?
Speaker 7 (16:10):
I guess about five thirty someplace in there.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 9 (16:14):
Well we sat around and had a couple more and.
Speaker 7 (16:16):
Then he left.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
You stayed on after helm Or left? Yeah? Who paid
for the drinks? Well?
Speaker 9 (16:20):
What do you think me?
Speaker 3 (16:22):
How much money did you collect that at the track?
Speaker 9 (16:23):
One hundred bucks collected and then paid Jason?
Speaker 2 (16:26):
All right, let's see your wallet, Ah, come on, get
it up. How much money have you got?
Speaker 9 (16:33):
I don't know, not much.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
We'll take a guess, will you?
Speaker 9 (16:36):
Twenty thirty dollars?
Speaker 3 (16:38):
All right, open your wallet and count it.
Speaker 9 (16:39):
Well, it might be better if you did.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
I said you counted, okay.
Speaker 9 (16:44):
But don't get mad at me if I do it wrong.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
We'll try not to. All right, Let's see this.
Speaker 9 (16:50):
Ten twenty.
Speaker 7 (16:55):
Twenty five, twenty six, twenty seven, twenty seven.
Speaker 9 (17:01):
Dollars that in the change I still got in my pocket.
You want me to count that too?
Speaker 3 (17:05):
Never mind, I'll be glad the door for you. Let
me see your wallet well, certainly here you are you
keep the money? They give me the wallet.
Speaker 7 (17:13):
Wallet's a present from my wife, real nice cardian leather,
not a stitch in it, you know, all folded.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Okay, here, put a bank in your pocket?
Speaker 7 (17:23):
Yeah, thank you?
Speaker 3 (17:25):
Where'd you get the money medicine from? Then? My wallet
for that?
Speaker 9 (17:29):
I had it this morning?
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Why I got it that you were broke this morning?
Speaker 9 (17:36):
I got it now now I have got it.
Speaker 7 (17:39):
Yeah, you think I'm a thief, isn't that it?
Speaker 3 (17:42):
We'll let you tell us.
Speaker 9 (17:43):
No, I didn't steal it, all right?
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Then when you get it from my bank? When'd you
get it tonight? When you're gonna do a little better
on that medicine? Well, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Why, be perfectly happy to prove it to you when
you're ready.
Speaker 9 (17:55):
Huh, all right, I'll show you. Take your right out there.
You think all about it close at the same.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
Time, don't you go ahead?
Speaker 9 (18:02):
Well you're wrong. Mine's always open.
Speaker 7 (18:05):
Of course, you don't pay any interest, but it's there
and it's always open.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Let's go. Sure, take you right out there.
Speaker 9 (18:11):
It's out in Knoga Park.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
You got a coach, nosher.
Speaker 9 (18:14):
Hey, how about a drink before we go?
Speaker 3 (18:16):
Kind of warm up that down. I told you once
you've had enough of that.
Speaker 9 (18:22):
It ain't that much.
Speaker 7 (18:24):
I hate to figure what happened if I ever ran out.
I hate to think about it. Be terrible to have
to go around it.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
But I'll tell you something.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
What's set that Bankers isn't there? You're going to get
the chance. Because of Fred Madison's condition, it was difficult
to know how much of the truth he was telling us.
We went back to the car and started to drive
toward Canoga Park. On the way, we stopped and put
in a call to missus Helmer. Her husband still hadn't returned.
Madison directed us to drive to a ranch type house
(18:52):
on Kelvin Avenue. By the time we got there and
stopped raining, we parked the car and walked up to
the house. There were no lights on and no answer
when we rang a bell.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
Al right, Madison, you threw playing games.
Speaker 7 (19:01):
Now bank shot in the backyard. Backyard, there's a barbecue
out there. Banks that tin can near there a right,
show us.
Speaker 9 (19:11):
I used to live in this house.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
That's so yeah.
Speaker 7 (19:13):
I always figured the Sunday I was gonna need some money.
One time I just went out and buried some figure
there'd be a time when.
Speaker 9 (19:19):
I was gonna need it.
Speaker 7 (19:20):
Yeah, and it's a tin can near the barbecue.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
What time are you here today?
Speaker 9 (19:24):
Well, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
I don't have a watch, haven't got any idea. I'm sorry.
Speaker 9 (19:30):
That cats is kind of tricky.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
You gotta put towards you.
Speaker 9 (19:33):
I always meant to fix that when we lived here.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
All right, Now, where's the barbecue one?
Speaker 7 (19:37):
You got a flashlight and let me have it.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
You tell us where you want it pointed.
Speaker 9 (19:42):
See, you don't trust anybody.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Where's the barbecue.
Speaker 9 (19:45):
It's over in.
Speaker 7 (19:45):
The corner of the yard, right near the fence.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Where over here?
Speaker 9 (19:50):
And I'll swing the light over to the left.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
All right, there's nothing there.
