 Here's another in NBC's great parade of new shows The story you're about to hear is true only the names have been changed to protect the innocent NBC brings you drag net You're a detective sergeant you're assigned to homicide detail a 22-year-old girl has disappeared a letter has been received It demands $30,000 for the girl's return The letter is signed the wolf your job get him Drag net the documented drama of an actual crime Investigated and solved by the men who unrelentingly stand watch on the security of your home your family and your life 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 drag net is the story of your police force in action We're working the night watch out of homicide my partner's Ben Romero the boss is ed. Backstram chief of detectives My name's Frank. I was on the way back from the stats office. It was 3 26 a.m. When I got to room 42 Homicide Thanks, Harris backstrand leave yet in a minute. I'm going out with him. What's your dress out there to sell it for 814 Castro boulevard You go straight out Santa Monica take a left of Castro. I remember you ready chief Friday you call room early in right now get on it. There's one. We don't fool with yeah, come on here It's hard to wake you Ben. This is Joe. How you feeling? Oh, all right, Joe. What time is it 3 30 a.m. How do you feel? Oh, that's better be back to work tomorrow if you're ready in 20 minutes I'll pick you up 20 minutes Okay, what's up? You remember Martin Sullivan vice president of Third National Bank? Yeah, yeah, what about it got a 22 year old daughter or he had one she's gone Made good time Joe Where we headed Sullivan home out on Castro boulevard it's out there now with Harris And he leads to work on nothing so far the girl disappeared a little before one o'clock yesterday afternoon 11 last night He got a letter they want $30,000 Relevant hasn't got that kind of money. Yeah, I know it poor guys almost out of his mind fill me in How'd it happen? Oh the guy took the girl out of business school. He had her called out of class Told her father was sick said he was a friend of the family. How about the teachers? What was their story so the girl didn't want to go with a man at first But he finally talked her into it kept telling her father was dying That's about as low as it come. Yeah Did he use a car? Witnesses said it was a blue sedan They didn't get the license number of the make did they remember what the guy looked like about five nine one sixty brown suit dark hair Nothing there. Well, here's a copy of the letter Usual rated I have your daughter Judy get what was that 30,000 $30,000 quick if you want her back alive Don't call police or our killer Contact you later signed The wolf I could think of a better name Come on here. We are got the original note Joe Lee Jones down at the crime I'll be checking it for prints and handwriting. Well, if he was oh hi David right on the house boys. Just wait for you Thanks, Dave. Hi Joe Ben in the living room stand exactly what you have to do Yes, I'll do as you say and here are the two men who'll help you sergeant Friday and Sergeant Romero homicide How do you do? Mr. Backstrand. I Are you sure about all this? He might get frightened? He might do something to Judy. I believe me mr. Sullivan. It's the only way I Know how you must feel but we can't do anything else. Oh, all right. I Want to see mr. Sullivan first? I'll be ready in a moment any developments. Yeah Come on back in the dining room. There it is on the table Second note from the guy Tell us man when this comes about half an hour ago Guy phoned it into Western Union from a public booth couldn't trace it. I'll see Joe Be at a lesion park five o'clock this morning near Balkan Drive come alone Bring 30,000 will return girl Don't tell cops killer if you do the wolf 4 a.m. Now skipper not much down. I know it's we'll have to do as he says no other way Then Sullivan's going out there alone. You're going with him. You and Romero You'll be hidden out in the trunk of the car any plan get him. That's all and I went out the back door and into the Sullivan Garage We jammed ourselves into the trunk apartment and Harris closed the door on us The latch was fixed so that the door could be pushed open from the inside a Few minutes later. Mr. Sullivan came out got in the car and we drove off At three minutes to five we pulled up at the meeting place in the lesion park nothing happened At five minutes past five it started to thunder. That's all we need now Thunderstorm Chocolate is pacing up and down alongside the card and there's the undercover and yeah What happened to the wool? Cold feet, maybe Let's wait it out. What time you got now? Move over. Let me my watch it Little past 5 30 Sorry Sergeant mr. Sullivan. Yes Do you think he's coming? He's getting daylight. We better wait it out. Mr. Sullivan. Oh look don't come back here again. If he's watching you might tip him off Oh, all right. All right road tortoise our car. Are you ready? They're coming back here. Now watch it. That's you led The meeting got a cramp in my leg when trapped all over mr. Sullivan drive back home. We'll contact you there All right, she then Joe come on over the car What's the story? Guy had no intention of following through this meeting tonight. Well, how come he told us Go to five o'clock tried to trace the call. He wouldn't stand the line long enough. What do you have to say? Wanted more money bragged about how smart he was how we'd never get him Well, he knows