Dragnet: The Big Hate (EP5084)

0:03 THE END.

0:28 Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio. From Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're going to bring you this week's episode of Dragnet, but first I want to encourage you, if you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. And today's program is brought to you in part by the financial support of our listeners. You can support the show by mailing a donation to Adam Graham, P.O.

1:01 Box 15913.

1:02 It's P.O. Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715. And become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little as $ 2 per month. Just go to patreon.greatdetectives.net. Now, from July 10th, 1952, here is The Big Hate.

1:32 The story you are about to hear is true.

1:38 The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

1:40 The Big Hate.

1:48 You're a detective sergeant.

1:50 You're assigned a homicide detail.

1:52 A 25-year-old man is found hiding in a freight car in a deserted train yard. In his arms, he holds the body of a dead woman. The victim's identity is unknown. The suspect refuses to talk. Your job?

2:04 Investigate.

2:15 Dragnet.

2:16 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.

2:39 It was Tuesday, January 18th. It was cold in Los Angeles.

2:42 We were working the night watch out of homicide detail. My partner's Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Warman. My name's Friday. I was on the way back from the record bureau, and it was 10.38 p.m. when I got to room 42. Homicide detail.

2:55 Joe?

2:55 Hi.

2:55 Did they cop out to anything yet? Nothing.

2:58 I keep asking him questions. Might as well be talking to myself. He might be in a state of shock.

3:03 No, I don't think so.

3:03 You got anything on him from R & I?

3:05 No, he's clean. You and Stahl want to get over to the morgue, roll the dead woman's prints?

3:09 Yeah, sure. Maybe you'll have better luck with it. See you later.

3:12 Yeah, sure. Here's your driver's license, Gordon. Better put it back in your wallet.

3:26 Gordon?

3:27 Gordon?

3:28 Put it back in your wallet.

3:32 Now look, son, I don't think you're helping yourself much by keeping quiet.

3:35 There's a lot of explaining to be done here. I'm afraid you're the only one that can do it.

3:40 Gordon?

3:42 All right, son, it's just a matter of time. You're going to have to tell somebody sooner or later. Why don't you tell us now? Come on, what do you say? Well, look, son, I'll tell you the truth. I don't get the reasoning behind all this. We know there's nothing wrong with you. We know you can talk, all right. You talked to the officers in the radio car who brought you in.

3:59 You know as well as I do, you're going to have to explain what's happened here. You're going to have to explain that dead body. You want to get it over with now? Look, Gordon, if you didn't kill the woman, you haven't anything to worry about. And if you did, we're going to find out anyway. Who was the woman, Gordon?

4:18 Will you tell me that much?

4:19 What's her name?

4:21 You know her very long? Did you know her very long? What was she to you? Do you want to tell me that? She's a fairly middle-aged woman in her early 50s, I'd say.

4:31 Is that about right? Was she your mother, Gordon? Older sister, maybe? Any relation at all? What's the matter, son? You feeling sick? How about a cigarette?

4:49 All right.

4:51 Bother you if I smoke? I hope you haven't got the idea we're trying to trick you into anything, Gordon.

5:02 We've got a dead woman on our hands here. We've got to find out why she's dead. Now, what do you say? No use looking up at the clock, son. We're stuck here till we find out about that woman. That goes for both of us.

5:16 Homicide Friday. Oh, yeah, Jack. No, not right now. Ought to be back in about a half hour. Yeah, a half hour. Right, I'll tell them to call you. Bye. I got an idea, Gordon.

5:28 What?

5:28 Might help set your mind at ease. Now, number one, if you think we're out to build.

5:33 A frame against you on this thing, let me tell you that you're wrong, and I'll prove it to you, son. I'm going to tell you exactly what we know about this case, everything. And when I'm finished, maybe you can fill in the blank spots for.

5:41 Us, huh?

5:43 What's the matter, you're heady? Some aspirin in my locker there if you want some.

5:48 No?

5:49 All right.

5:50 Here's all we know about it.