Speaker 9 (19:57):
Maybe I made a mistake. It's been a while since
I been here. There must be any.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Other corner of the yard over here. Huh yeah, all right,
take a good look. You're not doing so good tonight,
are you, Madison.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
I don't understand I saw it today, probably the owner
of the house, and we check with him.
Speaker 7 (20:20):
Sure, don't understand it right in the corner of the
yard near the fence.
Speaker 9 (20:23):
How do you, fellows?
Speaker 3 (20:24):
You're looking for police officers, sir. We tried the door.
There wasn't anybody home.
Speaker 9 (20:28):
And tell me what this is all about.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
You live here, do you? That's right? What are you
looking for? You know anything about a barbecue pit in
the backyard here?
Speaker 9 (20:36):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (20:36):
What one? Tell us where it is? I tore it down.
Speaker 9 (20:39):
Three months ago.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
We returned Fred Madison to the office for further interrogation.
Frank and I attempted to talk to him, without result.
He said he couldn't remember where he'd got the money.
He couldn't tell us where Jason Halmer was. They put
in a call to the missing man's home, but he
still hadn't returned. We rechecked the hospitals and the jail
without result. One fourteen am, we were ready to give
it up for the night. Frank went over to the
(21:05):
office and I got Madison.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
Ready to leave.
Speaker 7 (21:07):
Are you're going to take me to jail now?
Speaker 3 (21:09):
You call it? Come on? Pulled it up, Madison? What
do you got? A call? Just came in by a
Homer's car and they just found it.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
While men from the business office took Madison over to
the main jail for booking, Frank and I drove out
to the valley again. Halmer's car had been found about
a mile off the Panca Canyon Boulevard on Farreview Road.
It was back off the road and partially hidden by
the trees. When we got there, a radio car was
standing by.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
We talked to the officers.
Speaker 10 (21:43):
Take a look at the back.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
Stuff on the ground there.
Speaker 11 (21:47):
I covered it with the boxes in case it started
to rein again.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
It's good.
Speaker 9 (21:52):
The stains here on the ground.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
I don't know if they're gonna mean anything. You got
anyone use over this? Trump check our car? Right? What
do you think? I don't know. Better, get in touch
with the crime lab. Have him come out and go
over the place. Yeah, ye, I got something. A thanks,
(22:16):
then you get it. Put that light over here. We Yeah,
how's that? That's better? He needs some help. No, I
got it here once more. Ought to do it now. Yeah,
where we are, let's get it open up m But
(22:38):
maybe we'd be wrong. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
We put in a call to the crime lab and
they came out and made an investigation of the scene.
From what we could tell, Halimer had been killed by
some sort of blood instrument. His empty wallet was in
the trunk beside the body. Six forty eight am.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
We had Bred Madison brought from his cell he lazi.
My head feels like it don't belong to me.
Speaker 7 (23:02):
Why don't you tell us the truth? You haven't told
me what this is about. There's no reason why I
should answer your questions if I don't know what you're
trying to get.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
I told you we want the truth.
Speaker 7 (23:10):
All these questions, over and over the same things.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
You can make it easy on yourself. Well, come up
with the right answers.
Speaker 9 (23:16):
But I've told you.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Yeah, I like the bar you want to call the
I don't know.
Speaker 9 (23:19):
I'd tell you the name if I knew.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
I've been drinking pretty good. I'll get right. Yeah here,
Joe Madison, Yeah, this is about your bank.
Speaker 9 (23:39):
What do you mean?
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Let's explain when you got the money.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
When you took the currency from Helmer's wallet, you left
three perfect prints on one of the saloid envelopes.
Speaker 9 (23:48):
It means something has happened to Helmer.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
You tell us, go on, you can drop the bluff.
These prints are enough to invite you. You won't tell.
Speaker 7 (23:55):
Us he was gonna send me to jail. I didn't
get the money at the track.
Speaker 9 (24:02):
I tried to get him to give me some more time.
Speaker 7 (24:04):
Yeah, I was so righteous about it, said I had
enough time he was going to go to police. I
pleaded it with him, but he wouldn't listen. It happened
real quick. Maybe if I hadn't been drinking, it might
not have been this way.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
I don't know.
Speaker 7 (24:17):
Yeah, I started to think about the big trouble was in.
I think it was all a kind of money right.
There really was a guy at the track. You know,
he was going to lend me the money to pay home.
If he owe me the money would have solved everything.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
It was another way. What do you mean that money
owed helmer? Yeah, he could have worked for it.
Speaker 11 (24:45):
Frederick Carson Madison was tried and convicted of murder in
the first degree and received sentence as prescribed by law.
On recommendation of the jury, he was sentenced to life
imprisonment in the state Penitentiary San Quentin, California.
Speaker 7 (25:09):
You have just heard Dragon, the Authentic Story of your Police.
Speaker 10 (25:13):
Force elections and starring Jack Webb, the presentation of the
United States Armed Forces Radio Services.
Speaker 7 (26:10):
That's about
Speaker 8 (26:20):
Asser
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