Horror at the Cecil Hotel (2017): Season 1, Episode 3 - Intertwined - full transcript
A man and woman are found lying intertwined in a pool of blood on the sidewalk outside of the Cecil Hotel. Did they fall or were they pushed from the ninth floor window?
**
TWO MISMATCHED VICTIMS...
- WHAT DO WE GOT?
- A YOUNG WOMAN, OLDER MAN.
...VETERAN
AND ROOKIE DETECTIVES...
I SAY WE GET A WARRANT
TO SEARCH THIS PLACE RIGHT NOW.
SLOW DOWN, SALAZAR.
...A BIZARRE WHODUNIT.
A WOMAN CHECKS
INTO THE CECIL WITH ONE MAN,
AND THEN SHE'S DISCOVERED DEAD
ON A SIDEWALK WITH ANOTHER MAN.
WAS IT THE HUSBAND?
I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER
THAN TO MARRY
A PENNY-PINCHING
WASH-OUT LIKE YOU!
YOU KNOW WHAT?
SCREW THIS. SCREW YOU!
WAS IT THE OTHER MAN?
THE OLD MAN? NO.
NOT ONE OF MY GUESTS.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED
TO SEE THAT ROOM.
OR WAS IT THE CECIL HOTEL?
SOMEONE JUST BROKE INTO
YOUR CRIME SCENE.
WHAT MADE THE CASE LEGENDARY...
HANDS UP!
DON'T MOVE.
...WAS IT OCCURRED
AT THE CECIL HOTEL.
THE LAST THING I WANTED
WAS TO LET ANOTHER STRANGE CASE
AT THE CECIL GO UNSOLVED.
**
**
**
SINCE THE OPENING
OF THE CECIL HOTEL IN 1927,
THERE HAVE BEEN
SO MANY STRANGE
INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED
AT THE HOTEL --
SERIAL KILLERS STAYING THERE,
UNUSUAL DEATHS,
UNNATURAL DEATHS.
BUT THIS CASE IS PROBABLY
THE ONE THAT'S MOST TWISTED.
GOOD MORNING, LOS ANGELES.
IT'S 4:45 A.M.,
64 DEGREES IN DOWNTOWN L.A.,
GOING UP TO A SUNNY 72.
IT'S GOING TO BE A BEAUTIFUL
FRIDAY IN THE CITY OF ANGELS
WITH KFDP, NUMBER ONE.
* SHOOBY DOOBY
DOOBY DOO WHOP HOP *
* LONELY FRIDAY NIGHT *
* I HAVE NOBODY *
* TO KISS
AND HOLD ME TIGHT *
* SHOOBY DOOBY
DOOBY DOO WHOP HOP... *
**
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE
COMING ACROSS, YOU KNOW,
THESE TWO PEOPLE THAT HAVE
JUST MET THEIR DEATH
IN FRONT OF THE CECIL HOTEL.
IT WAS A SCENE THAT YOU
COULDN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE OF.
IT WAS STRANGE.
I MEAN, THERE WAS A WOMAN'S BODY
ON TOP OF A MAN'S BODY.
THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL
OF BLOOD SURROUNDING THEM.
IT WAS A MYSTERY.
**
**
CALL THE COPS!
THERE'S BLOOD EVERYWHERE!
GET SOME HELP, PLEASE!
YES. I'M CALLING
FROM THE CECIL HOTEL.
IT SEEMS WE HAVE
SOME TROUBLE...
AGAIN.
**
**
ALWAYS THIS SLOW, SIR?
FIRST RULE AS YOUR FIRST DAY
AS DETECTIVE, SALAZAR,
DON'T CALL
YOUR PARTNER, SIR.
5:00 A.M., FRIDAY,
OCTOBER 12.
IT WAS MY FIRST DAY
WORKING HOMICIDE,
AND I WAS ON
THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT.
ASIDE FROM MY NEW PARTNER,
I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN HAPPIER.
I WAS EXCITED TO CATCH
MY FIRST CASE.
WHAT KIND OF A CASE
DID YOU CATCH YOUR FIRST DAY?
REMEMBER YOUR FIRST DAY?
THAT WAS 15 YEARS AGO.
YES, I DO.
YOU WANT TO PUT A LITTLE COLOR
ON THAT STORY, SIR --
I MEAN, FRANK?
NO, I DON'T.
COME ON.
THROW ME A BONE, JUST ONE WORD.
MESSY.
DUFFY, SALAZAR, YOU'RE UP.
WE GOT TWO DEAD DOWN
THE BLOCK AT THE CECIL.
NOT THAT PLACE AGAIN.
WHY?
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE CECIL?
YOU'LL SEE.
**
THE CECIL HOTEL WAS JUST
ON THE EDGE OF WHERE THE CITY
AND SKID ROW CAME TOGETHER,
AND IT EARNED A REPUTATION
AS BEING THE LAST STOP.
IF YOU WERE AT THE CECIL HOTEL,
THERE'S NO OTHER
DESTINATION BUT DEATH.
WHAT HAVE WE GOT HERE?
YOUNG WOMAN, OLDER MAN.
DELIVERY GUY FOUND THEM
JUST AFTER 5:00 A.M.
ALL RIGHT.
YOU BETTER CALL ANOTHER UNIT.
CORDON OFF THE AREA
FROM THERE TO THERE.
GET A STATEMENT
FROM THE WITNESS.
COPY.
I'D SEEN DEAD BODIES
BEFORE, BUT THIS WAS WORSE.
THERE WAS NOTHING PEACEFUL
ABOUT HOW THESE TWO WENT.
SALAZAR, GET OVER HERE.
REMEMBER WHAT
WE TALKED ABOUT.
YOU'RE HOMICIDE NOW,
RIGHT?
KEEP IT TOGETHER.
ONCE YOU'RE A NEWLY
ASSIGNED HOMICIDE INVESTIGATOR,
EVERYTHING IS NERVE-RACKING.
YOU HAVE TO PUT EVERYTHING ASIDE
AND LOOK AT THIS SURGICALLY.
I MEAN, THIS IS YOUR JOB.
THIS IS WHAT'S EXPECTED OF YOU.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PASS OUT.
I SEE WINDOW OPEN ON THE EIGHTH,
MAKE IT NINTH FLOOR.
**
HIS LICENSE ID'd HIM
AS GEORGE GIANINNI,
65 YEARS OLD FROM 10 BLOCKS OUT.
THE WOMAN WAS A JANE DOE.
NO POCKETBOOK.
MUST STILL BE UP THERE
IF SHE CARRIED ONE AT ALL.
WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?
THE CECIL HAS GOT
A CERTAIN REPUTATION.
NO RING.
I DON'T GET IT.
WHAT DO SAY
WE DO NOW, SALAZAR?
GO TALK TO
THE HOTEL MANAGEMENT.
**
AND YOU DIDN'T SEE
ANYTHING ELSE LAST NIGHT?
I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING
UNTIL THE BREAD GUY CAME IN
AND TOLD ME
TO CALL THE COPS.
HOW DID YOU NOT SEE IT
OR AT LEAST HEAR THE CRASH?
I WORK THE NIGHT DESK
AT THE CECIL.
IF I CALLED THE COPS EVERY TIME
I HEARD AN ODD SOUND,
I'D HAVE NO TIME
FOR MY GUESTS.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED YOU TO GO
THROUGH YOUR REGISTRATION BOOK
AND TELL US WHAT ROOM
WAS OCCUPIED BY MR. GIANINNI,
GEORGE GIANINNI.
YEAH.
YOU'RE ALWAYS UP
AGAINST THE CLOCK
WHEN YOU'RE INVESTIGATING
A HOMICIDE.
FROM THE TIME THAT THE VICTIM
GOES DOWN, I MEAN, IT'S A RACE.
NO.
NO GIANINNI REGISTERED.
OF COURSE,
A PLACE LIKE THIS,
NO ONE USES
THEIR REAL NAME.
NOW, LOOK, YOU SAW
THAT MESS OUT THERE.
THAT I DID.
YOU SEE THOSE TWO
PERSONS OR NOT?
THE OLD MAN?
NO, I'VE NEVER SEEN HIM
BEFORE, NOT ONE OF MY GUESTS.
SIX HUNDRED ROOMS,
AND YOU RECOGNIZE EVERYBODY?
THAT WOMAN?
YEAH.
I REMEMBER THAT DRESS.
SHE CAME IN THIS TIME
YESTERDAY...
PAID CASH,
$12.65 PLUS TAX.
I GAVE HER ROOM 923.
OTTON,
MRS. PAULINE OTTON.
SHE REGISTERED ALONE.
SHE CAME BACK LATER
WITH A MAN.
AND IT WASN'T
MR. GIANINNI,
THE OLD MAN
ON THE SIDEWALK WITH HER?
NO, NO, NO.
THIS MAN WAS MUCH YOUNGER,
CLOSER TO HER AGE,
MAYBE 30.
- I SEE.
- BIG GUY.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU CAN TELL ME
ABOUT THIS BIG GUY?
HE WAS ABOUT MY HEIGHT.
WERE THEY TOGETHER?
THEY WERE TOGETHER,
BUT THEY WEREN'T
ROMANTICALLY TOGETHER.
WHAT THE DESK CLERK WAS
TRYING TO SAY IS THAT THERE WERE
A LOT OF WOMAN
WHO WORKED THE CECIL HOTEL.
IN THE 1960s,
PROSTITUTES
AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITY
WERE COMMONPLACE AROUND
THE CECIL HOTEL.
MAYBE MRS. OTTON WAS JUST
ANOTHER PROSTITUTE
THAT WAS WORKING IN THE AREA
OF THE CECIL HOTEL THAT NIGHT.
SO, SHE LOOKED WORRIED?
MORE LIKE RESIGNED.
SO MORE LIKE
A BUSINESS TRANSACTION?
MORE LIKE A BICKERING
COUPLE TYPE.
BUT HE LOOKED MAD
ABOUT SOMETHING.
MAD?
SAY, MAD ENOUGH TO KILL?
**
**
**
OCTOBER 12, 1962.
MY FIRST CASE AS
HOMICIDE DETECTIVE.
AN OLD MAN AND A YOUNG WOMAN
DEAD ON THE SIDEWALK
AT THE CRACK OF DAWN
LOOKING LIKE THEY BOTH FELL OUT
OF A NINTH-FLOOR WINDOW
IN THE CECIL HOTEL.
A FEW HOURS EARLIER, THE WOMAN
WAS SEEN HEADING UP TO HER ROOM
WITH AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT MAN,
AND THEY WEREN'T SMILING.
PROSTITUTES LIVED AND WORKED
INSIDE THAT HOTEL,
AND IF INVESTIGATORS
HAD ANY REASON TO BELIEVE
THAT PAULINE OTTON HAD GENTLEMEN
IN AND OUT OF HER ROOM,
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
A SAFE ASSUMPTION TO ASSUME
THAT SHE WAS
A PROSTITUTE.
DID YOU SEE EITHER
ONE OF THEM AGAIN?
HER, NOT UNTIL THIS
MORNING ON THE SIDEWALK.
HIM I SAW LAST NIGHT
AROUND 10:00 P.M.
BUT IT'S VERY STRANGE
AND MYSTERIOUS
THAT PAULINE CHECKS
INTO THE HOTEL WITH ONE MAN,
AND THEN SHE'S DISCOVERED DEAD
ON THE SIDEWALK
WITH ANOTHER MAN.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED
TO SEE THAT ROOM.
MY PLEASURE.
**
I DON'T KNOW
IF GHOSTS ARE REAL,
BUT I FEEL LIKE
IF THERE'S ANYWHERE
THAT SADNESS COULD OVERTAKE YOU
OR SOME KIND
OF RESIDUAL SPIRITS
COULD OVERTAKE YOU,
IT'D BE THE CECIL HOTEL.