5:54 One of our radio cars, 1A4, answered a call from the night watchman down in the freight yards.

5:59 He told the officers that he'd.

6:00 Spotted a man wandering around down at the far end of the train yards near the west gate. Watchman only saw him at a distance, but he said he could make out the man and that he saw that he had a woman with him. She must have either been sick or she had too much to drink because the man appeared to be dragging her along with him. The two of them disappeared behind a line of boxcars on the siding. When the watchman went out to look for the two people, he couldn't find them. Called a radio car, and when the officers got there, they started searching. I finally found you hiding back in the corner of an empty boxcar there.

6:32 You were holding that dead woman in your arms.

6:35 There wasn't anything the officers could see that might have caused the woman's death. There were no marks on the body, nothing visible anyway. When they tried to question you, all that you'd tell them was your name and that you didn't want to live, that you didn't care.

6:46 What happened to you. That's about the size of it, Gordon. Did I leave anything out? Gordon?

6:53 Oh, yeah.

6:54 There is something else.

6:55 From what we could gather, the dead woman had been doing some drinking before she died. Matter of fact, looks like she was a pretty heavy drinker.

7:01 And another thing.

7:02 We know you and the woman got into the train yard down by the west gate. We know that you dragged your body across the freight yards to that empty boxcar.

7:09 That they found you hiding in.

7:10 The heel marks from her shoes lead from the sidewalk through the dirt directly to the door of that boxcar.

7:16 We could see where you.

7:17 Dragged your body from the door back to the corner of the car. Now, that's the whole story so far, Gordon. You want to fill in the rest?

7:25 Son, how about it? Who is the woman? All right, look.

7:34 How about these items we found in your pocket, Gordon? This address book here. Is this the woman's name in here? Or this handkerchief with a lipstick on it?

7:44 Were you out with another girl tonight? Were you, son? If you were, it might help to tell us who she is. Do you hear me, son?

7:53 How about this lady's ring you had in your pocket? Name Elizabeth engraved on the inside.

7:57 Does that tie in at all, Gord? Who's it belong to? Homicide Friday. Oh, yeah, Frank. You got an ID on it?

8:07 Mm-hmm.

8:09 H-O-F-F-M-A-N.

8:12 2N?

8:13 Right.

8:14 You going out there now? Okay, take O'Donnell with you, huh? Right, let me hear from him.

8:18 What?

8:19 No, no, not yet.

8:20 No.

8:20 All right.

8:21 Bye.

8:24 That was my partner, Gordon. The officer who was in here with you. They took the dead woman's fingerprints.

8:28 They've got her identified, son.

8:31 It's Elizabeth Hoffman, age 52 years, music teacher. Last known address, 5473 6th Avenue. They're on their way out there now to check it.

8:40 All right, relax, Gordon. That window doesn't lead anywhere.

8:44 Now, you want to take another look at this ring? You got a fair idea that it means something, Gordon. They examined the dead woman's hands. They know she was wearing a ring recently. Her name's Elizabeth Hoffman. Name Elizabeth engraved inside this ring. Now, look, boy, we're going to get the answer sooner or later.

9:02 How about it?

9:02 What were you doing with this ring in your pocket? Now, let me tell you something, young fella. I don't know what's bothering you, but whatever it is, we're going to find it out.

9:09 Now, get it through your head. You're in a bad spot. If you're not interested in helping yourself, then neither am I. The monkey's on your back. You're going to have to help scratch it off.

9:15 Now, get with it.

9:16 What's it all about?

9:20 All right, let's have your driver's license. Come on, get it out. All right, I'll take it. Gordon John Miller, 2055 Malcolm Avenue, Los Angeles. Hello, information. Do you have a phone listing for 2055 Malcolm Avenue? Thank you. Yes, ma'am. Mm-hmm.

9:50 3-2-1-9-2.

9:50 Thanks a lot.

9:59 Put the phone down.

10:00 You ready to tell us?

10:03 No, I won't tell you.

10:04 All right. Any way you want it, Gordon.

