MURDER INC EXCLUSIVE: The Murder of John Darby

November 12 1972 Sacramento





On November 12, 1972 Gloria Jean Darby was asleep in the bedroom of her apartment on Carro Drive when she heard a noise around 3:15 am and awoke to see an intruder standing in the doorway. She called to her husband John Darby who sat up in bed and called out “Who’s there?”. The man in the doorway turned on a flashlight and shot John Darby in the face with a rifle bullet, killing him instantly. The killer disappeared and Gloria fled to a neighbors with her 5 yr old daughter for help. The intruder was thought to be around six feet tall and had entered the four-plex apartment through a window.







11 years later on the same small quiet street someone returned to Carro Drive in a ski mask and raped a 28 year old woman at knife point. The rapist entered her apartment through a living room window in the early morning hours and was described as a stocky white man in his 20’s, wearing a dark short sleeve shirt, dark pants and armed with a knife.





September 24 1983 Rapist Carro Drive



John Darby was shot in the face with a rifle bullet. The way the flashlight beam turned on right before the shot rang out sounds like the flashlight could possibly have been attached to the rifle, Zodiac style. Who do we know that collects rifles and shotguns? On September 27 1971 Air Force Sgt. Harold Riley was shot through the kitchen window of his home on Olmstead Drive in Sacramento by a sniper with a shotgun. On January 9 1975 Harold’s 6 year old daughter Harriet Riley was found murdered and bound in a dumpster.













February 20 1972 Sacramento Housewife Kidnapped Near the Riley Murder



Harriet Riley January 9 1975





October & November 1972

October 3 1972 Sacramento Rapist









The suspect is described as black but so was the East Area Rapist in the October 21 1975 attack in Rancho Cordova as you can see below. If the suspect was wearing gloves, his face was covered and the victims were blindfolded it could be hard to determine the skin tone of the assailant especially if he was disguising his voice as EAR would.



October 6 1972 San Rafael Ransacker



Ransacked, But Nothing Taken Steele’s Patio Furniture at 2094 Redwood High, was broken into Friday night, reported Larkspur Police today, but although the office and store were ransacked nothing was stolen. The store was burgled in March this year, noted police, when thieves took money hidden in a fire screen. This time there was no money in the store.

October 7 1972 Santa Rosa Prowler



Fires at Prowler But Injures Self A Santa Rosa man was wounded Saturday night when he took a shot at a prowler, ac cording to Sheriff’s reports. Leon T. Burton, 453 Colgan ave., said he held the pistol with his right hand and braced the barrel on the top of his left hand. When he fired the gun, the slug grazed the top of his hand as it exploded out .of the barrel!. He was treated at Community Hospital. He said he didn’t know if the slug also hit the prowler.

October 16 1972 Auburn Burglary



$234 Is Taken From Homo In Auburn .londay Auburn police are investigating the theft of $234 cash from the residence of Beulah Silver at 245 Garfield Street Chief R. E. Hensley said the Silver home was unoccupied Monday when somone forced his way in the front door and took the money from a bedroom drawer. On Sunday, Hensley reported, Patrolman R. L. Fitzpatrick arrested a 17-year-old Antioch youth in the Sierra Elm Shopping area and booked him at juvenile hall for possession of burglary tools and for prowling and curfew violation. . Burglars broke into the Alta Vista School over the weekend and ransacked the office of Principal Steve Brown. The extent of loss was not known. Thieves kicked in a rear door Of the main office of the Auburn district Fair Friday night and made off with $6 in change.

October 14 1972 Tulare Ransacker



Break-in reported Katie Roberts, 521 Auburn St., reported to Tulare police that someone had broken a rear window and entered the home of her brother, Floyd Creager, 871 E. Merritt Ave., sometime between Tuesday and Saturday while he was away on vacation. The residence was ransacked, but it was not determined if anything is missing.



Medals taken An undetermined number of medals were taken in a weekend burglary at the Amateur Athletic Union recreation building, 222 So. F St., Tulare police reported.

