 You were about to hear is true the names have been changed to protect the innocent Fatima cigarettes best of all king-size cigarettes brings you drag you're a detective sergeant you're assigned a homicide detail a 40-year-old mother is found murdered in the bedroom of her home the body bears the marks of a savage attack with a knife the killer showed no mercy your job get him see the difference taste the difference smoke the difference you'll find that in Fatima the difference is quality quality that gives you extra mildness a much different much better flavor and aroma yes in king-size Fatima you get all the advantages of extra length plus Fatima quality which no other king-size cigarette has Fatima best of all king-size cigarettes definitely the best quality in its class but the same price in the cigarette you're now smoking remember thousands of Americans are switching to Fatima insist on Fatima quality so why wait switch to Fatima today look for the sunny yellow pack why Fatima best of all king-size cigarettes fragment 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 drag net is the story of your police force in action was Tuesday February 18 was cold in Los Angeles we're working the day watch out a homicide detail my partner's Ben Romero the boss is that brown chief of detectives my name's Friday it was 1043 a.m. when we got to Woodview High School the vice-principals office morning ma'am yes like to see the vice-principal please believe her name is Harman miss Harman I miss Harman what is you wanted police officers ma'am is our identification oh yeah this is my partner Sergeant Romero my name's Friday I see how do you do well we'd like to talk to one of your girls students miss Harman a Roberta Dixon understands he's registered here Roberta Dixon oh yes I believe I know her would you mind calling her out of class please we'd like to talk to her well we generally don't like to do that off they're not meant absolutely necessary pretty important ma'am we've got a message for the girl I see he couldn't wait until after school hours I'm afraid not miss Harman it's about the girl's mother it's pretty serious oh was she been taken ill is that it no ma'am she's been murdered 16 year old Roberta Dixon the daughter of the murdered woman was called out of her classroom and brought downstairs to the office of miss Harman the girl's vice-principal she was a thin dark-haired girl and sweater and skirt with the help of miss Harman whom the girl seemed to know fairly well Ben and I broke the news of her mother's death as gently as we could at first the 16 year old girl seemed to take the shock with some composure but suddenly she broke down weeping and became hysterical when she recovered sufficiently the girl agreed to come downtown with us to answer a few routine questions miss Harman agreed to accompany her 11 05 a.m. we checked back in at the office Ben and I completed the 311 dead body report while miss Harman and the daughter of the murdered woman waited in the adjoining room what was that time discovered Joe you got a note on it there yeah let me look 855 a.m. oh thank you hi Joe hi well hi George how you doing I can't complain got some checking out the one if you'd help me I want to give it a try then you know George DeCove and don't you report it from the Daily News oh yeah sure Sam around higher so I understand you're working on that knife murder out on Pico the dead woman I found this morning yeah that's right a few things I'd like to check with you before I do the story the victim's name was Florence Eleanor Dixon that right that's right George a couple more things here stop me if I got it wrong victim was 40 years old divorced one child daughter 16 body was discovered 9 o'clock this morning by next door neighbor you see neighbors name is Esther Fenwick no I think the name's Ben Moore George oh thanks the nm or e I understand you haven't got much to go on no murder weapons no other leads no not much of anything so far we just started on this thing how about the husband of the dead woman you get anything there or he divorced Mrs. Dixon two years ago there's no line on him yet we're still checking them out we might have some word later on the day for him any other possible suspects in mind or do you want to say no I don't think so it's still wide open how about a motive that been established yet could have been one of a dozen things we're gonna have to do some digging for we can say definitely doesn't look like it was a robbery motive or that's about all we can tell you for sure you're gonna say I was over at the morgue when they brought their body and it's the worst I've seen a long time brutal it's pretty bad I suppose there's nothing from the crime lab yet no I think they just got back from the house a few minutes ago if you want to drop by later on this afternoon we might have something new for you okay thanks very well say I saw you bringing the girl in a few minutes ago victims daughter like to get a couple of pictures on well about making a little later on George it's still upset pretty much a shock for you know okay I'll be waiting out in the hall of