10:09 You can't call them. You can't. I won't let you. You can't call them. All right.

10:13 Take it easy.

10:13 They can't tell you.

10:14 They don't know.

10:14 Give me the phone.

10:15 You can't. All right.

10:15 Sit down.

10:16 I said sit down.

10:17 If you won't answer the questions, we'll find somebody who will. Give me your wrist. Now, sit still.

10:25 Now, the sooner you get it through your head you're not here on a traffic ticket, the better. You're going to stay cuffed to that chair until we're ready to book you. I'm sick of treating you like a baby.

10:33 They can't tell you.

10:34 They don't understand.

10:37 They can't tell you.

10:38 They can't be any worse than you. Now, sit still there.

10:43 Shh.

10:44 Shh.

10:51 Hello, is this the Miller residence? 2055 Malcolm Avenue? My name's Friday, ma'am. Police department, Central Homicide.

10:57 Who's this speaking, please?

11:00 I see.

11:00 Miss Miller, are you related to a Gordon Miller? Your brother? Uh-huh. No, he's not hurt. There's nothing wrong with him.

11:07 Ma'am?

11:08 Yes, he's here. We're holding him. I wonder if you'd be kind enough to come down here to the city hall. It's the city hall, yes, ma'am.

11:13 It's important.

11:15 We'd like to talk to you. No, as soon as possible. Yeah, you can get in through the Main Street entrance. Main Street, M-A-I-N.

11:22 It's room 42, 4-2 on the main floor. Just ask for Friday. That's my name. All right, thank you.

11:27 Goodbye.

11:27 It's your sister, Lillian. She's on her way down, Gordon.

11:32 It's not going to help. She doesn't know. None of them know.

11:36 Who's them? You mean your family?

11:38 You shouldn't have called. They don't know about it. They can't tell you. Why did you have to call?

11:45 You know why, Gordon. We gave you plenty of chance to tell us yourself. The answers have to come from somewhere.

11:50 What answers? What do you want me to say?

11:55 Homicide Friday.

11:56 What?

11:58 How's that again? No, I'm afraid you have the wrong extension. You want vice detail. Just a minute. I'll have your call transferred. Yeah, would you give this call to 2607? Yeah, thank you.

12:13 I asked you What do you want me to say?

12:16 What do you want?

12:16 It's pretty simple, Gordon. Just tell us what happened tonight, will you?

12:20 She's dead, isn't she? Elizabeth?

12:22 Yes, that's right.

12:24 There's nothing else to say. I killed her.

12:27 Why did you kill her, son?

12:29 I'm not sure, really.

12:30 I'm not.

12:32 I think I felt sorry for her. I killed her, though. I know that one.

12:37 You murdered the woman, but you don't know why?

12:39 Yeah.

12:42 I keep trying to remember.

12:43 I can't.

12:44 It doesn't seem real.

12:45 You been drinking, Gordon?

12:47 Yeah. Two or three days. We were going to have dinner tonight. We started drinking cocktails before. Quite a few. We never had dinner.

12:57 What do you mean by we?

12:58 The two of us. Elizabeth and I. Elizabeth Hoffman.

13:04 Where were you drinking?

13:06 I don't know. I'm telling you the truth. I keep trying to remember.

13:10 No marks on the body, Gordon. None we could see anyway.

13:12 How'd you kill her? I killed her. That's enough, isn't it? I murdered her. Please don't talk anymore.

13:20 I'm sorry, son. That's not even half the story. You admit you killed a woman. You won't tell us why. You won't tell us how.

13:26 They wouldn't let her alone. They kept hounding her. They drove her out of her mind. Come on, son.

13:36 Snap out of it. That's not going to help any. All right, come on.

13:40 Yeah.

13:40 Now, what's it all about? What'd you have to do with it?

13:43 Known her for 10 years. She was my music teacher. Piano. Brilliant woman. Elizabeth was a real artist.

13:53 You've been taking piano lessons from her for ten years, is that right?