October 15 1972 Tulare Ransacker



Laundry ransacked Earl Routh reported to Tulare police Sunday morning that his business, the Model Laundry, 332 E; Kern Ave., was entered and that a desk and cabinets had been ransacked. There was no estimate of loss from the burglary.

October 16 1972 Tulare Rings Stolen



Rings taken Tulare police are investigating a report by Jenny Reed, 526 Dickran Drive, who said some rings are missing from her home. Tires slashed Mrs. Robbie Carriger of the Tulare Union High School physical education department reported to Tulare police Friday that tires on two students cars were slashed while parked in the school lot.



Coins missing Jim Kane, 312 No. H St., reported to Tulare police that old silver coins having a total value of $60 were missing from his residence.



October 17 1972 Roseville Tool Theft



In other incidents, burglars broke into Craig’s Auto Supply. 224 Riverside Ave., late Tuesday night. Store owner Paul Craig told police that the thieves forced their way into the auto parts store after it was closed for the night and removed tools, stock, and other valuables.



Cash missing Tulare police are investigating a burglary in which $180 was taken from the residence of Norma Bailey, 560 So. Los Angeles St., according to reports.



Radiators stolen Burt West of American West, 2106 So. K St., reported to Tulare police Friday that radiators were missing from his business.

October 20 1972 Exeter Rooftop Prowler



Prowlers reported Tulare police received two prowler reports Friday night, one from Linda Dole, 165 Stanley St., who said a man was on the roof of her residence, ‘and the other from Ellen Day, 356 No. H St., who said someone was tampering with a car in front of her house. Both prowlers were reported gone upon arrival of police.



Wheels missing Tulare police Friday reported that four mag-type wheels were taken from a fenced area at Doyces Body and Paint Shop, 969 E. Barsley Ave. Battery taken Robert Sharp, 1459 E. Kern Ave., reported to Tulare police Friday night that a battery was taken from his vehicle while it had been parked at the Cozy Inn, 2435 So. K St.



Bicycle stolen Maxine Myers, 645 W. Kern Ave., reported to Tulare police that a boys bicycle was stolen from her property between about 11:30 p.m. Friday and 12:30 a.m. Saturday.



Speakers taken Stereo speakers were taken from a car parked at O Street and Tulare Avenue, owner Fernando Valdez, Hanford, reported to Tulare police Friday night.



Tarpaulins missing Mrs. Earcell Bryant of the trucking firm of the same name, 295 E. Paige Ave., reported to Tulare police Friday that tarpaulins for a set of double trailers were taken from a vehicle owned by her while parked at a truck stop in the 400 block of South K Street.



Wallet disappears Carl Bowles, 361 So. G St., reported to Tulare police Friday that his wallet containing credit cards and other papers was taken from an unlocked car in front of his residence.



Battery theft Mike McGuiness of the Robert G. Fisher Co., contractors, reported to Tulare police Friday morning that a battery was missing from a forklift at’ the Dairymans Creamery construction site, South N Street and East Owens Avenue.



Revolver taken Tulare police are investigating a burglary in which a seven-shot pistol and pendant watch were stolen from the residence of Madge Beck, 720 E. Ventura Ave.



October 21 1972 Tulare Stolen Bikes



Bicycles stolen Tulare police Saturday received reports bicycles stolen from Velerah Bonwell, 549 Highland St., and Jerry Corp, 500 W. Cedar Ave.



Wheel removed Richard Crawford, 750 W. Tulare Ave., reported to Tulare police Saturday that someone had stolen a tire and wheel off his car parked in the 500 block of South I Street.

October 22 1972 Tulare Punctured Tires



Tire punctured Violet Arnold, 1459 E. Kern Ave., reported to Tulare police at 1:50 a.m. Sunday that someone had punctured with an ice pick or similar instrument the left front tire of her car at her residence. Police said other car tires in the area appeared to have been punctured and a separate, but similar report, was received Sunday afternoon from Tony Mate, 1393 Sequoia Ave.