Sullivan's called in the police sure that he didn't care. We'd never get him anyway Yeah, pretty cocky pretty smart. Take my word for it. He's no dummy I'll get it Eddie K to control one eight. Okay to control one go ahead All right, Romero, let's roll More than 12 hours have passed since we're to beauty Sullivan's disappear During that time and all points bulletin containing the descriptions of the suspect his car and the girl have been sent out on the Teletype to law enforcement agencies throughout the area the same descriptions were broadcast over the police radio every hour The Sullivan home has been placed under strict surveillance and mr. Sullivan instructed not to contact the suspect without knowledge of the police He'd raised almost ten thousand dollars in cash to buy him off The serial number on each one of the bills have been copied by a police denographer and then rechecked by a homicide officer So far the wolf as he called himself had made three separate contacts, but he covered his tracks well We knew that he was somewhere in the city five hundred square miles of it And we know we had to find him fast. It was 18 minutes past six when we got back to homicide You got something for this man here. There's letter special delivery came in about 25 minutes and I see that man Stay away from Sullivan if the kids found dead, it's your fault stay away the wolf All right, Mike get it over to the crime lab and have Lee check it for Prince right you we find any Prince on the second note Mike to London through R and I now Friday room. Oh get down there and see if they got a make right Ed Let's go man. Who's watching the Sullivan house beside Harry? Carpenter and Davis back strands afraid the girls father try to make a deal with a guy. Has he tried it yet? He couldn't blame him if he did Word say hi fellas just coming down to see you got something there those two Prince Lee Jones listed off that letter I got a make on them from the single print file. Good Larry. Let's see you there It is pull the whole package on them Donald Alfred Kiefer looks like a real bad one doesn't he? Donald Alfred Kiefer male Caucasian age 29 5 feet 8 inches 170 pounds brown eyes dark brown hair He had one previous arrest for forgery in Los Angeles 10 months before Keepers occupation at the time of his arrest was listed as bank clerk at the third national bank Then went back into the files and pulled the crime report then we called it back for him There's an interest keeper at the time keeper pulled that for the job at the bank mr. Sullivan was one of the vice president I'm going Sullivan was the one who preferred charges against keeper and all of these prosecutes. Where's this keeper now? This place on probation and on May 16th this year He returned to his home in Omaha, Nebraska That's 1380 Mackinac Avenue. All right, Romero. Get Omaha on the phone and have them check out Kiefer Right give Friday. Take Kiefer's package and this note down to Don Myers have him check the handwriting And get over to the crime lab and see what Jones lifted off that last letter we got all right Ed the faster we work the faster will put this guy behind bars now move How's the writing compare it down what'd you find? Yeah, that's good. See you slants as crosses double loops as L's Open a is pressure on the down stroke Donald Kiefer whoo same handwriting Lifted three prints off this last note Joe brought him out for the iodine fume gun they match with the first Thanks, Lee. Did you find anything else? I don't know it'll help you much We examine the paper for water marks and texture both notes are written on the same kind of paper Impressions show both pieces of paper from the same tablet check the density of the carbon and the pencil you use All specimens match same pencil By mid-afternoon Donald Kiefer's description had been broadcast throughout the area Bullets were dispatched to all departments and an APB was tele-typed the entire state Men were stationed at every post office in the city to watch for notes that might come through the mail The bus depots railroad terminals the airports and all the main roads leading out of the city were under strict surveillance The entire Los Angeles area was broken down in the single square mile districts and a house-to-house canvas was started a Squad of men were assigned to cover each square mile Outlying towns and cities were requested to do the same by five o'clock that afternoon the greatest drag net operation in the history of The city was underway. We were sure Donald Kiefer was somewhere inside at 12 minutes past five Ben got the callback from the Omaha police Yeah, yeah, I got it six x ray 419 Nebraska place, right? Well, thank you a lot. Yeah, bye They had to make on the car lots more the Omaha cops looking for keeper to warn him for a robbery there two months ago Yeah, that robbery used to store in 1939 blue sedan Nebraska license plate six x-ray 419 How about his family and his friends back there? They all been checked. Yeah, we'll get that car description the communications Huh APB tele-typing broadcast. I'll tell it. Yeah, all right Yeah, what are you tied up with well just got a call from Omaha make on keeper in the car Give it to me. You two get out of the Sullivan house fast as you can see Harris. What's happened? Give a mind and Sullivan's disappeared All right Harris how did happen about three this afternoon mr. Sullivan got a phone call Said he had to go down to the bank and went with him. He had