13:56 Yes, sir.

13:57 Elizabeth was arranging a concert tour for me. South America, this fall. She said she was sure I'd be a success.

14:03 I couldn't fail.

14:04 Concerts in eight cities, all over South America. We were going this fall. We were going to leave in August.

14:11 Not have anything to do with her death?

14:13 I guess so. No way.

14:16 She did everything for me, and I had to kill her. Only one who believed in me. I can't tell you. Last two years, I didn't have any money to pay for my lessons.

14:25 She didn't care. She even fed me, took care of me when I was sick once. She did everything for me.

14:32 You know, this is pretty hard to understand, son. She did everything for you. Then why did you kill her?

14:37 What makes you think that's important? She's dead, and I killed her. You always ask why. It's not important how she died.

14:45 It is to us. Now, how'd you kill her, Gordon? Why'd you take her body down to the freight yards?

14:49 You should have known Elizabeth when she was alive.

14:53 You never met a woman like her. Just wonderful. Talent. She was brilliant. Understanding. Great woman.

15:01 Warm.

15:03 No one like her, Sergeant. Great human being.

15:05 She drank quite a bit, didn't she, Gordon?

15:07 Yes. She drank.

15:10 Reason for it, though. Reason for everything. Sat away with a lot of brilliant people. She'd drink once in a while.

15:17 She drank more than that, didn't she?

15:18 She had a reason for it. Who are you to sit in judgment on her?

15:22 Elizabeth was a brilliant artist, great woman, great. One of the finest musicians in the country, a great woman.

15:28 She was a drunk and a bad drunk. Now, let's face it, son, you know that as well as I do.

15:31 You're a liar. She wasn't.

15:32 You're a rotten liar.

15:33 Six drunk arrests in 14 months.

15:35 That's what her card reads in the record bureau. Those are the only times we know of. Now, how many can you add to it?

15:41 She drank. She thought it was the only way out for her. Wasn't any other way.

15:46 Yeah, well, you're talking in circles here, Gordon. Get it straightened out, will you?

15:50 You want to know why Elizabeth drank? Go ask my family. They'll tell you. They'll tell you a lot of things if you want.

15:55 To believe it. What can they tell me that you can't?

15:57 Nothing. But they'll try and pretend they know liars. I don't want any part of them. And they don't want any part of me.

16:03 Don't you live with your family now, Gordon?

16:05 I haven't seen them for a year. I don't want to see them.

16:07 Why not? Don't you get along with them? Your father and your mother?

16:10 My mother's dead. Died when I was 12. Just my father and my sister.

16:17 What's the matter? Don't you get along with them?

16:19 I just want them to let me alone, that's all. Just let me alone.

16:21 How about Elizabeth Hoffman? Your family know her pretty well?

16:24 Yeah, they know her. I didn't understand her, though. I really loved her. She loved me.

16:30 I don't think I follow you, son.

16:32 I knew you wouldn't understand. I was in love with Elizabeth. She was in love with me.

16:36 We were going to get married.

16:37 You're 25 years old, Gordon.

16:38 Is that right?

16:40 Yes.

16:40 Elizabeth Hoffman was 52. That's what our records show here.

16:44 What about it?

16:45 27 years difference. That's a little unusual, wouldn't you say?

16:49 Whatever. Everything that's great is unusual. That's what makes it great. I loved her. Time didn't make any difference. A few years, what's that? I loved her more than any woman in the world. She meant everything.

17:02 I didn't care if she drank. I didn't care if she was old. You don't stop being beautiful just because you grow old. Elizabeth was beautiful.

17:11 Well, drinking didn't help her much.

17:12 I don't care about that. I'll still say it. She loved me and I loved her. Believe me, please, I loved her.

17:20 All right, I believe you, son. Let me ask you this.

17:23 Yes.

17:24 You say you respected her. She was talented. You were grateful to her. She was generous.

17:28 She made sacrifices for you, did everything for you that she could.

17:31 Is that right? She loved you and you loved her. You were going to marry her.