October 23 1972 Tulare Ransacker



House ransacked Tulare County Sheriffs deputies reported the home of Robert L. Rudekens, 26213 Road 140, was ransacked Monday and an estimated $1,074 worth of household goods stolen. Burglars entered sometime between 8 p.m. and removed a television, tools, radio, camera and rifles, deputies said

October 24 1972 Auburn Burglaries



Restaurant, Store Among Theft Victims Auburn police are searching for the burglars who broke into the Koffee Kup Restaurant, 904 Lincoln Way, early Tuesday and made off with $120. Officers also are investigating weekend burglaries at Campbell’s Stationery Store, 897 Lincoln Way, from which three calcuating machines worth a total of $400 were taken; and at a construction site at the Auburn District Fairgrounds from which $300 worth of plywood belonging to the Kauffman and Reynolds Construction Company was

October 25 1972 Roseville Burglary Seminar



October 26 1972 Auburn Burglar



October 28 1972 Loomis Ransacker



October 29 1972 Petaluma Ransacker



Thefts From Homes, Cars Listed Thefts from homes and cars were reported by a number of city residents to police during the weekend. Dharon Dunn of 709 Petaluma Blvd. North, Informed police someone entered the unlocked garage at her home and stole a steamer trunk, a set of golf clubs and a four-wheeled golf cart. The loss was put at $700. Sherry Dodson of 202 Fair St., reported her home was entered through a front window and ransacked. Pings, clothing and a radio were taken. They were valued at $150. Thelma Caetano of 12 Wallace Ct. reported someone entered her home through the front door and took a wallet with $237 In It. BUI Horn of 1808 Weaverly Dr. reported his car was broken Into and a tape deck, speakers, tapes and a jacket were taken. The loss was put at $158. Dennis McGovern of 11 G8 Bay-wood Dr. reported his truck was broken into and a ttre and wheel valued at over $90 were stolen.

October 31 1972 San Rafael Ransacker



Ransacked A thief who smashed a rear door and pried open a desk drawer left empty-handed after ransacking an office of the Hertz Corp. at 170 Gary Place, San Rafael, on Monday or Tuesday, police reported today.

November 2 1972 Auburn Motorcycle Theft



Two Vehicles Stolen. Auburn police are investigating the theft of two vehicles over the weekend. Chief R. E. Hensley said a 1971 motorcycle owned by Gerald A villa of rural Auburn was taken from a parking in the 800 block of High Street and that a 1965 Musta4 belonging to Michael Brown 326 Chamberlain Street was stolen from the new Safeway parking lot at Elm Avenue and East Street.



Folsom Car Burglary



Tapedeck Taken From Locked Cor Darlene Y. Woods reported to local police Thursday that a tapedeck had been stolen from her locked 1969 Volkswagon either Wednesday or Thursday at her residence, 7311 Baldwin Dam Road. The tapedeck was a Craig brand 4-8 track with an approximate value of $30. The left wind-wing of the vehicle was damaged when the suspect or suspects broke into it.

Joe DeAngelo’s Step Uncle in Mission Viejo



November 7 1972 Roseville





November 8 1972 Long Beach



November 9 1972 Long Beach Prowler



Peterson cases of beer stolen by prowlers Twenty cases of beer valued at $89 were taken from the Skylinks Coffee Shop, 4800 K. Wardlow Rd., by burglars who cut a on a storage shed, Long Beach police reported Thursday.



Redwood City Burglar



November 10 1972 Long Beach Gun Stolen



Tusks go with break-in loot A hand gun and assorted elephant tusks valued at a total of $1,561 were taken from the garage of Joseph Held, 1515 E. Ocean Blvd., by burglars who cut a door to gain entry. Long Beach police reported Friday.

November 12 1972 Long Beach TV Theft



TV stolen Virginia Barnett, of 1010 Orange Ave., told Long Beach police Sunday that burglars who forced the front door of her apartment took a color television set valued at $500.