IT JUST HAS THIS KIND OF DOOMED,
DARK, HAUNTED FEELING
THAT JUST PERMEATES EVERYTHING.
**
YOU CAN GO NOW, SIR.
THANK YOU.
**
WALK ME THROUGH IT, SALAZAR.
TELL ME WHAT YOU SEE.
WINDOW OPEN.
PLENTY BIG ENOUGH
TO JUMP FROM.
NO OBVIOUS SIGN
OF STRUGGLE.
I HATE THIS PLACE.
YOU'RE LOOKING
FOR ANY SIGNS OF A STRUGGLE,
ANY SIGNS OF FOUL PLAY.
WAS THERE ANY ARGUING?
WAS THERE ANY FIGHTING?
YOU KNOW, JUST TO GET A SENSE
OF WHAT OCCURRED IN THAT ROOM.
BED LOOKS SLEPT IN.
ONLY ONE SIDE
HAS BEEN SLEPT IN.
GO CHECK OUT THE BATHROOM.
SO DETECTIVES,
THEY'RE GOING TO BE
LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE
OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE
LOOKING FOR ANY SIGN
THAT COULD TELL THEM
IF SOMETHING HAPPENED
IN THAT ROOM
BEFORE THE TWO VICTIMS
WENT OUT THE WINDOW.
WE GOT A PURSE IN HERE,
SOME MAKEUP ITEMS.
LIPSTICK, ROUGE, MASCARA.
**
LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY
HAD A BAD COLD.
OR SOMEONE'S BEEN
CRYING ALL NIGHT.
MRS. PAULINE OTTON WOULD
HAVE BEEN 27 YEARS OLD.
LIVED JUST A FEW
MILES FROM HERE.
SOMETHING
IS NOT ADDING UP.
WHAT ARE YOU
EXPECTING TO FIND?
THE ROOM KEY.
SHE HAD TO HAVE USED IT
TO GET INSIDE,
BUT IT WASN'T ON THE VICTIMS
OR ON THE SIDEWALK.
YEAH.
SEE WHAT I MEAN?
THIS PLACE
IS VERY STRANGE.
SHOULD WE TALK
TO THE NEIGHBORS?
YEAH.
LET'S GO.
THE CECIL HOTEL
WAS A PLACE
WHERE PEOPLE HAVE
A TRANSIENT RELATIONSHIP
TO PEOPLE THAT STAY THERE.
MAYBE THEY'RE STAYING
THERE BY THE DAY.
MAYBE THEY'RE STAYING THERE
BY THE WEEK.
YOU COULD GET HOURLY RATES IF
YOU REALLY WORKED THE DESKMAN.
BUT IF YOU WERE STAYING THERE,
YOU WERE A DOWN-AND-OUT.
NO.
WHAT NOW?
IT'S ABOUT WHAT YOU MAY HAVE
SEEN OR HEARD LATE LAST NIGHT.
IS THIS ABOUT
ALL THAT HOLLERING?
WHAT HOLLERING?
NEXT DOOR.
I CAN'T LIVE LIKE THIS
ANYMORE, DEWEY. I WON'T.
THEY CARRIED ON
FOR A GOOD HOUR.
I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN
BETTER THAN TO MARRY
A PENNY-PINCHING
WASH-OUT LIKE YOU!
SOME THING'S WERE SAID
YOU CAN'T TAKE BACK,
THAT'S FOR SURE.
DID YOU SEE
EITHER OF THEM?
NO.
BUT, BOY,
DID I GET AN EARFUL.
SCREW THIS AND SCREW YOU!
WHAT SHE WAS SAYING
MADE IT SEEM LIKE PAULINE OTTON
WAS GETTING INTO IT
WITH HER HUSBAND.
BUT PAULINE'S HUSBAND WASN'T
THE GENTLEMAN ON THE SIDEWALK.
ON THE DAY OF PAULINE'S DEATH,
HER HUSBAND VISITED HER
AT THE HOTEL.
THEY GET INTO AN ARGUMENT.
HE LEAVES.
HE WAS NOT THE GUY THAT WAS
ON THE SIDEWALK WITH HER.
SO THE GUY WALKS OUT
ABOUT 10 O'CLOCK?
YES.
THAT'S RIGHT.
AND YOU DIDN'T GO OVER
TO SEE IF SHE WAS OKAY?
I'VE HEARD STRANGER THINGS
THAN THAT FIGHT IN THIS PLACE.
ALL RIGHT.
LET'S STAY WITH LAST NIGHT.
DID YOU SEE ANYONE ELSE
COME IN MAYBE?
NOPE, NOTHING.
NO CRASHING SOUND?
EVEN THE SOUND OF IMPACT?
IMPACT?
A THUD.
YOU HEAR ANYTHING ELSE?
I'M A HEAVY SLEEPER.
IT HELPS
IN A PLACE LIKE THIS.
IN MANY WAYS,
THE CECIL HOTEL IS LIKE A JAIL,
AND NOBODY IS GOING
TO ASK QUESTIONS
OF ANYBODY ELSE WHO'S THERE.
YOU MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS.
I'LL MIND MY OWN BUSINESS.
THAT'S HOW IT GOES
IN A PLACE LIKE THAT.
THANKS, MA'AM.
**
SO TELL ME, DETECTIVE, WHERE DO
YOU SUPPOSE WE GO TO NEXT?
OTTON, THE HUSBAND.
LET'S PAY HIM A VISIT.
YOU HAVE A MARRIED WOMAN
AND A MAN WHO'S NOT HER HUSBAND,
THEY'RE BOTH DEAD.
THE HUSBAND OF THIS DEAD WOMAN
IS NOWHERE AROUND,
AND FIRST THING THAT'S GOING
TO POP INTO YOUR MIND
IS JEALOUS HUSBAND KILLS
THE WIFE, KILLS THE BOYFRIEND.
**
MORNING.
ARE YOU MR. OTTON?
YEAH.
WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?
I'M AFRAID WE'VE GOT
SOME BAD NEWS.
IT'S YOUR WIFE.
YEAH?
WHAT SHE DONE THIS TIME?
SHE DIED THIS MORNING.
WE'RE VERY SORRY,
MR. OTTON.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
THIS CAN'T BE RIGHT.
WE FOUND HER ON THE SIDEWALK
OUTSIDE THE CECIL HOTEL.
WE THINK SHE WENT OUT
THE NINTH-FLOOR WINDOW, SIR.
**
THIS MIGHT BE MY FAULT.
**
**
AT THE TIME OF
PAULINE OTTON'S DEATH
AND THIS MYSTERY MAN
ON THE SIDEWALK,
IT WAS NOT BIG NEWS,
IT WAS A SMALL PIECE
IN THE NEWSPAPER.
BUT WHAT MADE THE CASE LEGENDARY
AND PART OF THIS URBAN LORE
WAS IT OCCURRED
AT THE CECIL HOTEL.
THIS BECAME JUST ANOTHER ONE
OF THE STRANGE INCIDENTS.
IT WAS MY FIRST CASE
AS A HOMICIDE DETECTIVE.
WE HAD TO BREAK THE NEWS TO
PAULINE OTTON'S HUSBAND, DEWEY.
HE SEEMED BROKEN UP.
THEN HE SAID SOMETHING
THAT GOT OUR ATTENTION.
THIS MIGHT BE MY FAULT.
WE HAD A FIGHT.
WE'RE ALWAYS
HAVING A FIGHT.
ONLY BEEN
MARRIED A YEAR.
SO THE HONEYMOON
WAS OVER.
SHE JUST WASN'T HAPPY,
YOU KNOW?
WASN'T SATISFIED
WITH ANYTHING WE HAD.
THOUGHT THE GRASS WAS
GREENER SOMEPLACE ELSE.
AND A COUPLE NIGHTS AGO,
SHE JUST, STORMS OFF.
SO THAT WAS THE LAST TIME
YOU SAW HER?
NO.
YESTERDAY, SHE LEFT
A MESSAGE AT MY WORK.
WAS NOT READY TO COME HOME
BUT WANTS TO TALK.
AND I MEET HER WHERE
SHE'S STAYING, THE CECIL.
IT DOESN'T MATTER
WHAT I DO.
IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU.
IT'S NEVER GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU!
YOU NEVER SEE ME!
YOU NEVER DO ANYTHING TO --
WHAT DO YOU MEAN,
I NEVER DO ANYTHING FOR YOU?
I DO EVERYTHING
FOR YOU!
YOU DO NOTHING!
YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING!
YOU SIT AROUND.
YOU SPEND MY MONEY
THAT I WORK HARD FOR!
I MET UP WITH HER.
I THOUGHT
WE COULD WORK IT OUT,
MAKE UP, AND MAYBE SPEND A NIGHT
IN KING-SIZED BED, YOU KNOW?
I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE, DEWEY.
I WON'T!
KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN.
YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE ME
THE LIFE I DESERVE,
THEN I'LL FIND SOMEONE
WHO WILL.
YEAH. FIND SOMEBODY ELSE
YOU CAN FLEECE.
SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS GOING
TO FIND SOME OTHER GUY,
TRYING TO MAKE ME
JEALOUS OR WHATEVER,
BUT I WASN'T BUYING IT.
I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER
THAN TO MARRY
A PENNY-PINCHING
WASH-OUT LIKE YOU!
YOU KNOW WHAT?
I DON'T NEED THIS.
GO AHEAD AND FIND
SOMEBODY ELSE.
SCREW THIS
AND SCREW YOU!
**
I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST
ANOTHER ONE OF OUR FIGHTS.
I TRIED TO CALL HER,
BUT SHE DIDN'T ANSWER, SO...
**
AND WHAT TIME WAS THAT?
IT WAS...
ABOUT A COUPLE HOURS
AFTER I GOT HOME,
SO AROUND MIDNIGHT.
ANYONE ELSE SEE YOU COME HOME?
A NEIGHBOR MAYBE?
NO. IT WAS LATE.
AND JUST BEFORE DAYBREAK,
WHERE WERE YOU?
I WAS HERE
THE WHOLE TIME.
SIR, DO YOU KNOW
A GEORGE GIANINNI?
WHO?
I HATE TO BREAK IT
TO YOU LIKE THIS, BUT YOUR WIFE,
SHE WAS FOUND ON THE SIDEWALK
WITH SOMEONE ELSE --
GEORGE GIANINNI,
65 YEARS OLD, LIVED DOWNTOWN.
RING ANY BELLS?
NO.
WHAT ARE YOU GETTING AT,
DETECTIVE?
MR. OTTON, I'M GOING TO PAY YOU
THE COMPLIMENT OF BEING DIRECT.
YOU YOURSELF SAID THAT YOUR WIFE
THREATENED TO SEE ANOTHER MAN.
AND A FEW HOURS AFTER
YOU STORM OUT, WE FIND YOUR WIFE
AND ANOTHER MAN DEAD
ON THE SIDEWALK
OUTSIDE THE CECIL HOTEL.
SO HOW DO YOU THINK
THAT HAPPENED?
I DON'T KNOW. HOW WOULD I KNOW
SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
DEWEY OTTON WAS A LIKELY SUSPECT
IN THE DEATH OF PAULINE OTTON.
THEY HAD A ROCKY RELATIONSHIP.
THEY WERE ESTRANGED.
SHE WAS STAYING
AT THE CECIL HOTEL.
WE DO KNOW THAT THEY ARGUED,
AND HE CAN'T COME UP
WITH A SOLID ALIBI.
NOW YOU'RE REALLY FOCUSED
ON THE HUSBAND.
JUST ONE LAST QUESTION,
MR. OTTON.
DID YOU BY CHANCE TAKE THE KEY
TO YOUR WIFE'S ROOM
WHEN YOU LEFT?
NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
ONCE YOU GET
THE INFORMATION,
YOUR MIND STARTS WORKING.
IS HE REALLY TELLING THE TRUTH
OR TELLING A LIE?
AND IF THEY'RE
TELLING A LIE, WHY?
OTTON HAD A MOTIVE, JEALOUSY.
BUT IF HE DID HAVE THE MISSING
KEY TO PAULINE'S ROOM,
THAT WOULD ALSO MEAN
HE HAD OPPORTUNITY
TO SNEAK BACK IN LATE AT NIGHT
ONLY TO FIND HER AND GIANINNI.
ALL WE COULD TELL WAS SOMETHING
ABOUT THIS "DOUBLE SUICIDE"
DIDN'T SMELL RIGHT.
WHY WOULD AN UPRIGHT MARRIED
LADY CHECK INTO THE CECIL ALONE
UNLESS SHE HAD SOME
OTHER BUSINESS IN MIND?
SO YOU THINK, WHAT?
THAT AFTER THE FIGHT,
AFTER OTTON STORMS OUT,
PAULINE WANTS TO GET
BACK AT DEWEY
BY BEDDING A MAN OLD ENOUGH
TO BE HER GRANDPA,
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?
YEAH.
WHY NOT?
DEWEY TAKES THE ROOM KEY,
MAYBE GOES OUT
FOR A COUPLE POPS,
GETTING MADDER AND MADDER,
STORMS BACK IN,
FINDS HIS WIFE WITH OLD GEORGE
AND PUSHES THEM
BOTH OUT THE WINDOW.
INTERESTING THEORY
IF HE HAS THE ROOM KEY.
I SAY WE GET A WARRANT
TO SEARCH HIS PLACE RIGHT NOW.
SLOW DOWN, SALAZAR.
IT'S 9:15 A.M. AND WE STILL
HAVEN'T CHECKED TO SEE
IF GEORGE HAS GOT A WIFE
WAITING FOR HIM AT HOME.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET
TO YOUR WITNESSES
AS SOON AS YOU CAN
WHILE THE STORIES
ARE FRESH IN THEIR MINDS.
YOU DON'T WANT THESE
INTERVIEWS TO BE TAINTED
BY NEWS MEDIA REPORTS.
AND IN LOCAL NEWS, A MAN
AND WOMAN WERE FOUND DEAD
ON A MAIN STREET
SIDEWALK THIS MORNING.
THEY'VE BEEN IDENTIFIED
AS 27-YEAR-OLD PAULINE OTTON
AND 65-YEAR-OLD
GEORGE GIANINNI.
NO WORD YET ON
THEIR CAUSE OF DEATH.
NO ONE ANSWERED
THE DOOR AT GIANINNI'S HOUSE,
SO WE TOOK A LOOK AROUND BACK.
WHAT DO YOU SEE?
ARE YOU FRIENDS
OF GEORGIE'S?
NO, MA'AM, LAPD.
WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR
HIS WIFE OR HIS NEXT OF KIN.
GEORGE'S WIFE PASSED IN '55.
- HOW'D SHE DIE?
- HEART ATTACK, I THINK.
GEORGE MOWED MY LAWN
FOR ME EVERY WEEK.
HE WOULDN'T TAKE A DIME FOR IT.
GEORGE GIANINNI DIDN'T
FIT THE MOLD OF SOMEONE
WHO WOULD HANG AROUND
WITH A WOMAN YOUNG ENOUGH
TO BE HIS GRANDDAUGHTER.
ANYONE WE TALKED TO SAID
HE WAS A SWEET OLD GUY
JUST TRYING TO GET BY
ON A LITTLE PENSION.
GEORGE WAS SQUEAKY CLEAN.
HE JUST DIDN'T FIT
THE TYPE OF CHARACTER
THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN
AT THE CECIL HOTEL.
THE POLICE HAVE TO BE BAFFLED
AS TO WHY THIS 65-YEAR-OLD MAN
IS LAYING DEAD UNDERNEATH
THIS YOUNG LADY.
DOES ANY OF THIS MAKE
A LICK OF SENSE TO YOU?
WE'RE 5 HOURS
INTO THE INVESTIGATION.
IT'S NOT SUPPOSED
TO MAKE SENSE.
WELL, THE HUSBAND HAS
A PAPER-THIN ALIBI AT BEST.
GIANINNI'S NOT
THE MURDERING TYPE.
IT'S PROBABLY
A DOUBLE MURDER.
EITHER THAT OR PAULINE
PUSHED GIANINNI OUT.
OR THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
BECAUSE IT'S A MAN
AND A WOMAN, TYPICALLY,
YOU'RE GOING TO ASSUME THAT ONE
OF THEM KILLED THE OTHER
AND THEN KILLED THEMSELVES.
BUT THE THING THAT HOMICIDE
DETECTIVES WILL TELL YOU
IS THAT YOU NEVER WANT TO COMMIT
TO A SINGLE THEORY
UNTIL YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT
IS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO SHE GETS MAD,
INVITES A MAN
OFF THE STREET UP TO HER ROOM?
DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
NOTHING ABOUT THE CECIL
MAKES SENSE.
THIS IS SALAZAR.
OKAY. THANKS.
WHAT ABOUT HIM?
GOT IT.
CORONER'S OFFICE FINISHED
A PRELIMINARY.
PAULINE DIED OF A SKULL FRACTURE
AND HAD LOTS OF BROKEN BONES
AND INTERNAL INJURIES.
GEORGE DIED OF
A BROKEN NECK.
WHY WOULD HER BODY
BE SO DAMAGED,
AND ALL HE GOT
WAS A BROKEN NECK?
WE'RE MISSING
SOMETHING HERE.
STILL THINK THE HUSBAND
KNOWS MORE THAN HE'S TELLING.
I THINK WE NEED
TO FIND OUT MORE
ABOUT THE GUY
ON THE SIDEWALK.
**
WE HEADED TO SKID ROW,
NEAR THE CECIL,
TO SEE IF ANYONE OUT THERE
KNEW GEORGE GIANINNI
OR WHY HE WOULD EVEN BE
HANGING AROUND THE AREA.
SOMEWHERE AMONG THE WASH-OUTS
AND HOODLUMS, WE WERE BOUND
TO FIND ANSWERS.
BY 1962, THE CECIL HOTEL
HAD FALLEN ON HARD TIMES,
AS HAD THE ENTIRE AREA
AROUND THE CECIL HOTEL.
IT'S JUST KIND OF A NEVER-ENDING
LIST OF DESPAIR
AND GRUESOME SADNESS.
MA'AM, WE'RE INVESTIGATING
THE GUY ON THE SIDEWALK.
A JUMPER?
SO YOU SAW
HIM JUMP, THEN?
NAH.
JUST FIGURED, WHEN YOU END UP
ON THE SIDEWALK
IN FRONT OF THE CECIL...
YOU EVER SEE HIM
AROUND HERE BEFORE?
NO.
BUT WHO KNOWS?
IT'S THE PLACE, YOU KNOW?
THE CECIL MAKES YOU
DO CRAZY THINGS.
BY THE EARLY '60s,
I WOULD SAY OVER A DOZEN PEOPLE
HAD KILLED THEMSELVES
AT THE CECIL,
AND MANY MORE HAD TRIED
TO KILL THEMSELVES.
PEOPLE WOULD CHECK IN THERE
AND SHOOT THEMSELVES.
CHECK IN THERE AND TAKE POISON.
CHECK-IN THERE AND JUMP
OUT THE WINDOWS.
AND IT EARNED A REPUTATION
AS BEING THE SUICIDE HOTEL.
IN FACT, PEOPLE KNEW IT AS THAT.
IT WAS THE SUICIDE HOTEL.
IT WAS NEARING 4:00 P.M.,
AND THE QUESTIONS
WERE MULTIPLYING BY THE HOUR.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?
IS IT THAT SIMPLE?
DID PAULINE AND GIANINNI
JUST DECIDE TO JUMP TOGETHER?
- WHAT, NO FOUL PLAY?
- YEAH.
I MEAN, THAT MAKES SENSE
AT A PLACE LIKE THE CECIL.
AND WHAT IF DEWEY OTTON
ISN'T LYING?
THEN I'D SAY YOU CAUGHT
QUITE A CASE YOUR FIRST DAY.
COMPARED TO WHAT,
YOUR FIRST DAY?
YOU GOING TO TELL ME
ABOUT THAT DAY OR WHAT?
**
ALL RIGHT.
IT WAS 15 YEARS AGO,
JANUARY 15, 1947.
WE WERE GETTING SOME COFFEE NEAR
THE CECIL WHEN THE CALL CAME IN.
APPARENTLY, WHEN YOU
WORK A CASE AT THE CECIL HOTEL,
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO AVOID
LOOKING BACK
AT THE HORRORS IN ITS PAST.
I WOULD SAY THE CECIL HOTEL IS
JUST A VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCE.
PEOPLE THAT FREQUENT
THE CECIL HOTEL,
A LOT OF THEM COME
WITH THEIR OWN BAGGAGE.
A LOT OF THEM COME
WITH THEIR OWN DEMONS.
TURNS OUT,
ONE OF THESE PEOPLE,
MY PARTNER'S FIRST
HOMICIDE VICTIM,
COULDN'T ESCAPE HER DEMONS,
FOREVER CONNECTING THE CECIL
TO L.A.'s MOST
NOTORIOUS MURDER.
THAT MORNING, A WOMAN
AND HER KID
SAW SOMETHING ODD
IN SOME BRUSH.
IT LOOKED LIKE AN OLD
BROKEN-UP MANNEQUIN.
AAH!
LET ME TELL YOU,
IT WAS NO MANNEQUIN.
WHAT WAS IT?
IT WAS A WOMAN.
YOU'VE PROBABLY
HEARD OF HER --
THE BLACK DAHLIA.
**
**
AAH! AAH!
A YOUNG WOMAN SAW
WHAT SHE FIRST THOUGHT
WAS A MANNEQUIN.
AND THEN, ON A CLOSER LOOK,
SHE SAW THAT IT WAS A WOMAN
WHO HAD BEEN DRAINED
OF ALL HER BLOOD.
HER BODY WAS DISSECTED IN HALF,
AND HER FACE HAD BEEN SLIT
FROM EAR TO EAR
IN THIS GRUESOME SMILE.
MY PARTNER WAS EXPLAINING
HIS FIRST CRIME SCENE,
AND FROM THE SOUND
OF IT, THE POOR GIRL
NEVER HAD A CHANCE.
WHAT HAPPENED TO HER?
SHE WAS BEATEN,
BOUND, TORTURED,
CUT UP EVERY WHICH
WAY TILL SUNDAY.
IT WAS SADISTIC.
IT WAS A REALLY,
REALLY DISTURBING SCENE.
EVEN THE MOST SEASONED,
HARD-BOILED OFFICERS
OF THE LAPD WERE SHOCKED
AND HORRIFIED.
HERE YOU ARE IN YOUR FIRST CRIME
SCENE ON YOUR FIRST MURDER.
IF I WAS THE DETECTIVE FOR
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER,
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE
THAT SHOCK.
HOW'S THAT FOR YOUR FIRST DAY
WITH A DETECTIVE'S BADGE?
ANYWAY, THEN BEGINS THE PROCESS
OF TRYING TO ID HER.
THEY CALLED HER
JANE DOE NUMBER ONE OF 1947.
NO IDENTIFYING MARKS,
THERE WAS NO PURSE.
THERE WAS NO CLOTHING,
AND THERE WAS NO NOTHING.
AND AFTER BEING
DRAINED OF BLOOD,
THE BODY HAD BEEN WASHED.
IT HAD BEEN IN WATER, AND SO
HER FINGERS HAD SWOLLEN UP.
SO IT WAS HARD TO GET
FINGERPRINTS OFF THE BODY.