17:35 Yeah. This fall, on the way to South America. Going to be married. What we always wanted. Elizabeth would have been so happy. So happy.

17:46 Yeah, well, then why did you kill her?

17:47 Joe?

17:49 Yeah, Frank.

17:50 See you in a minute?

17:52 Yeah. Sorry to interrupt you. Something I think you ought to know.

17:56 Yeah.

17:57 John and I checked the boarding house the Hoffman woman was staying at. Checked her room. It's clean. Everything in order. Uh-huh. Miss Miller had the room next to her. Shook his place down, too.

18:05 Anything?

18:05 His bags were all packed. Looked like he was ready to go. Something else.

18:09 Yeah.

18:09 On the kitchen sink, bottle of poison.

18:22 You are listening to Dragnet. Authentic stories of your police force in action.

18:27 Tuesday, January 18th, 1155 p.m.

18:28 My partner Frank Smith and I.

18:31 Continued questioning the murder suspect, 25-year-old Gordon Miller.

18:43 While he freely admitted to the murder of his music teacher and fiancée, 52-year-old Elizabeth Hoffman, we still were unable to get him to give us a good reason for the murder. Whenever we put the question to him, he either refused to answer or he was evasive. We got the same results when we questioned him about how he killed the Hoffman woman.

19:00 Where he killed her.

19:02 12.20 a.m., the interrogation went on.

19:04 But you ought to remember where you killed her, Gordon. You say the two of you left the rooming house, you stopped for some drinks, and you went for a walk. Where'd you walk? Down Arlington Avenue. We kept walking, then we turned off. We walked for a long time.

19:13 Were you anywhere near the freight yards when you killed her? Can you remember that?

19:16 No, I don't know. Like a nightmare.

19:17 There's so much of it, I guess I don't want to remember. And what's the last location you can recall, Gordon? I mean, before you found yourself.

19:22 In the freight yard.

19:23 Olympic Boulevard, I think. Someplace on Olympic. Kept walking and walking. I don't even remember why. You remember packing your suitcases before you left the boarding house? Packing? Yeah, I think I do. Elizabeth and I talked about going away for a few days, someplace out of town. I think we're going to go tomorrow.

19:36 They checked both your rooms, Gordon, yours and Elizabeth Hoffman's. They found your bags packed, but there was nothing about her room that indicated she was going away. Everything was in order.

19:43 Can you explain that?

19:44 I don't know.

19:44 Maybe she didn't have time, hadn't gotten around to it.

19:46 I guess you found the poison, too. That's right. I got it two days ago. We thought about it. We even wrote a letter explaining why we'd do it.

19:52 Yeah.

19:52 We didn't have the courage, though. Neither one of us. Talked about it and decided to forget it. I've told you everything. There isn't anything else to say.

19:59 Friday?

20:00 Yeah. Oh, all right, Jeff. Send her in, please. You're Lillian Miller, is that right?

20:06 Yes, that's right.

20:07 I don't want to see her. I don't want to see her. She's your sister, Gordon. She wants to see you. Please, keep her out. Keep her away.

20:13 Gordon?

20:14 My name's Friday, Miss Miller. Come on in, please. Have a chair, will you?

20:17 Thank you. How are you, Gordon? Been such a long time. How have you been?

20:22 Chair, Miss Miller? Thanks.

20:25 Well, kid, what is it, Gordon? What's the trouble about? Honey, what is it? Won't you even look at me?

20:31 Get out of here. Let me alone.

20:33 Get out.

20:33 Please, Gordon, don't. I'm here to help you, honey. They called me tonight. They said you're in trouble. What is it? Let me help you, please.

20:39 You can't help. She's dead now. Will you go home? Elizabeth's dead. I killed her.

20:44 Merciful God, no.

20:45 Will you take her out of here, Sergeant? Tell her to go?

20:48 You don't know what you're saying, honey. He's not in his right mind, Sergeant. I know he isn't. Please, Gordon, you have to let us help you. I called Dad before I left. He's on his way here now. We'll get you a lawyer. Don't worry, honey. It'll be all right. Everything will be all right.