me wait in the reception room And he went in his office the waiting ten minutes. I got suspicious and went in he was gone. That's it Did he get any more money this morning five thousand dollars to get the serial numbers off the bills. Yeah She didn't let him get out of my sight forget it right now We've got to find out where he's gone to make keeper you talked to mr. Sullivan about it Harris she says she doesn't know anything about it. Let's try her again. Come on. Let's go inside Hi fellas. Hi, where's miss Sullivan Dave back in the sitting room lying down doctors with it come on The time you got better six thirty-five. I'll get it. Hello Where are you? Where are you now? What are you now? We'll be right out. That was Martin Sullivan He met with Kiefer a moral canyon didn't get his daughter back. Yeah wrapped in newspapers All cars in the area were notified that a contact has been made with Kiefer we got in the car and drove out to Laurel Canyon The entire area had been blocked off We found Martin Sullivan standing in the middle of the road at the end of East winding way 500 feet down the hill was a private residence where Sullivan had telephoned us Was the only building in the immediate vicinity Few yards beyond the point where he's winding way ended Back in a clump of tall grass. We found the body of Martin Sullivan's daughter We notified the crime lab back strand in the corner Despite a severe state of emotional shock Martin Sullivan tried to tell us the story. He said Judy was all right. I believed Wanted to back pick the officer that Wasn't watching me said Come along no police. You see his car. Mr. Sullivan wanted to back. She said I drove here Waited at front seat. I like he said did he get the money mr. Sullivan and I Got out of looking lights on stood up there by the end of the road Wait, mr. Sullivan And he drove up took the money Then he had a gun and did you see his car beyond the road mr. Sullivan? Did you see his car? I went look for the way couldn't find it Before he went into a state of complete collapse We showed Martin Sullivan a picture of Donald Alfred Kiefer. He definitely identified it The information was immediately relayed back to Central Division Re-broadcast the entire police radio system a teletype was dispatched to sheriff's offices and communications were sent to police stations throughout the country The house to house search throughout the entire city intensified the dragnet in which we hope to trap Donald Kiefer was drawing slowly inward was 12 midnight Friday did the papers get a list of the numbers and that ransom money Yeah, I got him in the final night edition two and a half pages of serial numbers gave it a big spread Look at these pictures of keeper here all over the front page or more the better Romero I hope this town never forgets that face good reminder. You don't make deals with killers Over anything nearly just checking over these towels here found them wrapped around the girl's body Inside the papers I think about those papers. What's that Lee? They're all yesterday's every story about the girl's disappearance has been clipped out Maybe the guy's making up a scrap about the towels Jones any laundry marks not a one so far And every one of them was clipped off pretty smart The mall post the body in doing it now. Yeah nasty one Yeah You got any footprints or time rocks out where they found the body lots of them all cast bossy and Taylor checking them One thing what is it Jones? I don't know under the scene here this towel. Wait a minute Joe that pair of snippets there. Yeah, they are Just back under the scene there That's one tag he missed any markings Lee. Yeah Greenway apartments Los Angeles one look at the apartment was enough in an adjoining garage We found the car which keeper used a blue sedan Nebraska license plate six x-ray four one nine When we got back to the office chief backstrand immediately issued a cancellation of the ward order for the blue sedan Many ordered a detail a mend to stake out the car in the event keeper decided to come back for it Here's a corner report Joe. Let's see it cause of death strangulation time of death Monday October 18th approximately 2 p.m. One hour after he grabbed it. I can't be right Skipping his office. No, he's out for a minute. Hey Joe Ben. Take the call of 2503. Will you thanks Mike, right? Would you give me the call on 2503 please? Thanks. Hello. Yeah Yeah, when? We'll be right over Some of the ransom money Ben just showed up Beverly in Highland come on the man's name was Ralph Donahue He operated the used car lot on the corner of Beverly in Highland He told us that early that morning He sold a dark blue late model coop to a man who gave his name as Fred Sims The man paid for the car in cash Donahue told us that he checked the serial numbers on the bills after the man had driven away Serial numbers check out Joe everyone up if I only thought to look officer, you know, I generally do I'm the suspicious kind anyway But oh this morning. I must have been asleep. We got the full description on the car, Ben All right, let's get it in the air right away. I saw his mug in the paper while I was waiting for you too late Sorry, yeah, thanks At ten minutes past three that afternoon another piece of the ransom money turned up at a busy downtown department store The clerk was unable to remember who gave her the bill The detail throughout the general downtown area was strengthened the house-to-house search of the entire city for