 Dragon it ladies and gentlemen the story you were about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent You're a detective sergeant You're assigned the homicide detail a young girl has been shot with a 22 caliber rifle. It was reported a suicide Your job Investigate 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 It was Monday June 8th was warm in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out a homicide detail My partner is Frank Smith the boss is Captain lawman. My name is Friday I was on my way into the office and it was 803 a.m. When I checked into room 42 homicide No, yeah back here in the skipper's office Morning Joe hi Ray you got suicide anything on it. Oh, here's the report team from the business office went out last night Get on right away. Would you write? What's going? Yeah? Well check this stuff before we get started might as well give us an idea what we got to do Let's report say there you got see according to this business office got a call at 2 30 this morning Landlady out in the Westlake Park District called in said that this young girl committed suicide They get an idea on it. No, they got a list of this Jane Doe number 17 description here better check I was missing person how the landlady happened to find the body Now according to the report she heard the water running in the apartment finally went up see what it was She knocked on the door. Nobody answered. She opened it and went in found the body Well girl didn't live in the apartment. No place is rented to a Ross Mitchell anything on him No, because he wasn't home. He was checked through our and I no make on him How about Prince on the victim? No go check them out. Nothing on her here. We can send them on to Washington. Yeah And they found a suicide note copy of it here. What's it say? Ross I've tried to make you understand nothing seems to do any good I've told you that I won't stand in the way of your career She don't want to try to make a go of it. I know this doesn't solve anything It's the only way I can think of any second you know Report says the original copies over at the crime lab for processing Guess we better start with a landlady, especially we got Glendo and Bates are out there now place was staked right away Right, thanks Ray Friday talking. Yeah, uh-huh. No, we just got Right, okay, Max. No, haven't went there. Will you know we'll be right over right. Thank you Well, it's a little break max over at the coroner's office as they know who the girl is. Yeah, her father just identified the body 814 a.m. We left the city hall. We went over to the Hall of Justice We met the victim's father a mr. Robert Andrews Paul He told us that there could be no mistake. The body was that of his daughter Gloria Z Paul The attendant had given them some smelling salts and after introducing us He'd left to close off the viewing room. I don't understand why she'd do it. None of it makes sense When'd you see your daughter last mr. Paul Saturday afternoon. That was the last time I never saw her again She was gone Saturday night and all the yesterday. Yeah, you hear from her at all. No, what you worried about it on No, sometimes she doesn't come home stays with a girlfriend, but When I didn't hear from her last night, I got worried started calling around she say where she was gone when she left Tell me she was going over to see Peggy said the two of them were going to a show and that she'd be home for dinner Sure, who is this Peggy Peggy Rockwell a friend of Gloria's? Have you talked to her? What I see if you talk to this Peggy since your daughter disappeared. Yes, I called her last night I talked to her then and I was most out of my mind. I didn't know what to do Talked to her last night. She didn't know did your daughter know anybody named Ross Mitchell Ross Mitchell No, I don't think I've ever heard the name. Why do you ask that? You know something about this you're not telling me is that it? No, sir We don't it must be something like that. You don't just come up with a name like that out of thin air You got to have a reason now look. I'm a father I got a right to know all night sitting there waiting for the phone to ring calling a friend's thinking She's been in an accident imagining all kinds of things if you know something you should tell me I've got to know How am I gonna tell her mine? Well woman's almost dead with worry. She didn't know about this. Oh She knows is that the baby's gone. That's all baby's gone Glory is dead. I don't know it I'm sorry if you got a cigarette I'm sorry about that. Sorry, sir. We understand And you think you can give us an address where we can talk to this Peggy Rockwell Yeah, she works a restaurant over on 7th. I've got a home address too if you want it. Yes, sir We hope you'll understand this mr. Paul. We don't mean any offense here. What's that? Did your daughter have any steady