November 14 1972 Tulare Vacuum Stolen



Stolen vacuum Martha Mohl, 23121 Road 48, reported to Tulare police that someone stole an electric carpet sweeper from the back of a truck belonging to Tulare Janitorial Service, Tuesday.

Long Beach Burglaries





November 15 1972 Santa Monica Kathleen La Chance Murder





Woman’s Body on Boach SANTA MONICA (UPI)—The nude body of a young Long Beach woman, her arms and legs bound with straps, was found on the beach by a jogger Wednesday night. Police identified the victim as Kathleen Anne LaChance, about 22 years old. She had been stabbed at least 12 times. Officers said the woman’s clothing had been ripped from her body and it appeared that she had been raped. Police said the body was discovered about 200 feet from the surf by a man who was jogging along the beach



Santa Monica police said Sunday. Detective Richard Plasse said Weston J. Hill, a transient staying In Venice who was arrested Friday by Los Angeles police for a minor charge and then turned over to Santa Monica police, “looks less and ‘ less like a suspect.” Plasse said earlier questioning of Hill had shown “there is nothing to directly connect him with the murder” of Kathleen Ann La Chance, 24, whose nude was found on a Santa beach by joggers Wednesday night. Miss La Chance had been stabbed repeatedly and raped, and her clothes were found scattered near her .body. Police said HID was released from Camarillo State Hospital only hours before the woman’s body was found. Hill reportedly spent three weeks in Camarillo after an ,arrest for “annoying women,” and was confined for seven months in Minnesota after a conviction on a molestation charge in the Middle West, police.

Long Beach



force door, take household goods Household appliance valued at $740 were taken from the apartment of Mrs. Edward Southerland, at 3214 Santa Fe Ave., by burglars who forced the front door to gain entry, Long Beach police said Wednesday.

Porterville Airport



November 16 1972 Long Beach Gun Stolen



Cash, gun, liquor taken from home. Burglars forced a closet a window at the home of Chester Waligren, 283 Claremont Ave., and took cash, a gun, liquor and household items totally valued at $455, Long Beach police reported Thursday pendent.

November 17 1972 Long Beach

Thief takes bikes, household items A burglar who apparently, entered through an unlocked garage door took two; bicycles and household items valued at $207 from the residence of I.W. Git- ‘tleman at 4330 Cerritos Ave., Long Beach police reported Friday. said center burgled Items valued at $218 and including cash, cigarettes and a watch were stolen from the Long Beach Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Center at 125 E: 8th St., Long Beach polifj said Friday.

Roseville Bikes Stolen



November 18 1972 Long Beach Guns Stolen



November 19 1972 Long Beach Ransacker



Camera shop looted by burglars Breaking in a rear door, burglars looted Strickland Photography, 3000 E. 7th St., of photo equipment valued at $1,400, police reported Sunday. House rausackcd Household items valued at were stolen from the of Nicholas St. John, 5310 El Parque St., where a window was forced open, Long Beach police said Sunday. last

Tulare Guns Stolen



Guns stolen Dwight Millwee, Garden Grove, reported to Tulare police at 12:05 a.m. Sunday that two 12-gauge shotguns, a stereo radio and 20 tape recordings were stolen out of his car while parked at 3809 No. Mooney Blvd. The theft is being investigated by the Tulare County Sheriffs Office.

November 20 1972 Roseville Ransacker



Arther J. Williams of 149 Cedar St. told police that a burglar forced his way into the Williams residence late Friday night while Williams was away. After ransacking the premises, the burglar stole coins, a quantity of wine, a pistol, one shotgun, and a rifle, in addition to two savings bonds valued at $1,000 each. Walter W. Johnson reported to police that a burglar broke into his residence at 306 Cherry Ave. Saturday night between 6:30 and 11 :20 p.m. and took personal effects and food from the residence. Johnson estimates the loss value for the fond at $24.