the photographer okay give me a call I just a couple of shots it won't take him you bet you George will call you okay you about finishing that report man yeah all done I guess we better talk to the girl huh yeah all right the morgue say when they're gonna post the body sometime today we're gonna have the results first thing tomorrow morning for this army I think she's a lot better now sergeant Roberta the officers would stop you a few minutes if you feel up to it all right who killed my mother if you found out not yet Roberta we think you might be able to help her so it's so hard to believe I just saw her this morning she was all right then well you try to take it easy Roberta we'll make it as brief as possible are you and your mother the only people living at your house no one else no me and my mother that's all my father used to live with us he doesn't anymore how long has it been since your father left I'm not sure about five years I think he and mama didn't get along they got divorced do you see your father told anymore I mean does he ever come to your house to visit he did once it was about a year ago I think wasn't much good and my mother argued all the time he was there and he left he hasn't been back since has he been in contact at all with your mother do you know does he write her letters call her on the phone hmm the last time was when he came to her house I haven't heard anything about him since I don't even know where he is I don't care I guess I had even knew him I can't think about this carefully now Roberta did your mother have any close friends who used to come to the house quite a bit yes two or three women friends are hers at work any men friends no mama didn't have any men friends she didn't like him she said they were all no good she used to tell me that all the time do you have any relatives we can contact I don't know about my father's side my mother has a brother and sister in West Virginia dresses at home what am I gonna do why would anybody kill my mother and you try to take it easy Robert everything's gonna work out all right look now do you think you can give us a list of most of the people your mother knew friends around the neighborhood the people she knew at her work yes I think so most of them in her dress book I think I know where it is all right fine just before you left her school this morning Roberta was there anyone in the house beside you and your mother no just the two of us was your mother expecting and not that I know your mother was all right was she that didn't seem to be anything bothering her no she acted all right to me just like any other morning we got up at quarter seven I got dressed and I took a shower I fixed breakfast we ate and then I left for school about what time was that Roberta before eight three usual time I have my first class nine o'clock when I left mama she was just finishing her breakfast I said goodbye it was the last time he saw her can we talk after a while please maybe I'll feel better can't talk about oh sure that's all right would you like to rest here I don't know why I'm crying stupid I don't care anyway no reason to cry you better get some rest youngster no reason it doesn't make sense crying about mama how's that I'm not sorry I'm glad she's dead early that afternoon after she'd rested sufficiently and recovered herself we had another interview with Roberta Dixon the teenage daughter of the murdered woman miss Harman the vice principal went back to the school and the police woman was called in to be present during the interrogation again she insisted that she wasn't at all sorry that her mother was dead she said that privately she didn't have any love for either one of her parents least of all our mother she told the usual story of a broken home a father who showed little interest in his daughter or providing a good home for a strict overbearing mother who apparently made no effort to understand the girl we continued to interview Roberta Dixon but outside of what she'd already told us she showed no further knowledge of the murder pending action by the court we had the girl placed in the custody of the juvenile authorities 3 10 p.m. Ben and I drove back to the murder house on South Pico Boulevard where we met police reporter George DeCoven together with Brian and Ortiz we continued our preliminary investigation we rechecked the immediate area of the Dixon home and talked again with the neighbors we failed to come up with anything new 4 25 p.m. along with the reporter George DeCoven Ben and I went back to the murder house well I don't know it doesn't seem to jive that time of morning it's possible though what's that joy prowler might have been if you think so no we've already run that down yeah we check communications there's no recent complaints about anybody prowling the neighborhood we talk to the neighbors to no indication of it no sign anybody tried to break in here either got me I can't figure and Dick's moment sure kept to herself lived here 11 years and we can't dig up more than half a dozen neighbors were really new that business with her daughter too her cheerstacks are pretty strange