BUT WHEN THEY FINALLY WERE ABLE
TO SEND A GOOD SET OF PRINTS
BACK TO THE FBI,
SHE WAS IDENTIFIED.
SHE HAD BEEN ARRESTED
IN SANTA BARBARA
FOR BEING IN A BAR UNDERAGE,
AND SO SHE HAD
TWO SETS OF PRINTS.
WE LUCKED OUT.
HER NAME
WAS ELIZABETH SHORT.
THE REST OF THE WORLD WOULD SOON
KNOW HER AS THE BLACK DAHLIA.
22 YEARS OLD, A KID.
SHE CAME OUT HERE
FROM MASSACHUSETTS TO BE A STAR.
HER FRIENDS OUT HERE
NICKNAMED HER THE BLACK DAHLIA
BECAUSE, AT THE TIME,
THERE WAS A MOVIE CALLED
"THE BLUE DAHLIA."
ELIZABETH SHORT HAD
VAGUE DREAMS OF STARDOM.
SHE WAS A PERSON LIVING KIND OF
ON THE FRINGES OF HOLLYWOOD.
BUT, REALLY, SHE WAS
YOUNG AND LOST.
SHE WAS IN HOLLYWOOD
TRYING TO MAKE HER WAY.
SHE WOULD ENCOUNTER VARIOUS GUYS
AND HIT THEM UP FOR A MEAL
OR A RIDE.
WHAT HER LIFE WAS ALL ABOUT
WAS MAINLY JUST GETTING BY.
SHE WAS LIKE A MILLION
OTHER GIRLS IN L.A.
YOU KNOW THE TYPE.
THE TYPE?
THE ACTRESS TYPE,
MOVES TO HOLLYWOOD
WITH LITTLE TO NO MONEY,
HOPING TO GET DISCOVERED.
SHE WAS GORGEOUS.
SHE WAS HORRIFICALLY
MURDERED,
AND NO ONE HAD ANY IDEA
WHO KILLED HER.
AND THE CITY BECAME OBSESSED
WITH THE CASE.
HOMICIDE.
OKAY.
EVERYONE IN THIS TOWN
HAD A LEAD FOR US.
LET ME TAKE A MESSAGE,
AND I'LL GET BACK TO YOU.
THANKS.
THANK YOU.
WITNESSES SAID THEY SAW HER
AT THE BILTMORE HOTEL 6 DAYS
BEFORE HER BODY SHOWED UP.
I WAS ABLE TO TRACK DOWN
ONE OF THEM,
A GOOD FRIEND
OF ELIZABETH'S.
AND WHAT WAS SHE DOING
THE LAST TIME YOU SAW HER?
SHE WAS ON THE PAY PHONE
IN THE LOBBY.
THE WITNESS MADE IT SOUND
LIKE ELIZABETH WAS UP
TO HER OLD TRICKS.
CALM DOWN, TANNER.
BUY A GAL A DR--
SAY, ISN'T THAT
ACROSS FROM THE WARNER'S LOT?
SURE, I'LL MEET YOU THERE.
**
AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES,
I SAW HER WALK OUT
OF THE PHONE BOOTH
AND LEAVE THE BILTMORE,
HEADED TOWARDS
OLIVE AND 6th.
IT WASN'T MUCH TO GO ON.
WE WENT FROM ONE HOTEL BAR
TO ANOTHER,
LOOKING FOR ANYONE
WHO SAW ELIZABETH SHORT.
AND THEN THE CECIL
POPPED UP ON OUR RADAR.
THE CECIL?
A WITNESS CAME FORWARD SAYING
THAT THEY SAW ELIZABETH SHORT
AT THE CECIL LOBBY BAR.
THAT WAS THE LAST REPORTED
SIGHTING OF HER.
IT'S JUST CRAZY, YOU KNOW?
ELIZABETH SHORT, YOU KNOW,
WAS LAST SEEN AS THE BAR
AT THE CECIL HOTEL
BEFORE SHE WAS MURDERED.
IT MADE SENSE THAT ELIZABETH
WOULD GO TO THE CECIL.
IT'S JUST A FEW BLOCKS
FROM THE BILTMORE.
AND DETECTIVES CANVASED THAT
HOTEL, HOPING TO GET A LEAD,
HOPING TO PUT TOGETHER
THE LAST MOMENTS OF HER LIFE.
YOU SEE THIS GIRL
IN THE PAST WEEK?
NO, SORRY.
HAVEN'T SEEN HER.
YOU SURE?
YEP.
HAVEN'T SEEN HER.
TRY AGAIN.
HOTEL MANAGEMENT DOESN'T
WANT THIS GETTING OUT.
THAT GIRL, THE BLACK DAHLIA,
I'VE SEEN HER HERE
AT THE CECIL BAR
A COUPLE OF TIMES.
I MEAN, WHAT IF THE GUY
CARVED HER UP
IN ONE OF OUR BATHTUBS?
DID YOU SEE
WHO SHE WAS WITH?
I MEAN,
WHO WASN'T SHE WITH?
MEN FAWNED OVER HER.
WE THINK THE KILLER GOT A HOLD
OF ELIZABETH ON JANUARY 9,
MAYBE AT THE CECIL,
MAYBE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
IT MAKES TOTAL SENSE TO PAIR
THE CITY'S MOST GRUESOME HOTEL
WITH THEIR MOST
GRUESOME MURDER VICTIM.
SHE HAD BEEN HIT IN
THE FOREHEAD ABOUT FIVE TIMES.
ANY ONE OF THOSE,
ACCORDING TO THE DETECTIVES,
WOULD HAVE MADE
HER UNCONSCIOUS.
AND THEN HER CHEEKS
WERE SLASHED.
SHE BLED FROM THE SLASHES
ON HER CHEEKS.
AND THE KILLER
CONTINUED TO MUTILATE
THE BODY AND THEN
CUT HER IN HALF.
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER SAID,
"THAT'S A FINE BIT OF SURGERY.
HE KNEW EXACTLY WHERE
TO CUT A BODY IN HALF
WITHOUT NICKING ANY OF
THE INTERNAL ORGANS."
AND SO THE INVESTIGATORS
KNEW THAT WHOEVER KILLED HER
HAD ADVANCED MEDICAL TRAINING.
THE CITY WAS HORRIFIED
AND WANTED JUSTICE.
ALL THE WHILE, I WAS IN TOUCH
WITH ELIZABETH SHORT'S FAMILY
BACK IN MASSACHUSETTS.
THAT FELL ONTO YOU?
IT HAD TO FALL
ON SOMEONE.
I UNDERSTAND, MA'AM.
WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING
THAT WE CAN.
MANY SUSPECTS WERE
INTERVIEWED AND INTERROGATED.
SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE
HAD BEEN RULED OUT AS SUSPECTS.
AND TO DATE, THE BLACK DAHLIA
CASE REMAINS UNSOLVED.
TO BE A BRAND-NEW HOMICIDE
DETECTIVE KNOWING
THAT THIS CASE
IS GOING TO BE WITH YOU
FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE,
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE
THE EMOTIONS.
IT'S THE LONGEST UNSOLVED
MURDER CASE ON THE BOOKS.
MY CASE.
SORRY.
I DIDN'T KNOW.
IT WAS CLEAR MY PARTNER
HAD BEEN LOOKING
FOR REDEMPTION EVER SINCE.
AND MAYBE HE WAS
ABOUT TO FIND IT.
WHAT ARE YOU GUYS
STILL DOING HERE?
- WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
- DIDN'T YOU HEAR THE CALL?
THERE'S A 10-23 IN PROGRESS.
WHAT DOES A BREAK-IN
HAVE TO DO WITH US?
SOMEONE JUST BROKE INTO
YOUR CRIME SCENE
AT THE CECIL.
**
**
**
AT THE TIME OF
PAULINE OTTON'S CASE,
THE BLACK DAHLIA
WAS THE OLDEST UNSOLVED
HOMICIDE IN LOS ANGELES.
AND AS A HOMICIDE DETECTIVE,
TO HAVE ANY CASE
THAT HAS YET TO BE SOLVED
WEIGHS ON YOU HEAVILY.
THE LAST THING
MY PARTNER AND I WANTED WAS
TO LET ANOTHER STRANGE CASE
AT THE CECIL GO UNSOLVED.
THE MANAGER THERE HAD
JUST SPOTTED
SOMEONE ENTERING
PAULINE OTTON'S ROOM,
A SEALED CRIME SCENE.
HANDS UP, OTTON!
DON'T MOVE.
I THOUGHT YOU SAID
YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE KEY.
- PLEASE, LET ME EXPLAIN.
- YEAH, YOU DO THAT.
ALL RIGHT.
I ADMIT IT.
I LIED.
I TOOK THE KEYS
SO I COULD COME BACK
AND MAKE UP
WITH PAULINE LATER,
BUT I WAS SO TIRED I JUST
ENDED UP FALLING ASLEEP AT HOME.
BUT WHAT ARE YOU
DOING BACK HERE NOW?
IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE YOU'RE
TRYING TO DESTROY EVIDENCE.
NO, NO, NO.
YOU GOT IT ALL WRONG.
SO WHAT'S YOUR
EXPLANATION?
I'M TRYING TO FIND THE RING
I GAVE PAULINE.
SHE THREW IT IN MY FACE
THAT NIGHT.
I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER
THAN TO MARRY
A PENNY-PINCHING
WASH-OUT LIKE YOU!
I WANT IT BACK.
IT'S A REAL DIAMOND.
- LET'S GO.
- WHERE YOU TAKING ME?
YOU'RE GOING DOWNTOWN.
TAKE HIM OUT.
I'LL BE DOWN IN A FEW MINUTES.
WHEN YOU HAVE
A PERSON OF INTEREST
SNEAKING INTO THE CRIME SCENE,
THE FIRST THING YOU'RE GOING
TO THINK OF, IS HE CULPABLE?
DID HE DO THIS?
WHY ELSE WOULD HE BE HERE?
WE THOUGHT FOR SURE
THE HUSBAND
HAD SOME HAND
IN HIS WIFE'S DEATH.
**
**
**
OKAY.
ONE MORE TIME.
WHERE WERE YOU
AT 5:00 A.M.?
I TOLD YOU,
I WAS AT HOME.
LET HIM GO.
WHAT?
WHAT'S HAPPENING?
GO AHEAD, YOU HEARD ME.
YOU'RE FREE TO GO.
I BELIEVE
THIS IS YOURS.
MY CONDOLENCES.
I REALLY DID LOVE HER,
YOU KNOW?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
HE'S OUR NUMBER ONE SUSPECT.
NO, HE'S NOT.
TAKE A LOOK
AT THIS AGAIN.
SO TELL ME, DETECTIVE SALAZAR,
YOU KEEP YOUR HANDS
IN YOUR POCKETS
WHEN YOU ARGUE?
- NO.
- WHAT ABOUT WHEN
YOU'RE IN A FISTFIGHT
WITH A JEALOUS HUSBAND?
NO.
OR IF YOUR PUSHING
YOURSELF OUT THE WINDOW?
SO WHEN'S THE ONLY TIME YOU KEEP
BOTH HANDS IN YOUR POCKETS?
THE ONLY TIME I DO IS,
WHEN IT'S CHILLY AND I'M...
WALKING DOWN THE STREET.
YOU DON'T SAY?
HE WAS WALKING
DOWN THE STREET?
JUST TAKING A STROLL
PAST THE CECIL, AND BAM.
**
I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
PAULINE OTTON DIDN'T TAKE
A LOVER TO GET REVENGE
ON HER HUSBAND.
SHE WAS BEYOND THAT.
**
**
**
**
**
**
SO HE'S JUST STROLLING ALONG,
MINDING HIS OWN BUSINESS.
ALL OVER IN AN INSTANT.