boyfriends that you know about? No, I don't think so no one that she went with steady no one man She liked more than the others. I think there was I don't know who a mother asked her about it a couple of times Wanted to know who the fellow was but Gloria'd never say just said that it wasn't serious. It didn't matter I'd seem to get along with this man. Would you know all right? I guess I told you I never saw him I didn't know who he was But whenever Gloria had a date with him she acted like it was something special. Did your daughter have a job? Not regular she used to model once in a while and maybe she'd pick up a day's working pictures not much Do you think of any reason why she'd want to take her own life? She seemed pretty happy never gave any indication. There was anything wrong. She'd been ill lately under a doctor's care Not that I know about Mr. Paul as possible. She might have been seeing a doctor and you wouldn't know about it No, her mother would have known she'd had told me now. I'm pretty sure she was feeling all right anything about her job that bothered her What do you mean? Well, was she happy with what she was doing the kind of work she was doing? Oh, yeah Gloria didn't want a career. She was looking for a husband one to settle down raise a family Well, can you think of anything at all that might make her want to take her own life as I ask you? I can't understand it. None of it makes any sense to me where she was found She didn't know anybody in that part of town. I don't know what she'd be doing over there. Could she drink it? I don't think I understand. Well, did she drink much sir bars cocktail lounges? No, she didn't Now Gloria was a good girl. She didn't drink or smoke. She was a good girl And I don't understand all this first this thing with Ross now you want to know if she drinks I don't know what you're trying to get at but I don't like it You're trying to make Gloria something that she isn't she's a good girl always has been just a home and family It's all she wanted nothing more. I Don't know why you're asking me all these questions I'm her father. You're the police. It's up to you to find the reason that's your job Not to come around and say things about my girl I'm sorry. We're not saying anything mr. You are too. You're trying to make me believe that Gloria wasn't a nice girl. I know different Raised her since she was a baby gave her all the care I could I Don't know why she'd do a thing like this, you know No Why ask me these questions? Well, so you said it yourself, huh? You're her father We continue to talk to the father of the victim from him We got a list of the girl's friends the address and the names of the people that she worked for While we were talking to him He was unable to give us any ideas to why his daughter Gloria Paul might want to take her own life He insisted that he didn't know anybody or any one of his daughter's acquaintances named Ross Mitchell a telephone call Was put through to his wife, but she was unable to tell us who the man was 820 a.m. Mr. Paul recovered from the initial shock and he went home 839 a.m. We drove over to the rooming house where Gloria Paul had been found on the way We stopped to call the crime lab to see if they'd been able to come up with anything in the dead girls effects to help us Lieutenant Lee Jones at the lab told us that they hadn't finished their investigation yet 850 a.m. We arrived at the house and talked with the landlady Selma king it's terrible poor little thing You haven't seen Ross Mitchell yet. No, he hasn't come in I told the officers last night that I didn't expect him until noon today They've seen the girl before once in a while. She'd come in with Ross wait for him and then they go right out Did you see her last night? So I told the officers that we're here last night that I didn't Didn't you talk to them at all? Well, yes, man. We have the report. They found Mrs. King But we'd like to get some additional facts from you. It seems like a waste of time But I suppose you have to yes, ma'am. Do you have any idea once you might have come in? No, not the slightest when was the last time you saw Mitchell Saturday around noon He came in and told me that he'd be out of town over the weekend Said to me to keep an eye on the place. Yes, ma'am. Did you tell you where he was going? He said he was going to visit an assistant director friend of his over in La Tanyada. Do you say what the friend's name was? No, they're working on a picture together. Ross just met him the other day I asked him out for the weekend Ross was very good at making friends. You know where he's working No, Ross just said it was a sea adventure doing it in full color 3d to I guess it's going to be quite a spectacle I didn't have all the gimmicks in my day, ma'am. Didn't have 3d or the other things my day We acted we knew how to act from the heart