didn't the crime went up crew find anything this morning Joe no nothing great a jacket and a pair of shoes with a few stains on them took them in to run a benzene test that's about the size of it sure a slow start yeah I expect a little more from the neighbors I'll die you know it'd be different if a thing happened in the middle of the night according to the daughter it must have happened at least after 8 30 this morning now if the killer got in the house after that you'd think somebody on the block would have noticed if neighbors close by on either side how about checking out in the yard and back I didn't get too good a look around this morning there was nothing more to cover in here crime labs been all over and how about where this Mrs. Dickson worked Joe anybody tag base there yeah Tommy Brian did hotel down on South Grand she worked in the lemon room a couple people she knew there they couldn't tell him anything how about some of her other friends no nothing yet we're still checking go ahead Joe it's a big backyard kept it nice didn't it you want to check alongside here been to the house I'll give the back of the yard look yeah okay well good size garage yeah pretty hard to find them like that anymore pretty good size lot to he sure must have worked to keep it enough there's not a weed on the place is yeah more you can say for the neighbors I will look George down here huh flower bed here two little mounds of dirt you see them oh yeah the ground looks like it's been recently turned when you say fairly recent and what that's supposed to mean yeah small wooden crosses pressed down in each one of the mound clearly looks like a couple of small graves doesn't you want to reach me that stick over there George oh here you go thank you have a look here nice nothing on my end how are you doing what's here we're not sure ourselves wait a minute what is it wait a minute you know all right to my yard bird little canary how about that hasn't been buried long look here at the breast what do you think at night could be sharp instrument of some kind just a minute I'm gonna try this other mound here wait a minute Joe yeah it's another one you got a canary same thing look at the breath neither one's been buried for more than a few days funny one the Dixon's race canary you know I don't know I don't think so it sure doesn't make any sense to me they didn't want the birds you'd think they'd give them away why go slaughter them like this yeah well look works both ways deep wounds in the chest some kind of sharp weapon yeah the Dixon woman she died the same way 4 35 p.m. we took the two canaries wrapped them in paper and brought them downtown to Lieutenant Lee Jones at the crime lab to be processed he was still running tests on the stained jacket and pair of shoes which had been found in the house among the dead woman's personal effects 5 15 p.m. we checked for the office and then we drove over to juvenile hall to see Roberta Dixon apparently she was in a much better frame of mind I talked to miss Harmon this afternoon our vice principal she wants me to come and stay with her for a while hope she can arrange it it sure be nice we were back at your house this afternoon Roberta we found something we'd like to ask you about that well do you keep any pets in your house I mean either you or your mother well no not usually why how do you mean not usually well we didn't up until a week ago mama didn't like animals she didn't want them around then I got these two canaries I bought them with my own money I work after school you know I see I bought a cage for him too my mother was mad when I brought him home she didn't like any kind of animals kept preaching at me she finally made me get rid of him how'd you do that Roberta I got a knife and I killed him see the difference taste the difference smoke the difference you will find that in Fatima the difference is quality quality that gives you extra mildness a much different much better flavor and aroma yes in king size Fatima you get all the advantages of extra length plus Fatima quality which no other king size cigarette has Fatima best of all king size cigarettes definitely the best quality in its class but the same price as the cigarette you're now smoking remember thousands of americans are switching to Fatima insist on Fatima quality so why wait switch to Fatima today look for the sunny yellow pack buy Fatima best of all king size cigarettes remember thousands and thousands of americans are switching to king size Fatima insisting on Fatima quality so compare Fatima yourself when you see the difference taste the difference smoke that difference you'll switch to Fatima because in Fatima the difference is quality look for the sunny yellow pack buy Fatima best of all king size cigarettes February 18th the Dixon girl was released to the custody of miss Harman pending action by the juvenile court nine p.m. Ben and I double checked with Lieutenant Lee Jones at the crime lab he showed us the school jacket and a pair of shoes which had been found in a closet in the home of the murdered woman mrs Florence Dixon apparently the clothing belonged to the