21:01 She's dead. Can you bring her back?

21:03 You couldn't have killed her, couldn't you?

21:05 Hounding her, torturing her. Why couldn't you let her alone? Why couldn't you let us alone?

21:08 We only did it for you, Gordon. We thought it was best for you.

21:11 You fool, you fool.

21:12 Say anything you want, Gordon. I don't care, but let me help you, please. It doesn't count what I am. Just let me help you.

21:18 I'll get it. Okay, then. Henry Miller, the boy's father. I don't want to see him in here. I don't know him. He's not my father.

21:26 All right, take it easy, Gordon.

21:27 Please, honey, try to understand. We only want to help.

21:29 Who's in charge here?

21:31 My name is Friday, Mr.

21:32 Miller.

21:32 This is my partner, Sergeant Smith.

21:33 The handcuffs on my son.

21:34 Gordon, who did it? Who put them on you? I did, Mr.

21:37 Miller.

21:37 The only way we could settle him down.

21:38 Taking quite a bit of authority in your hands, aren't you? Get them off of him right now. No reason to handcuff him.

21:43 Sorry, can't be done.

21:44 I said take them off. I have a little influence in this town. I'll see to it that the police commission hears about this. Now, what's my son doing here, anyway?

21:51 It's the Hoffman woman, Dad. Elizabeth Hoffman.

21:53 What about her?

21:54 She's dead. Gordon says he killed her. Dad, we've got to do something.

21:57 Don't tell him anything, Gordon. Don't say a thing. I'll get a lawyer for you right away. I know what your rights are. Don't tell him anything.

22:03 Did you know Elizabeth Hoffman, Mr. Miller? I knew her slightly.

22:06 Can't see what this fuss is all about anyway.

22:08 Woman wasn't any good to begin with. No good at all. You ought to be glad I'm handcuffed to this chair. I never thought of hitting you before. I'd like to do it now.

22:15 Please, Gordon, don't say those things.

22:16 As far as I can remember, you've been nothing but trouble. Now, either you snap out of it this time or you're on your own.

22:21 I'm sick of this.

22:22 Police stations, trampy women keeping you out of jail.

22:24 Either you start to realize who's boss in this family or there's going to be real trouble. Find yourself out in the cold, you'll stay there.

22:30 Get him out of here. Get him out of my sight.

22:32 Please, Dad, he's not well. Try and understand.

22:34 Enough, Gordon. I'll send a lawyer for you. That's all I'll do.

22:37 If you make up your mind I'm boss, you can come home. If not, you can stay away. Figure it out for yourself.

22:41 I don't care. I hate you. I hope you never forget it. I hate you.

22:44 Dad.

22:45 I'll see you at home, Lillian. It's a maid's night out. Lock the door before you go to bed.

22:50 Please, Dad, we've got to help. Don't leave, Dad. It's God, dear God.

22:58 Sergeant.

22:59 Yeah.

22:59 Will you lock me up now? I'm tired.

23:01 All right, Gordon. Just a minute. Frank, you want to stay with him? Yeah, okay. Miss Miller, would you like to step outside for a minute or something? I'd like to ask you.

23:08 Yes, all right. You'll let me see Gordon again?

23:11 Yes, ma'am. Come on this way.

23:18 Now, look.

23:19 How about this Elizabeth Hoffman, Miss Miller? Did you know her at all?

23:22 I tried to talk to her. I even offered her money if she'd let Gordon alone. It wasn't any use. She'd been drinking. She wouldn't even listen. She kept saying she was going to marry Gordon.

23:30 Well, what's the big attraction, do you know? I mean, between your brother and that woman.

23:33 There's only one thing Gordon ever really wanted. He wasn't too interested in women, things like that. All he wanted was to be a musician, a great pianist. That's all he ever wanted. The sad part about it is he'll never make it. I think Don D.P. knows that. When he was a kid, Dad sent him to the finest teachers.