IT WASN'T A HOMICIDE.
IT WASN'T EVEN A CRIME.
IT WAS JUST...
THE CECIL.
**
TWO MISMATCHED VICTIMS...
- WHAT DO WE GOT?
- A YOUNG WOMAN, OLDER MAN.
...VETERAN
AND ROOKIE DETECTIVES...
I SAY WE GET A WARRANT
TO SEARCH THIS PLACE RIGHT NOW.
SLOW DOWN, SALAZAR.
...A BIZARRE WHODUNIT.
A WOMAN CHECKS
INTO THE CECIL WITH ONE MAN,
AND THEN SHE'S DISCOVERED DEAD
ON A SIDEWALK WITH ANOTHER MAN.
WAS IT THE HUSBAND?
I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER
THAN TO MARRY
A PENNY-PINCHING
WASH-OUT LIKE YOU!
YOU KNOW WHAT?
SCREW THIS. SCREW YOU!
WAS IT THE OTHER MAN?
THE OLD MAN? NO.
NOT ONE OF MY GUESTS.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED
TO SEE THAT ROOM.
OR WAS IT THE CECIL HOTEL?
SOMEONE JUST BROKE INTO
YOUR CRIME SCENE.
WHAT MADE THE CASE LEGENDARY...
HANDS UP!
DON'T MOVE.
...WAS IT OCCURRED
AT THE CECIL HOTEL.
THE LAST THING I WANTED
WAS TO LET ANOTHER STRANGE CASE
AT THE CECIL GO UNSOLVED.
**
**
**
SINCE THE OPENING
OF THE CECIL HOTEL IN 1927,
THERE HAVE BEEN
SO MANY STRANGE
INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED
AT THE HOTEL --
SERIAL KILLERS STAYING THERE,
UNUSUAL DEATHS,
UNNATURAL DEATHS.
BUT THIS CASE IS PROBABLY
THE ONE THAT'S MOST TWISTED.
GOOD MORNING, LOS ANGELES.
IT'S 4:45 A.M.,
64 DEGREES IN DOWNTOWN L.A.,
GOING UP TO A SUNNY 72.
IT'S GOING TO BE A BEAUTIFUL
FRIDAY IN THE CITY OF ANGELS
WITH KFDP, NUMBER ONE.
* SHOOBY DOOBY
DOOBY DOO WHOP HOP *
* LONELY FRIDAY NIGHT *
* I HAVE NOBODY *
* TO KISS
AND HOLD ME TIGHT *
* SHOOBY DOOBY
DOOBY DOO WHOP HOP... *
**
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE
COMING ACROSS, YOU KNOW,
THESE TWO PEOPLE THAT HAVE
JUST MET THEIR DEATH
IN FRONT OF THE CECIL HOTEL.
IT WAS A SCENE THAT YOU
COULDN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE OF.
IT WAS STRANGE.
I MEAN, THERE WAS A WOMAN'S BODY
ON TOP OF A MAN'S BODY.
THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL
OF BLOOD SURROUNDING THEM.
IT WAS A MYSTERY.
**
**
CALL THE COPS!
THERE'S BLOOD EVERYWHERE!
GET SOME HELP, PLEASE!
YES. I'M CALLING
FROM THE CECIL HOTEL.
IT SEEMS WE HAVE
SOME TROUBLE...
AGAIN.
**
**
ALWAYS THIS SLOW, SIR?
FIRST RULE AS YOUR FIRST DAY
AS DETECTIVE, SALAZAR,
DON'T CALL
YOUR PARTNER, SIR.
5:00 A.M., FRIDAY,
OCTOBER 12.
IT WAS MY FIRST DAY
WORKING HOMICIDE,
AND I WAS ON
THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT.
ASIDE FROM MY NEW PARTNER,
I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN HAPPIER.
I WAS EXCITED TO CATCH
MY FIRST CASE.
WHAT KIND OF A CASE
DID YOU CATCH YOUR FIRST DAY?
REMEMBER YOUR FIRST DAY?
THAT WAS 15 YEARS AGO.
YES, I DO.
YOU WANT TO PUT A LITTLE COLOR
ON THAT STORY, SIR --
I MEAN, FRANK?
NO, I DON'T.
COME ON.
THROW ME A BONE, JUST ONE WORD.
MESSY.
DUFFY, SALAZAR, YOU'RE UP.
WE GOT TWO DEAD DOWN
THE BLOCK AT THE CECIL.
NOT THAT PLACE AGAIN.
WHY?
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE CECIL?
YOU'LL SEE.
**
THE CECIL HOTEL WAS JUST
ON THE EDGE OF WHERE THE CITY
AND SKID ROW CAME TOGETHER,
AND IT EARNED A REPUTATION
AS BEING THE LAST STOP.
IF YOU WERE AT THE CECIL HOTEL,
THERE'S NO OTHER
DESTINATION BUT DEATH.
WHAT HAVE WE GOT HERE?
YOUNG WOMAN, OLDER MAN.
DELIVERY GUY FOUND THEM
JUST AFTER 5:00 A.M.
ALL RIGHT.
YOU BETTER CALL ANOTHER UNIT.
CORDON OFF THE AREA
FROM THERE TO THERE.
GET A STATEMENT
FROM THE WITNESS.
COPY.
I'D SEEN DEAD BODIES
BEFORE, BUT THIS WAS WORSE.
THERE WAS NOTHING PEACEFUL
ABOUT HOW THESE TWO WENT.
SALAZAR, GET OVER HERE.
REMEMBER WHAT
WE TALKED ABOUT.
YOU'RE HOMICIDE NOW,
RIGHT?
KEEP IT TOGETHER.
ONCE YOU'RE A NEWLY
ASSIGNED HOMICIDE INVESTIGATOR,
EVERYTHING IS NERVE-RACKING.
YOU HAVE TO PUT EVERYTHING ASIDE
AND LOOK AT THIS SURGICALLY.
I MEAN, THIS IS YOUR JOB.
THIS IS WHAT'S EXPECTED OF YOU.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PASS OUT.
I SEE WINDOW OPEN ON THE EIGHTH,
MAKE IT NINTH FLOOR.
**
HIS LICENSE ID'd HIM
AS GEORGE GIANINNI,
65 YEARS OLD FROM 10 BLOCKS OUT.
THE WOMAN WAS A JANE DOE.
NO POCKETBOOK.
MUST STILL BE UP THERE
IF SHE CARRIED ONE AT ALL.
WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?
THE CECIL HAS GOT
A CERTAIN REPUTATION.
NO RING.
I DON'T GET IT.
WHAT DO SAY
WE DO NOW, SALAZAR?
GO TALK TO
THE HOTEL MANAGEMENT.
**
AND YOU DIDN'T SEE
ANYTHING ELSE LAST NIGHT?
I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING
UNTIL THE BREAD GUY CAME IN
AND TOLD ME
TO CALL THE COPS.
HOW DID YOU NOT SEE IT
OR AT LEAST HEAR THE CRASH?
I WORK THE NIGHT DESK
AT THE CECIL.
IF I CALLED THE COPS EVERY TIME
I HEARD AN ODD SOUND,
I'D HAVE NO TIME
FOR MY GUESTS.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED YOU TO GO
THROUGH YOUR REGISTRATION BOOK
AND TELL US WHAT ROOM
WAS OCCUPIED BY MR. GIANINNI,
GEORGE GIANINNI.
YEAH.
YOU'RE ALWAYS UP
AGAINST THE CLOCK
WHEN YOU'RE INVESTIGATING
A HOMICIDE.
FROM THE TIME THAT THE VICTIM
GOES DOWN, I MEAN, IT'S A RACE.
NO.
NO GIANINNI REGISTERED.
OF COURSE,
A PLACE LIKE THIS,
NO ONE USES
THEIR REAL NAME.
NOW, LOOK, YOU SAW
THAT MESS OUT THERE.
THAT I DID.
YOU SEE THOSE TWO
PERSONS OR NOT?
THE OLD MAN?
NO, I'VE NEVER SEEN HIM
BEFORE, NOT ONE OF MY GUESTS.
SIX HUNDRED ROOMS,
AND YOU RECOGNIZE EVERYBODY?
THAT WOMAN?
YEAH.
I REMEMBER THAT DRESS.
SHE CAME IN THIS TIME
YESTERDAY...
PAID CASH,
$12.65 PLUS TAX.
I GAVE HER ROOM 923.
OTTON,
MRS. PAULINE OTTON.
SHE REGISTERED ALONE.
SHE CAME BACK LATER
WITH A MAN.
AND IT WASN'T
MR. GIANINNI,
THE OLD MAN
ON THE SIDEWALK WITH HER?
NO, NO, NO.
THIS MAN WAS MUCH YOUNGER,
CLOSER TO HER AGE,
MAYBE 30.
- I SEE.
- BIG GUY.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU CAN TELL ME
ABOUT THIS BIG GUY?
HE WAS ABOUT MY HEIGHT.
WERE THEY TOGETHER?
THEY WERE TOGETHER,
BUT THEY WEREN'T
ROMANTICALLY TOGETHER.
WHAT THE DESK CLERK WAS
TRYING TO SAY IS THAT THERE WERE
A LOT OF WOMAN
WHO WORKED THE CECIL HOTEL.
IN THE 1960s,
PROSTITUTES
AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITY
WERE COMMONPLACE AROUND
THE CECIL HOTEL.
MAYBE MRS. OTTON WAS JUST
ANOTHER PROSTITUTE
THAT WAS WORKING IN THE AREA
OF THE CECIL HOTEL THAT NIGHT.
SO, SHE LOOKED WORRIED?
MORE LIKE RESIGNED.
SO MORE LIKE
A BUSINESS TRANSACTION?
MORE LIKE A BICKERING
COUPLE TYPE.
BUT HE LOOKED MAD
ABOUT SOMETHING.
MAD?
SAY, MAD ENOUGH TO KILL?
**
**
**
OCTOBER 12, 1962.
MY FIRST CASE AS
HOMICIDE DETECTIVE.
AN OLD MAN AND A YOUNG WOMAN
DEAD ON THE SIDEWALK
AT THE CRACK OF DAWN
LOOKING LIKE THEY BOTH FELL OUT
OF A NINTH-FLOOR WINDOW
IN THE CECIL HOTEL.
A FEW HOURS EARLIER, THE WOMAN
WAS SEEN HEADING UP TO HER ROOM
WITH AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT MAN,
AND THEY WEREN'T SMILING.
PROSTITUTES LIVED AND WORKED
INSIDE THAT HOTEL,
AND IF INVESTIGATORS
HAD ANY REASON TO BELIEVE
THAT PAULINE OTTON HAD GENTLEMEN
IN AND OUT OF HER ROOM,
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
A SAFE ASSUMPTION TO ASSUME
THAT SHE WAS
A PROSTITUTE.
DID YOU SEE EITHER
ONE OF THEM AGAIN?
HER, NOT UNTIL THIS
MORNING ON THE SIDEWALK.
HIM I SAW LAST NIGHT
AROUND 10:00 P.M.
BUT IT'S VERY STRANGE
AND MYSTERIOUS
THAT PAULINE CHECKS
INTO THE HOTEL WITH ONE MAN,
AND THEN SHE'S DISCOVERED DEAD
ON THE SIDEWALK
WITH ANOTHER MAN.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED
TO SEE THAT ROOM.
MY PLEASURE.
**
I DON'T KNOW
IF GHOSTS ARE REAL,
BUT I FEEL LIKE
IF THERE'S ANYWHERE
THAT SADNESS COULD OVERTAKE YOU
OR SOME KIND
OF RESIDUAL SPIRITS
COULD OVERTAKE YOU,
IT'D BE THE CECIL HOTEL.