daughter Roberta there were several dark stains on each of the articles they'd been checked thoroughly first a benzene test to determine if they were blood stains then a biological precipitant test to classify them further there wasn't any doubt in Lee's mind that the stains were recent but they were made by human blood the same blood type as that of the murdered woman it was a little hard to believe but the evidence on hand pointed to only one prime suspect 16 year old Roberta Dixon early the following morning we checked back in at the office then went across the street to see if the coroner's autopsy report was ready 8 0 5 a.m. I checked by communications they had a report on the tracer we'd gotten out on the murder victim's husband the Charles Dixon I picked it up and headed back to the office morning Joe oh hi George you get the message I left for you I put it on your desk over in the press room yeah I got it thanks I was left this morning anything new well this here an answer on that tracer we got out on Mrs. Dixon's husband he's been living up north for the past year San Francisco that's uh still up there no not according to this he died six months ago heart attack what do you figure well there's not much choice Joe oh hi George hi autopsy report coroner just got it out what's the word it doesn't jive with the story we got that coroner places a time of death close to 7 30 a.m. yesterday of course the desk what we figured chest kind of a sharp weapon or something else according to the girls he had breakfast with her mother before she left for school coroner says miss Dixon hadn't eaten for at least 12 hours before she died what was that time of death then 7 30 a.m. no later I guess we better move on I know what's the angle or a daughter she says she didn't leave the house until 8 30 along with the police woman Ben and I drove out to the home of the high school vice principal miss Herman where the suspect Roberta Dixon was staying there was no one there we checked at the high school miss Harman told us that she brought Roberta to school that morning she thought that if the girl attended classes it had helped keep her mind off her troubles miss Harman checked the classroom the Dixon girl was supposed to be in but she wasn't there her teachers were contacted none of them had seen her that morning 9 40 a.m. we drove over to the Dixon home we found Roberta in the back bedroom she was sitting calmly at a sewing machine stitching ruffles on a dress in one corner of the room there was an empty bird cage I'm pretty busy right now I've got this sewing to do what you want to talk to me about we've got a few more questions for your bird it's about your mother she's dead isn't she do we have to talk about it yeah I'm afraid we do why do we just told me she was dead there's no sense in talking about dead people anyway I've got this sewing to do I have to get finished there isn't that pretty these ruffles go all the way around the bottom of the skirt here like this beautiful color brown you like it you want to tell us what happened Roberta yesterday morning yesterday I already told you didn't I we don't think you were telling the truth you want to go over to again for it I've got this sewing to do you can see that can't you three more rows of ruffles go on right here I have to get it finished takes time you know I think you better let the sewing go Roberta oh no I couldn't do that I have to get finished I'm afraid this is a little more important I think you realize that I went over the whole thing for you already I told you everything wasn't the truth you know that a burn what do you say that was it the truth wait let me to say that's up to you you think I lied don't you that's stupid I haven't got any reason to lie did you kill her Roberta what did you kill your mother I told you everything already it's just the way it was mom and I got up and had breakfast and I went to school at all I don't have any reason to lie excuse me hello oh hi friend yeah I'm working on it now it's gonna be beautiful what oh no that's all right sure oh thanks yeah I'm all right look can you call me back later yeah I'll be here okay bye I'm sorry officers my girlfriend it's a good friend of mine she can vouch for me she'll tell you I'm not a liar do you want a pair of brown and white saddle oxford's Roberta no why how about a school jacket green plaid no I don't like green brown's my favorite color the green plaid jacket was found in the house here it was stuffed back in the hall closet it had your name stenciled on it oh yeah that old thing I don't even wear it anymore look at that won't be pretty when I get finished that jacket yours Roberta they found blood stains on on the shoes too Roberta I already told you the shoes aren't mine the jacket is why do you keep calling me a liar can't you believe me for once isn't bad enough away things are now the last time we talked to you you said you left the house at 8 30 yesterday morning is that right yes it was around 8 30 well we got the report on your mother this morning Roberta the coroner says she died at 7 30 no later that's stupid how could he tell