True Crime Blog
In Marina del Rey There were worse places to process a crime scene than two miles offshore in Marina del Rey, California. But how, exactly, would one go about such a task, and what circumstances would call for such an investigation? Perhaps a case of suicide. Or murder. Those were the questions I asked a…
A robust Hispanic man stood unapologetically shirtless beneath the morning sun in East Los Angeles. My partner and I suffered in dress shirts and ties while we questioned him about a Mustang, a set of wheels, and a relative of his who we believed to be a suspect in our murder investigation. It was August…
Slowly we patrolled the streets and alleys, our cruiser blacked out on a moonless night like a darkened gunship drifting through the mist. It was two hours past closing and two more before dawn, the time of night when cops and robbers alike prowled the City of Angels while her citizens peacefully slept. Suddenly,…
If you’re just dying to kill someone but find the prospect of prison tiresome, perhaps this handy little murderer’s manifesto is perfect for you! Have No Motive Do not kill out of anger, greed, or revenge, to cover another crime, or for sexual gratification. Do it just for the pure pleasure of doing so,…
Cop Holidays For cops, a holiday shift can run the gamut from excitement to danger to boredom to emotional drain. When I was a patrol deputy, I generally worked all of the holidays. Being single at the time, I would volunteer so that those with families could have the time off. Like many cops, I loved…
The day I met Muhammad Ali, I was nineteen years old and working for a security company that provided services to the gated community wherein Mr. Ali lived. Our duties included alarm response and patrol, and there was a sentry stationed at the gate, 24/7. It was circa 1982, and Mr. Ali had not…
The unincorporated county area of Watts is policed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. From 1955 to 1994, deputies assigned to the area worked out of the legendary Firestone Station. I had the privilege to be trained there in 1986, and I remained until the doors closed in 1994. The eighties saw the height…
As we approach Thanksgiving and you’re thinking about 3:00 a.m. wake-up calls to play shoppers’ hockey with other high-sticking, elbow-throwing zealous crazies, think about this: the predators are out in full force during the holidays. I realize this will not deter the hardcore shoppers and discount junkies (including my wife) from hitting the streets, so rather…
The way to avoid hitting a deer on a dark and desolate highway is to turn your lights off and hit the horn. Of course, this is counterintuitive, if not impossible to do. Unless you were raised in rural America where this tactic is apparently learned during driver’s education. Those who train and prepare for…
Another Day at the Homicide Bureau It was July 9, 2002, and the Southern California sun had driven the mercury to three-digits by 10:00 a.m. Being outdoors was bad enough, wearing a suit made it worse. Recovering a murdered baby from the recycling center was nearly unbearable. I shed the suit coat, rolled up my…