Judy Sullivan's murderer went on The afternoon dragged into the early evening at 20 minutes to 7 Ben and I had a hamburger and a cup of coffee in the drugstore at East Broadway and 3rd And then we got back in the car checked with communications and started cruising the neighborhood again At 9 minutes to 8 a man answering the description of Donald keeper was seen crossing Sunset Boulevard just below Highland 7 minutes later the same man was reported near the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard in Las Palmas communications relayed the information at 21 minutes past 8 our car 80k along with a dozen others were concentrated in the Hollywood Boulevard area from Gower Street to La Brea Franklin Avenue to Santa Monica Boulevard at 24 minutes past 8 Another piece of the ransom money was passed at a cigar store in the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Hawthorne Street The number of men and radio cars in the area was redoubled Plain clothes officers were stationed at every intersection to keep an eye on pedestrian traffic at 18 minutes to 9 The dark blue coupe which keeper had bought that morning was spotted parked in an alley just below Hollywood Boulevard in Cohinga We call that back stream 2503 This Friday Mike chief there Friday had just spotted keepers car that when he bought this morning parked in an alley off Cohinga What do you got Yeah Right here, let's check out the window Yes, sir. How many please police officers sergeant Romero sergeant Friday. Oh, yes, sir. Mr. Rayburn the police would you step around to the side door sergeant? Yes, ma'am My jeep really Francis for a minute Francis come in bring that $10 bill with you Sharp girl officer that Francis sharp. Here is Mr. Rayburn. All right sergeant. There you are $10 bill in the list of serial numbers Check out. All right, Ben. That's it Joe. Good work, man The report of the man came in about a half hour ago. You're sure it was key for yes I had his picture in the box office just behind the change machine. I recognize him right away and as far as you know He hasn't left the theater. That's right. All right, mr. Rayburn I'm sorry I'm afraid we'll have to interrupt the show anything you say sergeant anything Ben you keep an eye on the front exit I'll call communication fraud Joe 80k to control for 8 ok to control for Control for clear all frequencies the Sullivan murder suspect Donald keeper has been located in the theater on the southeast corner of Hollywood Boulevard in Fairview have all units around the area Attention all units attention all units 80k theater on the southeast corner of Hollywood Boulevard Fairview Sullivan murder suspect has been located in the theater Go ahead 80k control for have all units converge in the general area Hollywood Boulevard in Fairview Unit 62 are to block up the intersection at Hollywood Boulevard in North Cherokee stop all pedestrian vehicular traffic unit 61 a to block the intersection at Hollywood Boulevard in Hudson Street stop all pedestrian vehicular traffic unit 71 and 72 are to block the alley behind the theater unit 66 and 67 are to assist the main into the theater Within a few minutes the one half mile area around the theater was completely blockaded every exit and entrance to the theater was covered at 923 we met Harris and Ed Baxter and the theater manager's office Backstrand outlined our plan of operation at 928 a detail of 14 men walked down the side aisles on the main floor the theater and took Up their posts on either side of the orchestra pit the picture was stopped and every light in the theater was turned on That back strand Harris Ben and I went down the island up onto the stage back strand made the announcement ladies and gentlemen We're sorry to interrupt the picture, but this is important We're police officers. We've traced the murderer of Judy Sullivan to this theater. He is in this theater now I were going to search the theater row by row and we'd like to ask your cooperation There's no need to be panicky or afraid Those who wish to leave now may do so lead by the main entrance each one of you will be checked as you go out the door And for the benefit of the man. We're looking for don't try to escape Every exit is covered in the entire area is blockaded. Don't place any more lives in jeopardy Come on Ben. Oh, we can make it from there. All right. Let's go Come on hustle it then. Yeah the next building you'll probably try to jump for it. All right watch it I think this door leads out to the rope. There he goes. All right keeper. Hold it I got it figured they won't top me for this didn't know what I was doing with the cops on a band Shouldn't they hit him keeper try the cuffs now. Yeah, come on. Let's get him in out of the rain What's the hurry? Why spoil a good rain? Just heard this Only the names were changed to protect the innocent Donald Alfred keeper was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree. He was executed in the lethal gas chamber at the state penitentiary You Have just heard the 15th in a new series of authentic cases transcribed from official fire Technical advice for dragnet comes from the office of acting chief of police W. A. Wharton, Los Angeles police department Tonight's program is dedicated to Deputy United States Marshal John B. Glenn of Boise, Idaho So on the morning of July 31st 1940 gave his life So that yours might be more secure Drag net came to you from Los Angeles The other girl on the air returns tomorrow night on NBC