Original subtitles

**

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.

**