IT JUST HAS THIS KIND OF DOOMED,
DARK, HAUNTED FEELING
THAT JUST PERMEATES EVERYTHING.
**
YOU CAN GO NOW, SIR.
THANK YOU.
**
WALK ME THROUGH IT, SALAZAR.
TELL ME WHAT YOU SEE.
WINDOW OPEN.
PLENTY BIG ENOUGH
TO JUMP FROM.
NO OBVIOUS SIGN
OF STRUGGLE.
I HATE THIS PLACE.
YOU'RE LOOKING
FOR ANY SIGNS OF A STRUGGLE,
ANY SIGNS OF FOUL PLAY.
WAS THERE ANY ARGUING?
WAS THERE ANY FIGHTING?
YOU KNOW, JUST TO GET A SENSE
OF WHAT OCCURRED IN THAT ROOM.
BED LOOKS SLEPT IN.
ONLY ONE SIDE
HAS BEEN SLEPT IN.
GO CHECK OUT THE BATHROOM.
SO DETECTIVES,
THEY'RE GOING TO BE
LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE
OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE
LOOKING FOR ANY SIGN
THAT COULD TELL THEM
IF SOMETHING HAPPENED
IN THAT ROOM
BEFORE THE TWO VICTIMS
WENT OUT THE WINDOW.
WE GOT A PURSE IN HERE,
SOME MAKEUP ITEMS.
LIPSTICK, ROUGE, MASCARA.
**
LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY
HAD A BAD COLD.
OR SOMEONE'S BEEN
CRYING ALL NIGHT.
MRS. PAULINE OTTON WOULD
HAVE BEEN 27 YEARS OLD.
LIVED JUST A FEW
MILES FROM HERE.
SOMETHING
IS NOT ADDING UP.
WHAT ARE YOU
EXPECTING TO FIND?
THE ROOM KEY.
SHE HAD TO HAVE USED IT
TO GET INSIDE,
BUT IT WASN'T ON THE VICTIMS
OR ON THE SIDEWALK.
YEAH.
SEE WHAT I MEAN?
THIS PLACE
IS VERY STRANGE.
SHOULD WE TALK
TO THE NEIGHBORS?
YEAH.
LET'S GO.
THE CECIL HOTEL
WAS A PLACE
WHERE PEOPLE HAVE
A TRANSIENT RELATIONSHIP
TO PEOPLE THAT STAY THERE.
MAYBE THEY'RE STAYING
THERE BY THE DAY.
MAYBE THEY'RE STAYING THERE
BY THE WEEK.
YOU COULD GET HOURLY RATES IF
YOU REALLY WORKED THE DESKMAN.
BUT IF YOU WERE STAYING THERE,
YOU WERE A DOWN-AND-OUT.
NO.
WHAT NOW?
IT'S ABOUT WHAT YOU MAY HAVE
SEEN OR HEARD LATE LAST NIGHT.
IS THIS ABOUT
ALL THAT HOLLERING?
WHAT HOLLERING?
NEXT DOOR.
I CAN'T LIVE LIKE THIS
ANYMORE, DEWEY. I WON'T.
THEY CARRIED ON
FOR A GOOD HOUR.
I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN
BETTER THAN TO MARRY
A PENNY-PINCHING
WASH-OUT LIKE YOU!
SOME THING'S WERE SAID
YOU CAN'T TAKE BACK,
THAT'S FOR SURE.
DID YOU SEE
EITHER OF THEM?
NO.
BUT, BOY,
DID I GET AN EARFUL.
SCREW THIS AND SCREW YOU!
WHAT SHE WAS SAYING
MADE IT SEEM LIKE PAULINE OTTON
WAS GETTING INTO IT
WITH HER HUSBAND.
BUT PAULINE'S HUSBAND WASN'T
THE GENTLEMAN ON THE SIDEWALK.
ON THE DAY OF PAULINE'S DEATH,
HER HUSBAND VISITED HER
AT THE HOTEL.
THEY GET INTO AN ARGUMENT.
HE LEAVES.
HE WAS NOT THE GUY THAT WAS
ON THE SIDEWALK WITH HER.
SO THE GUY WALKS OUT
ABOUT 10 O'CLOCK?
YES.
THAT'S RIGHT.
AND YOU DIDN'T GO OVER
TO SEE IF SHE WAS OKAY?
I'VE HEARD STRANGER THINGS
THAN THAT FIGHT IN THIS PLACE.
ALL RIGHT.
LET'S STAY WITH LAST NIGHT.
DID YOU SEE ANYONE ELSE
COME IN MAYBE?
NOPE, NOTHING.
NO CRASHING SOUND?
EVEN THE SOUND OF IMPACT?
IMPACT?
A THUD.
YOU HEAR ANYTHING ELSE?
I'M A HEAVY SLEEPER.
IT HELPS
IN A PLACE LIKE THIS.
IN MANY WAYS,
THE CECIL HOTEL IS LIKE A JAIL,
AND NOBODY IS GOING
TO ASK QUESTIONS
OF ANYBODY ELSE WHO'S THERE.
YOU MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS.
I'LL MIND MY OWN BUSINESS.
THAT'S HOW IT GOES
IN A PLACE LIKE THAT.
THANKS, MA'AM.
**
SO TELL ME, DETECTIVE, WHERE DO
YOU SUPPOSE WE GO TO NEXT?
OTTON, THE HUSBAND.
LET'S PAY HIM A VISIT.
YOU HAVE A MARRIED WOMAN
AND A MAN WHO'S NOT HER HUSBAND,
THEY'RE BOTH DEAD.
THE HUSBAND OF THIS DEAD WOMAN
IS NOWHERE AROUND,
AND FIRST THING THAT'S GOING
TO POP INTO YOUR MIND
IS JEALOUS HUSBAND KILLS
THE WIFE, KILLS THE BOYFRIEND.
**
MORNING.
ARE YOU MR. OTTON?
YEAH.
WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?
I'M AFRAID WE'VE GOT
SOME BAD NEWS.
IT'S YOUR WIFE.
YEAH?
WHAT SHE DONE THIS TIME?
SHE DIED THIS MORNING.
WE'RE VERY SORRY,
MR. OTTON.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
THIS CAN'T BE RIGHT.
WE FOUND HER ON THE SIDEWALK
OUTSIDE THE CECIL HOTEL.
WE THINK SHE WENT OUT
THE NINTH-FLOOR WINDOW, SIR.
**
THIS MIGHT BE MY FAULT.
**
**
AT THE TIME OF
PAULINE OTTON'S DEATH
AND THIS MYSTERY MAN
ON THE SIDEWALK,
IT WAS NOT BIG NEWS,
IT WAS A SMALL PIECE
IN THE NEWSPAPER.
BUT WHAT MADE THE CASE LEGENDARY
AND PART OF THIS URBAN LORE
WAS IT OCCURRED
AT THE CECIL HOTEL.
THIS BECAME JUST ANOTHER ONE
OF THE STRANGE INCIDENTS.
IT WAS MY FIRST CASE
AS A HOMICIDE DETECTIVE.
WE HAD TO BREAK THE NEWS TO
PAULINE OTTON'S HUSBAND, DEWEY.
HE SEEMED BROKEN UP.
THEN HE SAID SOMETHING
THAT GOT OUR ATTENTION.
THIS MIGHT BE MY FAULT.
WE HAD A FIGHT.
WE'RE ALWAYS
HAVING A FIGHT.
ONLY BEEN
MARRIED A YEAR.
SO THE HONEYMOON
WAS OVER.
SHE JUST WASN'T HAPPY,
YOU KNOW?
WASN'T SATISFIED
WITH ANYTHING WE HAD.
THOUGHT THE GRASS WAS
GREENER SOMEPLACE ELSE.
AND A COUPLE NIGHTS AGO,
SHE JUST, STORMS OFF.
SO THAT WAS THE LAST TIME
YOU SAW HER?
NO.
YESTERDAY, SHE LEFT
A MESSAGE AT MY WORK.
WAS NOT READY TO COME HOME
BUT WANTS TO TALK.
AND I MEET HER WHERE
SHE'S STAYING, THE CECIL.
IT DOESN'T MATTER
WHAT I DO.
IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU.
IT'S NEVER GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU!
YOU NEVER SEE ME!
YOU NEVER DO ANYTHING TO --
WHAT DO YOU MEAN,
I NEVER DO ANYTHING FOR YOU?
I DO EVERYTHING
FOR YOU!
YOU DO NOTHING!
YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING!
YOU SIT AROUND.
YOU SPEND MY MONEY
THAT I WORK HARD FOR!
I MET UP WITH HER.
I THOUGHT
WE COULD WORK IT OUT,
MAKE UP, AND MAYBE SPEND A NIGHT
IN KING-SIZED BED, YOU KNOW?
I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE, DEWEY.
I WON'T!
KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN.
YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE ME
THE LIFE I DESERVE,
THEN I'LL FIND SOMEONE
WHO WILL.
YEAH. FIND SOMEBODY ELSE
YOU CAN FLEECE.
SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS GOING
TO FIND SOME OTHER GUY,
TRYING TO MAKE ME
JEALOUS OR WHATEVER,
BUT I WASN'T BUYING IT.
I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER
THAN TO MARRY
A PENNY-PINCHING
WASH-OUT LIKE YOU!
YOU KNOW WHAT?
I DON'T NEED THIS.
GO AHEAD AND FIND
SOMEBODY ELSE.
SCREW THIS
AND SCREW YOU!
**
I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST
ANOTHER ONE OF OUR FIGHTS.
I TRIED TO CALL HER,
BUT SHE DIDN'T ANSWER, SO...
**
AND WHAT TIME WAS THAT?
IT WAS...
ABOUT A COUPLE HOURS
AFTER I GOT HOME,
SO AROUND MIDNIGHT.
ANYONE ELSE SEE YOU COME HOME?
A NEIGHBOR MAYBE?
NO. IT WAS LATE.
AND JUST BEFORE DAYBREAK,
WHERE WERE YOU?
I WAS HERE
THE WHOLE TIME.
SIR, DO YOU KNOW
A GEORGE GIANINNI?
WHO?
I HATE TO BREAK IT
TO YOU LIKE THIS, BUT YOUR WIFE,
SHE WAS FOUND ON THE SIDEWALK
WITH SOMEONE ELSE --
GEORGE GIANINNI,
65 YEARS OLD, LIVED DOWNTOWN.
RING ANY BELLS?
NO.
WHAT ARE YOU GETTING AT,
DETECTIVE?
MR. OTTON, I'M GOING TO PAY YOU
THE COMPLIMENT OF BEING DIRECT.
YOU YOURSELF SAID THAT YOUR WIFE
THREATENED TO SEE ANOTHER MAN.
AND A FEW HOURS AFTER
YOU STORM OUT, WE FIND YOUR WIFE
AND ANOTHER MAN DEAD
ON THE SIDEWALK
OUTSIDE THE CECIL HOTEL.
SO HOW DO YOU THINK
THAT HAPPENED?
I DON'T KNOW. HOW WOULD I KNOW
SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
DEWEY OTTON WAS A LIKELY SUSPECT
IN THE DEATH OF PAULINE OTTON.
THEY HAD A ROCKY RELATIONSHIP.
THEY WERE ESTRANGED.
SHE WAS STAYING
AT THE CECIL HOTEL.
WE DO KNOW THAT THEY ARGUED,
AND HE CAN'T COME UP
WITH A SOLID ALIBI.
NOW YOU'RE REALLY FOCUSED
ON THE HUSBAND.
JUST ONE LAST QUESTION,
MR. OTTON.
DID YOU BY CHANCE TAKE THE KEY
TO YOUR WIFE'S ROOM
WHEN YOU LEFT?
NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
ONCE YOU GET
THE INFORMATION,
YOUR MIND STARTS WORKING.