November 21 1972 Folsom Antiques Stolen



Items Stolen From Home Several antique items valued at $360 were taken from the home of Arthur Werner, 825 Sibley Street, November 21. The items included a 75-year old coffee urn worth $150; a gravy boat, $45; a wrought iron stand with potted plants, $40; red clay pot with plants, $50 and 78 clay pots with plants, $75.

Tulare Guns Stolen (Date N/A)



House burglary Dennis E. Thomas, 2978 Ave. 96, Pixley, told sheriffs officers at the Pixley substation that unknown persons entered his home. The burglars took two guns, a record player and an eight-track stereo tape deck worth $343, according to sheriffs reports.

November 23 1972 Roseville Burglaries



Burglar gets cigarettes Not everyone was thankful yesterday as a Roseville Police Department burglary report filed this morning indicates. – A burglar, with yen for tobacco, broke into the 7-11 convience food store at 2000 Cirby Way late last night or early this morning and carried off 24 cartons of cigarettes from the premises while the store was closed. Store manager William E. Brill told police that the thief apparently forced his way into tlie store and carted the cigarettes off. Brill estimates the loss at $96. Roseville Police are investigating the holiday burglary. s In an early morning Wednesday burglary, Tom E. Frates reported to police the theft of $335 worth of auto-mechanics tools taken from a pick up truck parked near his 1148 Conroy Lane home.

November 24 1972 Roseville Coin Theft 10:00 am



Police investigate silver dollar theft ‘ Charles Spindel of 163 Donner Ave. reported Friday the theft of $14 in silver dollars, dollar bills and miscellaneous coins after his home was entered while he was away. He told investigating officers a cash box was removed from a bedroom and the coins from a glass case in the living room. : Also Friday, Value Village at 522 Vernon St. said a hand cart was removed from behind the store sometime between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m

November 24 1972 Tulare Ransacker





Entry reported Lila Henry, 636 E. San Joaquin Ave., reported to Tulare police Friday that the home of Murray Van Etten, 325 Gem St., had been entered while Van Etten was away from the residence.



“Battery stolen Willard Kenneth, Bakersfield, reported to Tulare police Friday night that the battery was stolen out of his vehicle while it was parked at 2435 So. K St.

November 25 1972 Tulare



Medication missing Jerry Johnson, Stockton, reported to the Tulare County Sheriffs Office that a train case containing items including medication was stolen out of his vehicle while it was parked at the Tulare Veterans Memorial Building, 1771 E. Tulare Ave., according to information received by Tulare police early Saturday.

November 24 1972 Teri Lynn Hollis Murder



All Same Aqe; 2 Found Dead, Third Missing A pretty 11-year-old girl who disappeared Thursday afternoon while playing in front of her Torrance home was found strangled and sexually assaulted Friday on an Oxnard beach. The murder bears similarities to unsolved cases a decade ago which also involved 11-year-old girls who disappeared in Torrance. One was never found. The unclad body of the other was discovered on the beach. Police are comparing the three cases for possible connections. ; Two fishermen found the body of blonde Teri Lynn Hollis below the Pacific Coast Highway, just south of Mugu Rock, at 10:15 a.m. The body was clad only in a T-shirt. Identified by Uncle The body was identified by the girl’s uncle, Herbert Pearce, at 6:15 p.m. On Thanksgiving Day, Teri disappeared from in front of her house at 2603 Dalemead St. at 3:30 p.m. and was reported missing by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Hollis, at 8:55 p.m. Torrance police searched all night for the girl and continued the hunt “Friday. Twenty-five regular officers, six reservists and six volunteers from the sheriff’s mounted posse spent Friday checking out. a quarry near the girl’s home. Karen Lynn Tompkins disappeared on her way home from school . on Aug. 18, 1961. She has been missing ever since. Dorothy Gale Brown was kidnapped from the street a block and a half from her trailer home on July 3, 1962. Body Found in Ocean Her body was found a day later in the ocean just south of Corona del Mar. Police said she had been sexually molested. Torrance Det. William Athan said late Friday that the cases are the only unsolved murders in Torrance and are considered still active. Details of the crimes are being compared with the killing of Teri Lynn Hollis, but Athan declined to say whether any of the details had yet proved identical. picked