These youngsters a good flak can make a star out of anybody Things have changed Here this one That's me with the pick helmet This was made over in Catelyn Island. We were shooting a jungle picture We acted no doubles for us real actors When was this man a Few years ago now. Why are you asking all these questions about Ross? Well, a note the girl left was addressed to him. That doesn't mean anything Just some love sick girl doesn't mean Ross had anything to do with it. How'd you happen to find the body? I went to bed about 1030 They were running one of my old movies on TV and I stayed up to see it You happen to catch it the thing called the floods will come made it over at Catalina Start Nick Benton real movie idol Here's one of the stills from the picture. That's well. Here's the whole company. That's me and That's Nick with the potties. He'd put on a little weight I remember he had to do road work while we were there to trim down held the company up for a week a Grand picture They didn't do it right on television though. Look little corny. I Guess the way they ran it through the machines. You know, we all looked pasty even Nick Would you go on please? Well after I saw the rest of the picture I went out to the kitchen got a bold shredded tweak to eat in bed Came back to the bedroom, and I heard this noise what noise was that like somebody was running water in one of the Taps went on and on But he soon it started to bother me. I couldn't understand it Finally, I went up to see what was noise came from Ross's apartment I'd knock but there wasn't any answer so I unlocked the door and went in I thought something was wrong And that's when I saw her. I see she was lying on bed Right way. I called police. I'm before you went up. Did you hear any other noises any sound of a struggle anything like that? No, just the water running how about the shot man hear that no no I didn't a lot of shooting in the picture I was watching did you touch anything in the room? No, I turned the lights, but that's all room was dark when I went in just turned on the lights And then I called you according to our report. There wasn't any purse found with the body. Did you see one? When you went in I didn't but if I had you'd gotten it But he's trying to say that I stole her purse. Is that what you're trying to say? Better not I've got a reputation in this town. I know a lot of big people I'm gonna have you come in here and call me a thief. Well, we didn't mean to offend you man Who has a key to Mitchell's place besides him? No one. He's got the only one I don't like a lot of keys to the rooms out. I tell all the tenants that have you got any idea how the girl might have gotten into the room No, you know who the gun belonged to yes. It was Ross's. You're pretty sure about that area Yes, I saw it when he moved in commented on it then He said that he'd had it since he was a kid kept it out of sentiment What's this all about anyway? You seem to think that there's something wrong is that it? No, ma'am It's just that in things like this. We have to make a complete investigation. You can understand Oh, well, I want to do all I can to help you But I do have an appointment if there's nothing more you want I'd like to be going that's all right miss keen If we want to talk to you, we'll be able to reach you here. Yes right here We'll give you a call to tell you about the end quest Am I going to have to be there? Yes, ma'am you and Mitchell why him well it was his apartment, but he didn't have anything to do with it Maybe so ma'am, but he'll still have to be there. It's not fair a thing like this can ruin him by the time the papers get through Whether you'll be finished it can ruin his career. He doesn't know anything about it He won't be able to tell you anything. You're wrong there, ma'am. He's got a lot to explain We went upstairs and met the officer staked out in the room and looked at the apartment where the girl had been found 920 a.m. We gave our card to Thelma Keenan asked her to call us if she thought of anything else We also asked her to notify us immediately in the event. She heard from Mitchell the stake out on the room continued 952 a.m. We drove over the coffee shop on West 7th Street to talk to the girl's friend Peggy Rockwell We found her in the back of the place typing out the day's menu What about Gloria something wrong? When was the last time you saw her miss? Well, let's see Saturday night She stayed at my house left about noon on Sunday. I had the day off Figure that made we do something but Gloria said she had something to do last I saw her was on Sunday morning You know a man named Ross Mitchell that bomb. Why do you say that miss Rockwell? Because he is real no good. You're pretty friendly with miss Paul. Gloria thought so turned out he was just using her Well, how do you mean thought at first you could get him some