IS HE REALLY TELLING THE TRUTH
OR TELLING A LIE?
AND IF THEY'RE
TELLING A LIE, WHY?
OTTON HAD A MOTIVE, JEALOUSY.
BUT IF HE DID HAVE THE MISSING
KEY TO PAULINE'S ROOM,
THAT WOULD ALSO MEAN
HE HAD OPPORTUNITY
TO SNEAK BACK IN LATE AT NIGHT
ONLY TO FIND HER AND GIANINNI.
ALL WE COULD TELL WAS SOMETHING
ABOUT THIS "DOUBLE SUICIDE"
DIDN'T SMELL RIGHT.
WHY WOULD AN UPRIGHT MARRIED
LADY CHECK INTO THE CECIL ALONE
UNLESS SHE HAD SOME
OTHER BUSINESS IN MIND?
SO YOU THINK, WHAT?
THAT AFTER THE FIGHT,
AFTER OTTON STORMS OUT,
PAULINE WANTS TO GET
BACK AT DEWEY
BY BEDDING A MAN OLD ENOUGH
TO BE HER GRANDPA,
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?
YEAH.
WHY NOT?
DEWEY TAKES THE ROOM KEY,
MAYBE GOES OUT
FOR A COUPLE POPS,
GETTING MADDER AND MADDER,
STORMS BACK IN,
FINDS HIS WIFE WITH OLD GEORGE
AND PUSHES THEM
BOTH OUT THE WINDOW.
INTERESTING THEORY
IF HE HAS THE ROOM KEY.
I SAY WE GET A WARRANT
TO SEARCH HIS PLACE RIGHT NOW.
SLOW DOWN, SALAZAR.
IT'S 9:15 A.M. AND WE STILL
HAVEN'T CHECKED TO SEE
IF GEORGE HAS GOT A WIFE
WAITING FOR HIM AT HOME.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET
TO YOUR WITNESSES
AS SOON AS YOU CAN
WHILE THE STORIES
ARE FRESH IN THEIR MINDS.
YOU DON'T WANT THESE
INTERVIEWS TO BE TAINTED
BY NEWS MEDIA REPORTS.
AND IN LOCAL NEWS, A MAN
AND WOMAN WERE FOUND DEAD
ON A MAIN STREET
SIDEWALK THIS MORNING.
THEY'VE BEEN IDENTIFIED
AS 27-YEAR-OLD PAULINE OTTON
AND 65-YEAR-OLD
GEORGE GIANINNI.
NO WORD YET ON
THEIR CAUSE OF DEATH.
NO ONE ANSWERED
THE DOOR AT GIANINNI'S HOUSE,
SO WE TOOK A LOOK AROUND BACK.
WHAT DO YOU SEE?
ARE YOU FRIENDS
OF GEORGIE'S?
NO, MA'AM, LAPD.
WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR
HIS WIFE OR HIS NEXT OF KIN.
GEORGE'S WIFE PASSED IN '55.
- HOW'D SHE DIE?
- HEART ATTACK, I THINK.
GEORGE MOWED MY LAWN
FOR ME EVERY WEEK.
HE WOULDN'T TAKE A DIME FOR IT.
GEORGE GIANINNI DIDN'T
FIT THE MOLD OF SOMEONE
WHO WOULD HANG AROUND
WITH A WOMAN YOUNG ENOUGH
TO BE HIS GRANDDAUGHTER.
ANYONE WE TALKED TO SAID
HE WAS A SWEET OLD GUY
JUST TRYING TO GET BY
ON A LITTLE PENSION.
GEORGE WAS SQUEAKY CLEAN.
HE JUST DIDN'T FIT
THE TYPE OF CHARACTER
THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN
AT THE CECIL HOTEL.
THE POLICE HAVE TO BE BAFFLED
AS TO WHY THIS 65-YEAR-OLD MAN
IS LAYING DEAD UNDERNEATH
THIS YOUNG LADY.
DOES ANY OF THIS MAKE
A LICK OF SENSE TO YOU?
WE'RE 5 HOURS
INTO THE INVESTIGATION.
IT'S NOT SUPPOSED
TO MAKE SENSE.
WELL, THE HUSBAND HAS
A PAPER-THIN ALIBI AT BEST.
GIANINNI'S NOT
THE MURDERING TYPE.
IT'S PROBABLY
A DOUBLE MURDER.
EITHER THAT OR PAULINE
PUSHED GIANINNI OUT.
OR THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
BECAUSE IT'S A MAN
AND A WOMAN, TYPICALLY,
YOU'RE GOING TO ASSUME THAT ONE
OF THEM KILLED THE OTHER
AND THEN KILLED THEMSELVES.
BUT THE THING THAT HOMICIDE
DETECTIVES WILL TELL YOU
IS THAT YOU NEVER WANT TO COMMIT
TO A SINGLE THEORY
UNTIL YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT
IS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO SHE GETS MAD,
INVITES A MAN
OFF THE STREET UP TO HER ROOM?
DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
NOTHING ABOUT THE CECIL
MAKES SENSE.
THIS IS SALAZAR.
OKAY. THANKS.
WHAT ABOUT HIM?
GOT IT.
CORONER'S OFFICE FINISHED
A PRELIMINARY.
PAULINE DIED OF A SKULL FRACTURE
AND HAD LOTS OF BROKEN BONES
AND INTERNAL INJURIES.
GEORGE DIED OF
A BROKEN NECK.
WHY WOULD HER BODY
BE SO DAMAGED,
AND ALL HE GOT
WAS A BROKEN NECK?
WE'RE MISSING
SOMETHING HERE.
STILL THINK THE HUSBAND
KNOWS MORE THAN HE'S TELLING.
I THINK WE NEED
TO FIND OUT MORE
ABOUT THE GUY
ON THE SIDEWALK.
**
WE HEADED TO SKID ROW,
NEAR THE CECIL,
TO SEE IF ANYONE OUT THERE
KNEW GEORGE GIANINNI
OR WHY HE WOULD EVEN BE
HANGING AROUND THE AREA.
SOMEWHERE AMONG THE WASH-OUTS
AND HOODLUMS, WE WERE BOUND
TO FIND ANSWERS.
BY 1962, THE CECIL HOTEL
HAD FALLEN ON HARD TIMES,
AS HAD THE ENTIRE AREA
AROUND THE CECIL HOTEL.
IT'S JUST KIND OF A NEVER-ENDING
LIST OF DESPAIR
AND GRUESOME SADNESS.
MA'AM, WE'RE INVESTIGATING
THE GUY ON THE SIDEWALK.
A JUMPER?
SO YOU SAW
HIM JUMP, THEN?
NAH.
JUST FIGURED, WHEN YOU END UP
ON THE SIDEWALK
IN FRONT OF THE CECIL...
YOU EVER SEE HIM
AROUND HERE BEFORE?
NO.
BUT WHO KNOWS?
IT'S THE PLACE, YOU KNOW?
THE CECIL MAKES YOU
DO CRAZY THINGS.
BY THE EARLY '60s,
I WOULD SAY OVER A DOZEN PEOPLE
HAD KILLED THEMSELVES
AT THE CECIL,
AND MANY MORE HAD TRIED
TO KILL THEMSELVES.
PEOPLE WOULD CHECK IN THERE
AND SHOOT THEMSELVES.
CHECK IN THERE AND TAKE POISON.
CHECK-IN THERE AND JUMP
OUT THE WINDOWS.
AND IT EARNED A REPUTATION
AS BEING THE SUICIDE HOTEL.
IN FACT, PEOPLE KNEW IT AS THAT.
IT WAS THE SUICIDE HOTEL.
IT WAS NEARING 4:00 P.M.,
AND THE QUESTIONS
WERE MULTIPLYING BY THE HOUR.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?
IS IT THAT SIMPLE?
DID PAULINE AND GIANINNI
JUST DECIDE TO JUMP TOGETHER?
- WHAT, NO FOUL PLAY?
- YEAH.
I MEAN, THAT MAKES SENSE
AT A PLACE LIKE THE CECIL.
AND WHAT IF DEWEY OTTON
ISN'T LYING?
THEN I'D SAY YOU CAUGHT
QUITE A CASE YOUR FIRST DAY.
COMPARED TO WHAT,
YOUR FIRST DAY?
YOU GOING TO TELL ME
ABOUT THAT DAY OR WHAT?
**
ALL RIGHT.
IT WAS 15 YEARS AGO,
JANUARY 15, 1947.
WE WERE GETTING SOME COFFEE NEAR
THE CECIL WHEN THE CALL CAME IN.
APPARENTLY, WHEN YOU
WORK A CASE AT THE CECIL HOTEL,
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO AVOID
LOOKING BACK
AT THE HORRORS IN ITS PAST.
I WOULD SAY THE CECIL HOTEL IS
JUST A VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCE.
PEOPLE THAT FREQUENT
THE CECIL HOTEL,
A LOT OF THEM COME
WITH THEIR OWN BAGGAGE.
A LOT OF THEM COME
WITH THEIR OWN DEMONS.
TURNS OUT,
ONE OF THESE PEOPLE,
MY PARTNER'S FIRST
HOMICIDE VICTIM,
COULDN'T ESCAPE HER DEMONS,
FOREVER CONNECTING THE CECIL
TO L.A.'s MOST
NOTORIOUS MURDER.
THAT MORNING, A WOMAN
AND HER KID
SAW SOMETHING ODD
IN SOME BRUSH.
IT LOOKED LIKE AN OLD
BROKEN-UP MANNEQUIN.
AAH!
LET ME TELL YOU,
IT WAS NO MANNEQUIN.
WHAT WAS IT?
IT WAS A WOMAN.
YOU'VE PROBABLY
HEARD OF HER --
THE BLACK DAHLIA.
**
**
AAH! AAH!
A YOUNG WOMAN SAW
WHAT SHE FIRST THOUGHT
WAS A MANNEQUIN.
AND THEN, ON A CLOSER LOOK,
SHE SAW THAT IT WAS A WOMAN
WHO HAD BEEN DRAINED
OF ALL HER BLOOD.
HER BODY WAS DISSECTED IN HALF,
AND HER FACE HAD BEEN SLIT
FROM EAR TO EAR
IN THIS GRUESOME SMILE.
MY PARTNER WAS EXPLAINING
HIS FIRST CRIME SCENE,
AND FROM THE SOUND
OF IT, THE POOR GIRL
NEVER HAD A CHANCE.
WHAT HAPPENED TO HER?
SHE WAS BEATEN,
BOUND, TORTURED,
CUT UP EVERY WHICH
WAY TILL SUNDAY.
IT WAS SADISTIC.
IT WAS A REALLY,
REALLY DISTURBING SCENE.
EVEN THE MOST SEASONED,
HARD-BOILED OFFICERS
OF THE LAPD WERE SHOCKED
AND HORRIFIED.
HERE YOU ARE IN YOUR FIRST CRIME
SCENE ON YOUR FIRST MURDER.
IF I WAS THE DETECTIVE FOR
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER,
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE
THAT SHOCK.
HOW'S THAT FOR YOUR FIRST DAY
WITH A DETECTIVE'S BADGE?
ANYWAY, THEN BEGINS THE PROCESS
OF TRYING TO ID HER.
THEY CALLED HER
JANE DOE NUMBER ONE OF 1947.
NO IDENTIFYING MARKS,
THERE WAS NO PURSE.
THERE WAS NO CLOTHING,
AND THERE WAS NO NOTHING.
AND AFTER BEING
DRAINED OF BLOOD,
THE BODY HAD BEEN WASHED.
IT HAD BEEN IN WATER, AND SO
HER FINGERS HAD SWOLLEN UP.
SO IT WAS HARD TO GET
FINGERPRINTS OFF THE BODY.