23:49 After six months, they all said the same thing.

23:51 Yes, ma'am.

23:52 He'd never make it. Oh, he could play well enough, but he certainly wasn't exceptional. He never improved. He just stayed the same. When he started taking lessons from Elizabeth, she convinced him he had a great talent, kept telling him she'd make a great pianist out of him. The last three years, she kept promising to take him on a tour, Europe, South America. It never happened. I think Gordon knew it never could happen.

24:13 I see.

24:14 Can you think of any reason at all why he'd want to kill her?

24:16 There isn't any reason, none at all. Gordon didn't kill her. He couldn't kill anyone, I'm sure of it.

24:20 I hope you're right, Miss Miller, for your brother's sake. Would you excuse me for a few minutes, please?

24:25 Yes, all right.

24:25 You wait here.

24:26 You sit down if you want to. I'll be right back.

24:28 All right.

24:32 All set, Joe?

24:33 Yeah, in a minute.

24:35 Gordon, you ready to go?

24:36 I'd like to ask you one more question, son. I'd like to have you tell me the truth on this one.

24:40 Yeah?

24:41 What did you have in common with Elizabeth Hoffman? She was twice as old as you are. You gave up a lot for her. She didn't have any money.

24:46 She was an alcoholic.

24:47 What was the big attraction?

24:49 Why did I love Elizabeth? Is that what you mean?

24:51 Yeah, that's right.

24:52 You tell me, Sergeant. Why do you love any woman? Why? Because you need them.

24:56 You need them.

24:57 You can't be alone. Nobody can be alone. I needed Elizabeth. That's why I loved her. There's only been two women in the world who understood me. One of them was Elizabeth. The other one was my mother. She died when I was 12. Now they're both dead. Both of them. Only ones who understood. My father didn't understand. He never did.

25:15 All he knows is business, making money, more money. That's why he hated Elizabeth. He was jealous.

25:19 She understood me. She knew what I was like, knew all about me. When I was with Elizabeth, I was safe. I was happy close to her. There wasn't anything.

25:26 To be afraid of.

25:28 I'd go to her just like my mother. I'd put my head on her shoulder and she'd put her arms around me. I wasn't frightened anymore. I was safe.

25:34 Everything was all right, just like when I was a little kid in the night. I'd call out for my mother. She was always there. She'd put her arms around me and everything was safe. I wasn't afraid. I needed her. It was the same way I needed Elizabeth. Do you understand now? Now, do you know why I loved her? Yeah, I think I do. Only one question left. Why did you kill her? I don't know. I really don't. Maybe I'll remember. Look, Gordon, are you sure you killed her?

25:59 If she died in my arms, I must have killed her. Tomorrow, maybe. Maybe I'll remember tomorrow. Is Lillian still here, my sister? She's waiting outside. Did you hear my father, what he said? Told her to be sure and lock the door?

26:12 Mm-hmm.

26:13 Just like my father. They don't have to lock that door. It was locked 13 years ago.

26:18 How do you mean?

26:19 It was locked the day my mother died.

26:28 The story you have just heard was true. The names were changed to protect the innocent.

26:34 On January 19th, an autopsy was performed at the county morgue, city and county of Los Angeles, state of California. In a moment, the results of that examination. The results of the autopsy performed on the body of Elizabeth Hoffman showed definitely that she had suffered from a chronic heart condition aggravated by excessive drinking. Cause of death was listed as myocarditis, inflammation of the heart muscle. Gordon Miller was released from custody and completely exonerated of the death of Elizabeth Hoffman.

27:08 Eighteen months later, he took his own life.

27:20 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. Technical advisors, Captain Jack Donahoe, Sergeant Marty Wynn, Sergeant Vance Brasher. Heard tonight were Vic Perrin, Herb Ellis, Harry Bartell, Joyce McCluskey.

27:40 Script by Jim Moser. Music by Walter Schumann. George Fenneman speaking.

27:53 Attend the Republican Convention on NBC.