jobs Turned out when he could do better. He dropped her. They were gonna get married and then he thought he could do better So he dropped her Say Do you mind if I go ahead with these menus balls will be sore if I don't get through with them? No, you go right ahead. We can talk while I'm doing it. Yes, ma'am. I took a course once touch type Didn't think I ever use it. Oh, it was I fooled. Are you right ahead miss? Well, this Ross really gave her the rush had her take him around introducing to her friends She guy on a couple of jobs. She's the one who introduced him to Mike Mike. Yeah, Mike Cowell. That's Ross's agent Peggy set it up. She's done just about everything for him Then the bum acts like this. What do you mean miss treat it? They're so bad Say, how do you spell croquettes? Well, I think it's CROQ you ETTES Turkey they had roast turkey last night. I Don't understand how people can eat them that we sure sell a lot of them Did miss Paul say she was going to see Ross over the weekend? Yeah She said she had an appointment with him Sunday said she'd call them and set it up. You know what time No, just said she wasn't going on like this had to be straightened out. I don't blame her She's told her friends. They were gonna get married and at the last minute Ross had back out her family know about Ross No, father didn't mind her doing a little work-and-show business, but he didn't want her to marry anyone in it She thought that if they just got married then the family'd understand Joe. Yeah, I'll call a crime lab see if they'd You know fine. Thanks. How'd miss Paul and Mitchell seem to get along? What do you mean? Well, do they have any arguments or disagreements? Would you know not often most of the trouble? They had was about getting married Ross kept saying that wouldn't do him any good to be married now He thought that it might hurt his career. That's all he thought about Were you ever present at any of these arguments once? We got out in a double date went to a place down at the beach Had dinner and then stopped on the way back for a couple of drinks Ross got pretty drunk on the big thing about his career. Yeah He went on and on about how hard he'd work how much the theater meant to them all that kind of stuff I see Finally said right out He'd kill anyone who tried to stop him just like that and kill anyone who tried to stop Joe. Yeah, see you minute. Excuse me Sure, uh just a minute. Um, is there one L or two L's in broccoli? Just one man. Well, thanks Yeah, just talk to Lee Jones. Yeah, do you finish up? Yeah, something's wrong. What's that? He thinks the girl was murdered Ten thirty seven a.m. We drove to the crime lab and talked to Sergeant Jay Allen He told us that when they checked for powder burns on the body they hadn't found any They measured the reach of the dead girl and found that it would have been almost impossible for her to have pulled the trigger on the Rifle leaving the fingerprints they found on the gun Water test failed to show any traces of nitrate powder on her hands They checked the handwriting on the suicide note found in the room against samples of Gloria Paul's writing and found that they didn't match From their findings. They said that it was their opinion that the girl had not killed herself, but she'd been murdered We went back to the city hall and got a local in an APV on Ross Mitchell We called the landlady of his roomie house. She hadn't heard from 1230 p.m. We went back to the roomie house and relieved the stake out We asked the landlady not to say anything to Mitchell about our being there 1245 p.m. Still no sign of the suspect one o'clock Who are you? What are you doing in my place? Come on in. Who are you police officers? Come on in close that door Put that suitcase down Anyway, what are you guys been doing here? You're Ross Mitchell? Yeah, why you know a girl named Gloria Paul what she got to do with it? You know her yeah, I know her when's the last time you saw her say what's this all about? What's all these questions was last time you saw Gloria Paul Friday night again Don't you know for sure all right Friday night. You haven't seen her since I told you the last time was Friday No, where were you Saturday and Sunday out of town where luck in yada prove you were there Why can you prove you were there? I don't like all this you guys coming in here asking a lot of questions What are you trying to prove who you stand with a friend of mine? What's his name? I'm not gonna have him dragged into this. You haven't got any choice. That's what you say you haven't told me what this is all about I'm not telling you anything. Well, you tell you look Mitchell understand this We're not here to pass the time of day. You better come up with some answers quick No, who are you with friend of mine guy named sit off? What's his phone number? You're gonna call him We've got to check