Torrance girls Kidnap-murder cases baffle police Three 11-year-old Torrance girls lived and died with frightening similarity. First there was Karen Lynn Tompkins. who disappeared as she walked home after playing on a school- ground at the start of a long Labor Day weekend in 1961. Next was Dorothy Gale Brown, who disappeared as she rode her bike a block from home at the start of a long B’ourth-of- July weekend a year later. Now there’s Teri Lynn Hollis, 2603 Dalemead St., who disappeared as she played in the front yard of her family home during a long Thanksgiving weekend. All three v a n i s h e d from the Torrance area -the first two only three blocks apart. The latest victim was kjdnaped from a different section of the city, some three miles from where the first two vanished. Two of the girls had been raped and their bodies thrown into the ocean. The body of the third girl has never been found. Services for the Hollis child will be held at 11 a.m. today at Candy’s Mortuary, 25001 Narbonne Ave., Lo- niita. Burial will be at Green Hills Cemetery, 27501 S. Western Ave., San Pedro. Torrance police admit they are no closer to solution of the kidnap-killing of Dorothy Brown or the disappearance of Karen Lynn Tompkins than they are to the current killing They admit the similarities are striking. B l o n d e , b l u e – e y e d Karen was last seen about 5 p.m. Friday, the start of a long Labor Day weekend. A girlfriend told police Karen left the school — anxious to get home to show her mother a model she had finished in crafts class. She had a four-block walk to her home. Despite an intensive search that went on for months, no trace of the little girl has ever been found. Less than a year later, another 11-year-old girl disappeared while she was riding her bicycle just a block from her home -two blocks from Karen’s home. But little Dorothy Gale Brown’s parents didn’t have to wait long to learn of her fate. EIGHTEEN hours after she disappeared, her nude body was found in the ocean off Corona del Mar. She had been raped and then drowned. Police at that time pointed out similarities to newsmen covering the story: They holh disappeared from heavily populated areas and under,the eyes of friendly neighbors, police said, adding: “They even resembled each other.” “We never found a trace of the Tompkins girl, and the Brown girl’s body was only by the remotest accident,” Torrance police admitted at the time. IT WAS A “remote accident,” too, that the latest victim’s body was found, police say. The girl’s partially nude body apparently had been thrown from a steep embankment to rocks some 20 below. “Al high tide, the water is actually up over the rocks.” police said. .She was found on the rocks, but could easily have been swept out to sea. Eleven-year-old T e r i Lynn Hollis was last seen playing in the front yard of home at 3 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. Her body was found by fishermen on the lonely stretch of shoreland south of Oxnard at 10:15 a.m. the next She had been raped and strangled. Her clothing, except for a while T-shirt still on the body, has not been found. Dorothy Brown’s clothing, s i m i l a r l y , Also, never found: the killer.

Roseville



November 26 1972 Roseville Thirsty Burglar



Thirsty burglar takes money also A burglar not only removed the coins from several vending machines at the Derail, 512 Church St., but also drank a soft drink before leaving. Police reported the bar was entered sometime early Sunday morning and the coins removed after prying open the juke box, pool table, cigarette and soft drink machines. In other incidents, Hubert H. Rich of 1209 Sheffield reported his 10-speed bicycle was removed from the garage of his residence and Rowan W. Jones of North Highlands said the battery was taken from his car between Sunday and yesterday while parked in a SP lot on Church Street

November 27 1972 San Rafael Ransacker



Taken Tools valued at $120 were taken sometime between Saturday and Monday from Marin Mazda. 575 Francisco Boulevard. San Rafael, police reported today

November 30 1972 Roseville Guns Stolen



Approximately $1,200 worth of guns and stereo equipment were reported stolen from the apartment of Gary L. . Tanner at 257 Sharp Circle. The guns included two shot guns, two rifles and a revolver.