28:05 Welcome back. Well, this is such an interesting episode. and really does show the strength of Dragnet in its portrayal of human drama. And it's a very dark story in a way, even though it doesn't involve an actual crime. As Gordon Miller is just this tragic figure whose real emotional development really seemed to have stopped when... his mother died.

28:39 And there's this way where most people in this episode don't even really treat him like an adult. The way his father spoke to him in terms of how he was bossing him around. Maybe you can think that had to do with his dad being domineering. Then you have his sister. you know, calling him a poor kid and, honey, you know, it's just not a way that I've heard adult women talk to their 25-year-old brother. And even Friday, you know, I think the way that he was talking to him at the beginning seemed more reminiscent sometimes of the way Joe Friday might work with a young teenager.

29:36 And Friday says, I'm sick of treating you like a baby. Now, any of these might just be like a one-off thing. But I think when you have this many people doing this sort of thing, it says something about the character. And there was so much that he had invested in this relationship with this older woman. that she was, in effect, his whole world. And in a way, he was also losing his own mother again. And it shows from a police perspective that oftentimes you intersect with these painful situations and there's not really a whole lot you can do.

30:17 Your part in a case like this is to find out whether there was a murder or some sort of actionable criminal offense. But that doesn't end up saying a whole lot in terms of the ongoing underlying problem. Well, now it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day. Thank you to Dolly, Patreon supporter since November 2025, currently supporting the podcast at the rookie level of $ 2 or more per month. Thanks so much for your support, Dolly.

30:49 And that will do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software and be sure to rate and review the podcast wherever you download it from. We'll be back next Thursday with another episode of Dragnet, but join us back here tomorrow for yours truly, Johnny Dollar, where.

31:08 Right on the ball. Kind of had a hunch you might be dragged in on this. How are you, Johnny? Well, pretty good, Louie. Or rather, I'm not so sure. You have any real leads on this case, Johnny? Yeah. Let me hand you a thought for the day. Okay, sure. Don't be surprised when you find that Lena Loomis isn't at all broken up over this loss of her husband, because she isn't. If you ask me, she's downright tickled to death about it. Is that your snide way of telling me that she's interested in somebody else? Somebody closer to her own age? Johnny, if I could find out who that somebody else is. But who knows? Maybe there isn't any. Or maybe there's a dozen of them. I don't know. This gal is the social type. One big

31:47 party after another, night after night, month after month, ever since they got married. Lewis? Couldn't stay far enough away from it all. Spent most of his time off on hunting or fishing trips or out on his yacht. Funny that he ever married her in the first place. Well, when a gorgeous young charmer starts going at a poor, lonely widower, nearly 60, well, what do you expect? Apparently all she cared about was getting her hooks on his money.

32:14 What else? When did he go? Ten days ago. Got up, had breakfast, announced he was going to spend the day in Philadelphia. Walked out the front door, and that was the last anybody ever saw. And what about enemies, Lou? Not a one that anybody knows of. I mean, anything, any reason to think he might have been hauled up and murdered? The only reason to think he wasn't is the fact he took some luggage, some clothing with him.

32:37 Well, that doesn't prove anything.

32:39 You've questioned his wife, of course.

32:40 Yeah, yeah.

32:41 When you get through talking to her, you'll know just as much or as little as I do. Well, how about his favorite hunting and fishing spots? Check them all. Favorite and otherwise, nothing. You say that he owns a yacht? Owned.

32:53 Huh?

32:54 A sailboat, a big one. Kept it down in the little town of Tuckahoe on the Tuckahoe River.

33:00 So?

33:01 He just happened to have sold that yacht two days before he disappeared.

33:04 Ah.

33:06 Johnny... We haven't a single solitary thing to go on. You sure about that, Lou? What do you mean? Not even his.

33:17 I hope you'll be with us then. In the meantime, send your comments to box13 at greatdetectives.net. Follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives and check us out on Instagram, instagram.com slash greatdetectives from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham, signing off.