BUT WHEN THEY FINALLY WERE ABLE
TO SEND A GOOD SET OF PRINTS
BACK TO THE FBI,
SHE WAS IDENTIFIED.
SHE HAD BEEN ARRESTED
IN SANTA BARBARA
FOR BEING IN A BAR UNDERAGE,
AND SO SHE HAD
TWO SETS OF PRINTS.
WE LUCKED OUT.
HER NAME
WAS ELIZABETH SHORT.
THE REST OF THE WORLD WOULD SOON
KNOW HER AS THE BLACK DAHLIA.
22 YEARS OLD, A KID.
SHE CAME OUT HERE
FROM MASSACHUSETTS TO BE A STAR.
HER FRIENDS OUT HERE
NICKNAMED HER THE BLACK DAHLIA
BECAUSE, AT THE TIME,
THERE WAS A MOVIE CALLED
"THE BLUE DAHLIA."
ELIZABETH SHORT HAD
VAGUE DREAMS OF STARDOM.
SHE WAS A PERSON LIVING KIND OF
ON THE FRINGES OF HOLLYWOOD.
BUT, REALLY, SHE WAS
YOUNG AND LOST.
SHE WAS IN HOLLYWOOD
TRYING TO MAKE HER WAY.
SHE WOULD ENCOUNTER VARIOUS GUYS
AND HIT THEM UP FOR A MEAL
OR A RIDE.
WHAT HER LIFE WAS ALL ABOUT
WAS MAINLY JUST GETTING BY.
SHE WAS LIKE A MILLION
OTHER GIRLS IN L.A.
YOU KNOW THE TYPE.
THE TYPE?
THE ACTRESS TYPE,
MOVES TO HOLLYWOOD
WITH LITTLE TO NO MONEY,
HOPING TO GET DISCOVERED.
SHE WAS GORGEOUS.
SHE WAS HORRIFICALLY
MURDERED,
AND NO ONE HAD ANY IDEA
WHO KILLED HER.
AND THE CITY BECAME OBSESSED
WITH THE CASE.
HOMICIDE.
OKAY.
EVERYONE IN THIS TOWN
HAD A LEAD FOR US.
LET ME TAKE A MESSAGE,
AND I'LL GET BACK TO YOU.
THANKS.
THANK YOU.
WITNESSES SAID THEY SAW HER
AT THE BILTMORE HOTEL 6 DAYS
BEFORE HER BODY SHOWED UP.
I WAS ABLE TO TRACK DOWN
ONE OF THEM,
A GOOD FRIEND
OF ELIZABETH'S.
AND WHAT WAS SHE DOING
THE LAST TIME YOU SAW HER?
SHE WAS ON THE PAY PHONE
IN THE LOBBY.
THE WITNESS MADE IT SOUND
LIKE ELIZABETH WAS UP
TO HER OLD TRICKS.
CALM DOWN, TANNER.
BUY A GAL A DR--
SAY, ISN'T THAT
ACROSS FROM THE WARNER'S LOT?
SURE, I'LL MEET YOU THERE.
**
AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES,
I SAW HER WALK OUT
OF THE PHONE BOOTH
AND LEAVE THE BILTMORE,
HEADED TOWARDS
OLIVE AND 6th.
IT WASN'T MUCH TO GO ON.
WE WENT FROM ONE HOTEL BAR
TO ANOTHER,
LOOKING FOR ANYONE
WHO SAW ELIZABETH SHORT.
AND THEN THE CECIL
POPPED UP ON OUR RADAR.
THE CECIL?
A WITNESS CAME FORWARD SAYING
THAT THEY SAW ELIZABETH SHORT
AT THE CECIL LOBBY BAR.
THAT WAS THE LAST REPORTED
SIGHTING OF HER.
IT'S JUST CRAZY, YOU KNOW?
ELIZABETH SHORT, YOU KNOW,
WAS LAST SEEN AS THE BAR
AT THE CECIL HOTEL
BEFORE SHE WAS MURDERED.
IT MADE SENSE THAT ELIZABETH
WOULD GO TO THE CECIL.
IT'S JUST A FEW BLOCKS
FROM THE BILTMORE.
AND DETECTIVES CANVASED THAT
HOTEL, HOPING TO GET A LEAD,
HOPING TO PUT TOGETHER
THE LAST MOMENTS OF HER LIFE.
YOU SEE THIS GIRL
IN THE PAST WEEK?
NO, SORRY.
HAVEN'T SEEN HER.
YOU SURE?
YEP.
HAVEN'T SEEN HER.
TRY AGAIN.
HOTEL MANAGEMENT DOESN'T
WANT THIS GETTING OUT.
THAT GIRL, THE BLACK DAHLIA,
I'VE SEEN HER HERE
AT THE CECIL BAR
A COUPLE OF TIMES.
I MEAN, WHAT IF THE GUY
CARVED HER UP
IN ONE OF OUR BATHTUBS?
DID YOU SEE
WHO SHE WAS WITH?
I MEAN,
WHO WASN'T SHE WITH?
MEN FAWNED OVER HER.
WE THINK THE KILLER GOT A HOLD
OF ELIZABETH ON JANUARY 9,
MAYBE AT THE CECIL,
MAYBE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
IT MAKES TOTAL SENSE TO PAIR
THE CITY'S MOST GRUESOME HOTEL
WITH THEIR MOST
GRUESOME MURDER VICTIM.
SHE HAD BEEN HIT IN
THE FOREHEAD ABOUT FIVE TIMES.
ANY ONE OF THOSE,
ACCORDING TO THE DETECTIVES,
WOULD HAVE MADE
HER UNCONSCIOUS.
AND THEN HER CHEEKS
WERE SLASHED.
SHE BLED FROM THE SLASHES
ON HER CHEEKS.
AND THE KILLER
CONTINUED TO MUTILATE
THE BODY AND THEN
CUT HER IN HALF.
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER SAID,
"THAT'S A FINE BIT OF SURGERY.
HE KNEW EXACTLY WHERE
TO CUT A BODY IN HALF
WITHOUT NICKING ANY OF
THE INTERNAL ORGANS."
AND SO THE INVESTIGATORS
KNEW THAT WHOEVER KILLED HER
HAD ADVANCED MEDICAL TRAINING.
THE CITY WAS HORRIFIED
AND WANTED JUSTICE.
ALL THE WHILE, I WAS IN TOUCH
WITH ELIZABETH SHORT'S FAMILY
BACK IN MASSACHUSETTS.
THAT FELL ONTO YOU?
IT HAD TO FALL
ON SOMEONE.
I UNDERSTAND, MA'AM.
WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING
THAT WE CAN.
MANY SUSPECTS WERE
INTERVIEWED AND INTERROGATED.
SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE
HAD BEEN RULED OUT AS SUSPECTS.
AND TO DATE, THE BLACK DAHLIA
CASE REMAINS UNSOLVED.
TO BE A BRAND-NEW HOMICIDE
DETECTIVE KNOWING
THAT THIS CASE
IS GOING TO BE WITH YOU
FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE,
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE
THE EMOTIONS.
IT'S THE LONGEST UNSOLVED
MURDER CASE ON THE BOOKS.
MY CASE.
SORRY.
I DIDN'T KNOW.
IT WAS CLEAR MY PARTNER
HAD BEEN LOOKING
FOR REDEMPTION EVER SINCE.
AND MAYBE HE WAS
ABOUT TO FIND IT.
WHAT ARE YOU GUYS
STILL DOING HERE?
- WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
- DIDN'T YOU HEAR THE CALL?
THERE'S A 10-23 IN PROGRESS.
WHAT DOES A BREAK-IN
HAVE TO DO WITH US?
SOMEONE JUST BROKE INTO
YOUR CRIME SCENE
AT THE CECIL.
**
**
**
AT THE TIME OF
PAULINE OTTON'S CASE,
THE BLACK DAHLIA
WAS THE OLDEST UNSOLVED
HOMICIDE IN LOS ANGELES.
AND AS A HOMICIDE DETECTIVE,
TO HAVE ANY CASE
THAT HAS YET TO BE SOLVED
WEIGHS ON YOU HEAVILY.
THE LAST THING
MY PARTNER AND I WANTED WAS
TO LET ANOTHER STRANGE CASE
AT THE CECIL GO UNSOLVED.
THE MANAGER THERE HAD
JUST SPOTTED
SOMEONE ENTERING
PAULINE OTTON'S ROOM,
A SEALED CRIME SCENE.
HANDS UP, OTTON!
DON'T MOVE.
I THOUGHT YOU SAID
YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE KEY.
- PLEASE, LET ME EXPLAIN.
- YEAH, YOU DO THAT.
ALL RIGHT.
I ADMIT IT.
I LIED.
I TOOK THE KEYS
SO I COULD COME BACK
AND MAKE UP
WITH PAULINE LATER,
BUT I WAS SO TIRED I JUST
ENDED UP FALLING ASLEEP AT HOME.
BUT WHAT ARE YOU
DOING BACK HERE NOW?
IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE YOU'RE
TRYING TO DESTROY EVIDENCE.
NO, NO, NO.
YOU GOT IT ALL WRONG.
SO WHAT'S YOUR
EXPLANATION?
I'M TRYING TO FIND THE RING
I GAVE PAULINE.
SHE THREW IT IN MY FACE
THAT NIGHT.
I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER
THAN TO MARRY
A PENNY-PINCHING
WASH-OUT LIKE YOU!
I WANT IT BACK.
IT'S A REAL DIAMOND.
- LET'S GO.
- WHERE YOU TAKING ME?
YOU'RE GOING DOWNTOWN.
TAKE HIM OUT.
I'LL BE DOWN IN A FEW MINUTES.
WHEN YOU HAVE
A PERSON OF INTEREST
SNEAKING INTO THE CRIME SCENE,
THE FIRST THING YOU'RE GOING
TO THINK OF, IS HE CULPABLE?
DID HE DO THIS?
WHY ELSE WOULD HE BE HERE?
WE THOUGHT FOR SURE
THE HUSBAND
HAD SOME HAND
IN HIS WIFE'S DEATH.
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OKAY.
ONE MORE TIME.
WHERE WERE YOU
AT 5:00 A.M.?
I TOLD YOU,
I WAS AT HOME.
LET HIM GO.
WHAT?
WHAT'S HAPPENING?
GO AHEAD, YOU HEARD ME.
YOU'RE FREE TO GO.
I BELIEVE
THIS IS YOURS.
MY CONDOLENCES.
I REALLY DID LOVE HER,
YOU KNOW?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
HE'S OUR NUMBER ONE SUSPECT.
NO, HE'S NOT.
TAKE A LOOK
AT THIS AGAIN.
SO TELL ME, DETECTIVE SALAZAR,
YOU KEEP YOUR HANDS
IN YOUR POCKETS
WHEN YOU ARGUE?
- NO.
- WHAT ABOUT WHEN
YOU'RE IN A FISTFIGHT
WITH A JEALOUS HUSBAND?
NO.
OR IF YOUR PUSHING
YOURSELF OUT THE WINDOW?
SO WHEN'S THE ONLY TIME YOU KEEP
BOTH HANDS IN YOUR POCKETS?
THE ONLY TIME I DO IS,
WHEN IT'S CHILLY AND I'M...
WALKING DOWN THE STREET.
YOU DON'T SAY?
HE WAS WALKING
DOWN THE STREET?
JUST TAKING A STROLL
PAST THE CECIL, AND BAM.
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I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
PAULINE OTTON DIDN'T TAKE
A LOVER TO GET REVENGE
ON HER HUSBAND.
SHE WAS BEYOND THAT.
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SO HE'S JUST STROLLING ALONG,
MINDING HIS OWN BUSINESS.
ALL OVER IN AN INSTANT.
IT WASN'T A HOMICIDE.
IT WASN'T EVEN A CRIME.
IT WAS JUST...
THE CECIL.
**