Crime Beat: A Decade Of Covering Cops And Killers

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The stories contained in this collection all carried the byline of Michael Connelly but without exception they were all labored over by numerous editors, copyeditors and fellow reporters. It is impossible to write a newspaper or magazine story without the input of many. I wish to thank all of those who helped make these stories fit to print.

I also wish to thank Michael Pietsch, Asya Muchnick and Pamela Marshall for their more recent work in making the stories suitable for reprinting here. And last but not least, special thanks to Steven Vascik of SCV Publications for first gathering and publishing this collection.

We are grateful to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the Los Angeles Times for permission to reprint the following previously published stories.

SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL

WILDER CHARGED WITH SLAYING HOUSEWIFE Copyright © 1984. Reprinted with permission of South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

WILDER LED DOUBLE LIFE IN SOUTH FLORIDA Copyright © 1984. Reprinted with permission of South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

WILDER VICTIMS STILL MISSING 1 YEAR LATER Copyright © 1985. Reprinted with permission of South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

IDENTITY OF MURDER VICTIM STILL SHROUDED IN

MYSTERY Copyright © 1986. Reprinted with permission of South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

THE MOB SQUAD Copyright © 1987. Reprinted with permission of South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

BILLY THE BURGLAR Copyright © 1987. Reprinted with permission of South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

THE MAIL-ORDER MURDERS Copyright © 1987. Reprinted with permission of South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

LAUDERDALE HOMICIDE Copyright © 1987. Reprinted with permission of South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

LOS ANGELES TIMES

PORTRAIT OF A MURDER SUSPECT

Copyright © 1987, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

TARZANA MAN HELD IN MURDER OF HIS MISSING FATHER

Copyright © 1987, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

LAPD FOREIGN PROSECUTION UNIT

Copyright © 1987, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

SAKAI FOUGHT KILLERS

Copyright © 1988, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

MURDER CASE

Copyright © 1988, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

ROOKIE OFFICER DIES IN STRUGGLE FOR GUN

Copyright © 1988, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

DEATH FOR DEATH

Copyright © 1988, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

1,000 ATTEND RITES FOR SLAIN ROOKIE OFFICER

Copyright © 1988, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

4 MEN ARRESTED IN LAKE VIEW TERRACE QUADRUPLE KILLING

Copyright © 1988, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

DRUG RING KINGPIN CALLS THE SHOTS FROM PRISON, POLICE SAY

Copyright © 1988, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

AMBUSH SHOOTING

Copyright © 1989, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

WHO SHOT VIC WEISS?

Copyright © 1989, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

‘COTTON CLUB’ CASE LED TO ARREST IN ’84 SLAYING OF PROSTITUTE

Copyright © 1989, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

SUSPECT REMAINS AT LARGE ALMOST 2 YEARS AFTER HIS FATHER’S SLAYING

Copyright © 1989, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

MURDER OF KANAN HEIR REMAINS A MYSTERY

Copyright © 1990, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

POLICE SURVEILLANCE UNIT KILLS 3 ROBBERY SUSPECTS

Copyright © 1990, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

MICHAEL BRYANT’S DOUBLE LIFE

Copyright © 1990, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

NEPHEW IDENTIFIED AS SOLE SUSPECT IN KANAN KILLING

Copyright © 1990, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

DAUGHTER SAYS FATHER, WIFE HE’S ACCUSED OF KILLING HAD ARGUED

Copyright © 1991, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

TRIAL ORDERED FOR MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING WIFE, BURYING HER IN YARD

Copyright © 1991, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

MAN CHARGED IN 1982 DEATH ALLEGES POLICE VENDETTA

Copyright © 1991, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

CHARGES WILL NOT BE FILED IN KANAN CASE

Copyright © 1991, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

SELF-PROMOTING ‘CONTRACT KILLER’ ENTERS PLEA TO KILLING WIFE IN ’85

Copyright © 1991, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

MURDER SUSPECT SEEKS TO CLEAR NAME WITH LAWSUITS

Copyright © 1991, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

WIFE STILL A SUSPECT IN HUSBAND’S DEATH AFTER LOSING SUIT

Copyright © 1991, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

KILLING OF SPOUSE PUTS AN END TO MAN’S DOUBLE LIFE

Copyright © 1991, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

ATTORNEY CALLS SPECIAL LAPD SQUAD ‘ASSASSINS’ AS CIVIL RIGHTS TRIAL OPENS

Copyright © 1992, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

FBI PROBES SLAYING OF ROBBERS BY LAPD

Copyright © 1992, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

CHRISTOPHER REPORT: IT CUTS BOTH WAYS

Copyright © 1992, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

L.A. DETECTIVE TELLS DETAILS OF FATAL SHOOTING

Copyright © 1992, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

GATES WANTS TO BE ‘JUDGE, JURY, EXECUTIONER,’ LAWYER SAYS

Copyright © 1992, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

COUNCIL SUED OVER FATAL POLICE SHOOTING

Copyright © 1992, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

MASSIVE DRUG, MURDER CASE INCHES ITS WAY TOWARD TRIAL

Copyright © 1992, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

VALLEY POLICE PUZZLE OVER MAN’S DEATH DURING RIOTS

Copyright © 1992, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.

ATTORNEYS AWARDED FEE OF $378,000 IN BRUTALITY SUIT

Copyright © 1992, Los Angeles Times. Reprinted with permission.