your alibi What's his number won't do any good to call him but you said you were there I was and we got to call him Well, he won't be able to tell you anything. He wasn't there. He just let me use this place There wasn't anybody there who's got a key to this place besides you you mean here. That's right. Nobody you got the only key Huh, that's right. The landlady's got one just two of you got any idea how somebody else could get in here No, why how well do you know Gloria Paul what she got to do with it? How well do you know her we used to go together anything serious between you she thought we might get married How'd you feel about I don't think that's any of your business. Maybe it is how'd you feel about I liked her She was a nice kid nothing more. No, now you look I think it's about time You told me what this is all about something to do with glory. Is that it? That's right. What is that? Yeah, thought maybe you could tell us Figured that where'd you see your last up here this room. Yeah, when was that I? Told you Friday night. Do you have any trouble with her? No no argument. I told you no Well, how'd it happen? Can't you tell me you want a 22 rifle? Yeah, you got bullets for it. Yeah, why what do you keep it? Closet over there keep it loaded. No the bullets around the shelf in the closet right come on Ross We better go downtown what for I'm gonna talk to you What for you got to tell me before I have to go you got to tell me what you're holding me for a suspicion of murder Now come on. Where are you taking him downtown? Why we want to talk to him. You didn't have anything to do with it Did you Ross? I don't even know what this is all about all I know is that Gloria's dead She killed herself in your room What in your room Ross it was suicide Arresting me for murder. You can't do that Ross didn't have anything to do with it. It was suicide. That's what you said All right, come on, but you can't do that. It was suicide you want to take him out the car Frank Yeah, you can see that you're making a mistake. He didn't have anything to do with it He's gonna have enough trouble with that girl killing herself in his apartment. You can't arrest him for murder It was suicide. What are you trying to tell us later? What? Some of you want to say here. No, you're making things up. All right, let's go Yes Let's go ahead take him go ahead He wants to be a star let him go ahead and take him and serve him right where he treats people. I Tried to help him. God knows I tried Got him to meet a lot of important people a lot of contacts. You think he was interested? He bet he was How to show it? I'll tell you how Thanks me for all I've done for him by running around Chasing after that young nobody that Gloria I Tried to reason with her tried to talk some sense into her Told her that she couldn't do anything for him Told her that I could make him a star bigger than anybody She said she loved him She doesn't know how to love You want to go ahead? Came over here all the time big and Ross to marry Told her to get out of his life and stay out to leave him alone He didn't need her what was all that Sunday evening. She came here all dressed up When they're young they know everything I'm one of the biggest stars this town ever had. She's a nobody. I know what's good for that boy Didn't you tell us you didn't see the girl Sunday, isn't that right? But I said did you see her son? Yes, I did Wanted me to let her into Ross's apartment Told her he wasn't there. She said it didn't make any difference. She'd wait for him. I Told her to leave him alone. She didn't understand him didn't know how to take care of him. I Know the right people could have written his own ticket in this town. He could have been big You don't want him. I Killed her Do you want to get a coke, ma'am? Yes Doesn't make any difference. I Did it help him? I Thought you'd think it was suicide. I didn't think you'd figure anything else. You wrote them out, did you? I did That's what you've got to understand For him That was all that counted He'd married her and he'd been through I had to stop it. I didn't want to cure You can see I couldn't let him marry her Ross is a fine actor real talent It doesn't come along often Let's go. He'll understand. He'll know why I did it. He'll understand. I wouldn't know me. Well, we'll let you ask The story you have just heard is true the names were changed to protect the innocent On October 14th trial was held in Department 89 superior court of the state of California in and for the county of Los Angeles Thelma Alice Keen was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree She was sentenced to life imprisonment in the California Institute for Women Corona, California You have just heard dragnet the authentic story of your police force inaction and starring Jack Webb a presentation of the United States armed forces radio service