anyway he can tell he's a liar something else Roberta you told us you and your mother got up and you had breakfast together yeah we had breakfast together why are you picking on me you couldn't have breakfast together the time she died your mother hadn't eaten anything for 12 hours I guess you're gonna say they can tell that too that's right you want to tell us what really happened now and I tell us the truth Roberta it's going to work out a lot easier these are some of the toys I had when I was little I saved almost all of them my best doll I had a lot of dolls I loved them I guess I still do I love them more than her you mean your mother I wasn't fooling I don't care if she's dead she didn't mean anything to me she never did mean anything these are more my dolls here I dressed them all myself every one of them what was the matter Roberta between you and your mother I mean I don't know I guess she just didn't mean anything not like anybody else's mother she didn't mean anything at all same as my father we're in the same house that's all nobody cared for anybody else anything but fighting fighting or just not saying anything at all I'm glad she's dead you killed her is that what you want to say here's a little piano I had I got one Christmas I think look still play you want to tell us from the beginning took a long time I thought about it a lot a week ago I made up my mind it's time to kill her she was getting worse I couldn't do anything I was always wrong couldn't go out couldn't do this I couldn't do that she started the same way yesterday morning I got the knife from the kitchen I went in and she was sitting on the bed putting her stockings on I don't think she knew what happened didn't take long were you having an argument with her is that what started we argued every morning I got so tired of it she had an awful voice finally made up my mind planned it all out I even practiced it you know the two canaries I had yeah I didn't buy them because I wanted them you got to be cute though I felt bad about killing them why'd you kill them a bit here practice decided to use a knife I wasn't sure I knew how to do it though so I got the canaries one day after school I killed them gave me more confidence I knew I could do it after that poor little things I guess I shouldn't have killed them what knife you killed your mother with Roberto you want to show us where it is all right I'll show you I don't think you ever could have found it it's up in the attic special place I hide things say would you like some coffee or a coke or something no no thanks one more thing why'd you leave school this morning I mean going off without telling anybody I wanted to come back here I felt like it I wanted to come back to my room the only place I really like to be I've lived in this house all my life this has always been my room toys I had my dolls everything's here everything I have my books are my dolls I think we better be going Robert we'll have to take you downtown yes all right I'll get my coat then I'll show you where the knife is all right officers could I ask you one favor what's that it probably sounds silly it'll help a lot though this doll here yeah could I take it with me just this one make me feel a lot better please do you think I could yeah sure bring it along if you like thank you you probably think I don't care for anything but my dolls there's one thing though I want to tell you what's that I'm sorry now I really am I shouldn't have done it I know it was wrong you do yes I'm sorry I killed the canaries the story you have just heard was true the names were changed to protect the innocent on May 6 the hearing was held in juvenile court department 38 city and county of los angeles state of california in a moment the results of that hearing now here is our star jack webb thank you george fenerman friends I'd like to take just a moment this evening to tell you about fatima's christmas gift carton when you visit your dealer take a real good look at it I think you'll agree with me that it's the smartest of all christmas cartons just as it should be because fatima is the best of all king's eye cigarettes this christmas season I'm buying fatimas for all my friends and I hope you will too compare fatima see the difference taste the difference and then smoke that difference because in fatima the difference is quality at the hearing in juvenile court Roberta evelyn dixon was found unfit to be handled as a juvenile and was certified to superior court as an adult there she was found to be criminally insane by three psychiatrists appointed by the state she is now confined to a state mental institution where she is undergoing treatment you have just heard dragnet a series of authentic cases from official files technical advice comes from the office of chief of police w h parker los angeles police department barkney arborough is sergeant veneral merrill also heard was Joyce mcclusty script by jim mosey music by robert schumann hell give me speaking fatima cigarettes best of all king's eye cigarettes has brought you dragnet transcribed 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