The boy said she drank a lot of Early Times bourbon.
Jim Bruton got a call Tuesday evening. The Temple Sheriff’s forwarded a tip: Tommy just showed up at the Ivanhoe.
Bruton arranged for a Sheriff’s unit to transport him to the El Monte Station. He set up an interview room with a one-way glass mirror and called Myrtle Mawby. She agreed to come in and view the suspect.
Two deputies brought Tommy in. It was Tom Baker from the Desert Inn guest book. Bruton had him run down his Saturday night.
Baker said he went to the races at Hollywood Park. He stayed through the seventh race and drove to a restaurant on Florence and Rosemead. He had a burger and drove to his place in Baldwin Park. He spent the rest of the evening watching TV with his landlord and the landlord’s son. He was not at the Desert Inn Saturday night.
Myrtle Mawby observed Tom Baker. She told Bruton that he was not the man she saw with the redhead.
Tom Baker was released. A patrol car drove him back to the Ivanhoe.
It was 8:00 p.m.
Vickers and Godfrey were over at Temple—calling bartenders and carhops at home. Hallinen and Lawton were calling out from the El Monte Station.
They were trying to locate Margie Trawick and Mike Whit-taker. They needed them to submit formal statements tonight.
They found Margie at her parents’ house. They found Mike at the Melody Room and told him they’d send a car for him. They arranged for a Sheriff’s stenographer to come out to the station.
The desk sergeant interrupted them. He said a tip just came in—a carhop at Stan’s might have seen something Saturday night.
Lavonne Chambers was wearing a red-and-gold uniform. Hallinen and Lawton interviewed her in the manager’s cubbyhole.
Stan’s was circular and space-age modern. A neon spire poked out of the roof. The lot behind it was huge—cars could stack up three rows deep and flash their lights for service.
Lavonne said she heard a radio broadcast. She hemmed-and-hawed for a day or so and told her shift boss what she knew. He called the Sheriff’s for her.
Hallinen and Lawton coaxed her a little. Lavonne relaxed and told them her story.
She recognized the description on the radio. She remembered the redhead—from her dress down to her pearl ring. She was certain that she served the redhead and her date
They came in shortly after 10:00. The woman ordered a grilled cheese sandwich; the man ordered coffee. The man was driving. The car was a ’55 or ’56 Olds sedan. It was two-tone green—with the lighter green probably on top. The man was very thin, 35 to 40, with black hair combed straight back. He looked like he might be of Greek or Italian extraction.
The woman acted lighthearted. She might have been intoxicated. The man acted bored and reserved.
They ate and drove off. They returned between 2:00 and 2:45 a.m. They parked in one of her stalls again.
The redhead ordered chili and beans. The man ordered coffee. She was still lighthearted. He was still bored and reserved. They ate, paid up and drove off.
Hallinen and Lawton displayed the victim’s coat—covered with forensic tags now. Lavonne Chambers ID’d the lining immediately. She ID’d a photo of the victim just as fast. She agreed to submit a formal statement tomorrow —but only at her house. She couldn’t leave her children alone.
Hallinen and Lawton set up a 3:30 appointment. Lavonne went on and on about the redhead—she was so pretty and seemed so nice.
Mike Whittaker’s formal statement was a mess.
He kept pleading drunkenness. He pegged the 43-year-old redheaded victim as a brunette in her 20s. He called the pony-tailed blonde a Mexican girl.
His story was vague and filled with memory gaps. He kept contradicting his Sunday-night statement. His one chronological frame of reference was the moment he fell off his chair.
The interview concluded at 9:35 p.m.
Mike Whittaker walked out. Margie Trawick walked in.
STATEMENT OF MARGIE TRAWICK. TAKEN AT THE EL MONTE POLICE DEPARTMENT, 505 EAST VALLEY BOULEVARD, EL MONTE. PRESENT: SERGEANT W. E. HALLINEN, SERGEANT J. G. LAWTON. 9:41 P.M., JUNE 24, 1958. FOR FILE #Z-483- 362. REPORTED BY: DORA A. BRITTON, STENOGRAPHIC REPORTER.
BY SGT. HALLINEN:
Q What is your full name?
A Margie Trawick.
Q Do you have a middle name?
A Yes, the middle name is Lucille.
Q Are you sometimes known by another last name?
A My maiden name was Phillips.
Q Where do you live?
A 413 Court Adair Street, El Monte.
Q Do you have a telephone?
A Gilbert 8-1136.
Q May I ask your age?
A I was thirty-six a week ago last Saturday the 14th of June.
Q Who do you live at that address with?
A My parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Phillips.
Q Are you working at the present time?
A Right now, no. I do have an employer. I’m off on sick leave at present.
Q Who is your employer?
A Tubesales, 2211 Tubeway Avenue, Los Angeles 22.
Q Did you have previous employment as a waitress?
