Tracking the Butcher

by William Joiner

  “Where’s that?”

  “The hospital ward at Los Angeles County Jail. There’s no way for anyone to get in there without proper identification including staff. I’ll make sure she’s isolated from the inmates. I’ll call Captain Greer and tell her about my plan on the way to the hospital.”

  “I’m going too,” Vanessa said.

  “I thought you might say that. I’ll make the call on the way to the car. Kim, I want you to check on Officer Mooney, we’re just going to pick up Michelle and take her directly to the jail hospital. As a matter of fact, tell the hospital to have her ready for transport when we arrive. If they need to use medical transport, have them there when we arrive, and I’ll follow them to the jail.”

  “Okay, Boss, I’ll take care of it.”

  “Connors, I want you to take care of everything here. Decide which calls need to be followed up on and assign someone to do it. Kim will be available for follow ups as soon as she attends to the tasks I’ve given her.”

  “Right, Lieutenant, I’ll do my best to rise to your level of competence in your absence.”

  “I’m sure you will. Let’s get going, Vanessa.”

  Elgie made the call to Captain Greer, and she contacted the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and explained the situation and they agreed to put Michelle in protective custody, thereby separating her from the inmates. She’s being classified as a material witness in the Butcher case. When Vanessa and Elgie arrived at the hospital, Michelle was sitting in the lobby with two police officers and the medical transport personnel. Before speaking Vanessa and Elgie both hugged Michelle.

  “I’m sorry we have to go to such an extreme,” Elgie said, “but I want to make sure you’re safe as long as you need to be hospitalized. Once the doctor releases you, you’ll be staying with us, and you’ll still have around the clock police protection because you are now a material witness in the Butcher case.”

  “I understand,” Michelle said, “you’re just tryin’ to keep me safe, and I really appreciate that. You and Vanessa have been so great, and if this is what you think is best, then I’m okay with it.”

  “Okay, let’s get going. When we get to the jail, I need to fill out some paperwork so you and Vanessa can visit for a while if you’d like. But please keep in mind, Vanessa that I have to go back to the office as soon as I’m done here because Captain Greer wants to see me about something. She wasn’t specific about what.”

  “Okay, Elgie, I’ll go up with Michelle, and you take care of your paperwork. I’ll be ready to leave when you are.”

  “Oh, Michelle, no cell phones are allowed in the jail, but I’ve arranged for you to have yours since you’ll be isolated. If something bothers you, or you just need to talk just give me a call. Also, Vanessa or I will call periodically to see how you’re doing.”

  It only took Elgie half an hour to complete the paperwork to admit Michelle as a material witness. She would only be in the hospital for less than a week. Soon she’d be able to put this whole Butcher business behind her and Elgie was going to be sure that he found the Butcher soon. At least, that’s what he hoped. At present, they only had one viable suspect, Alexander Deorader.

  After checking Michelle into the gray bar hotel Elgie and Vanessa went back to LAPD Headquarters to turn in the unmarked patrol vehicle, and Elgie could speak to Captain Greer.

  As soon as Elgie and Vanessa returned to headquarters, Elgie went straight to see Captain Greer while Vanessa went to the tip line office.

  “Hello, Elgie,” Captain Greer said, “come on in and have a seat.”

  “This sounds serious, what’s going on?”

  “Elgie, the chief of detectives has made a decision—as of today you are no longer the lead investigator on the Butcher case. There’ll be a task force that’ll include two new detectives, a crime analyst, and Doctor Julian Brooks, Chief Criminalist for SID. The task force will be headed by Lieutenant Rodney Gray. They think the case has gotten too big for you, but you and your crew will continue to follow up on leads, and you’re free to continue your investigation, but you have to report to Lieutenant Gray.

  “Doctor Connors will be the forensic psychologist for the task force, and Detective Kim will be one of the detectives. They’ll report to Lieutenant Gray beginning tomorrow morning. I’ve already told them about the change. There is going to be a press conference in the morning at seven announcing the task force, and its first meeting will commence directly after the press conference. You’re expected to be there. Also, you are not to talk to the press unless you get permission from Lieutenant Gray.

  “I’m sorry to dump this on you considering that you received a threat from the Butcher and your witness was attacked. I knew about it earlier, but I didn’t want to throw it on you while you were concerned about your wife’s and your witness’s safety. It’s obviously bad news, but you seem to be taking it well.”

  “I expected it sooner, to be quite frank. I know I only got this case because it was a prostitute murder and with the three new murders; I’m surprised the chief of detectives didn’t want me out after the McMullen murder.”

  “He did, but I was able to convince him that you should continue to lead the investigation, but after the murder of the Haskells, he didn’t want to hear it.”

  “Okay, I’ll be at the press conference in the morning. Right now, I need to go back to the tip line office while it’s still there.”

  “The tip line will continue, and you’re still in charge of that.”

  “Thank you for the consolation prize,” Elgie said.

  “I understand that the news has you a little down, but you’re taking it well. I would have probably been screaming.”

  “No, you wouldn’t.”

  “You’re right, I wouldn’t, but that doesn’t mean you can’t. Feel free to get angry about it.”

  “I’ll keep that to myself, thank you.”

  “Just remember that the task force is there to help catch the Butcher and that should be our only goal, not outshining one another.”

  “I understand, but I don’t think a task force is going to catch the Butcher before he kills again.”

  Chapter Twelve

  The next morning Elgie went to a six o’clock AA meeting downtown so he could be at the press conference on time.

  “Good morning, Lieutenant Reynolds, I’m Lieutenant Gray, and I’m going to be heading up the Butcher Task Force. Captain Greer told me about the threats against you and your wife, but I see you’re no worse for wear. So, before we start I just want to make something clear: I know you’re supposed to report to me, but I don’t believe that’s necessary, so I want you to continue working as you were with the assistance of the task force. We’re not here to take over the investigation but to assist.

  “I and the rest of the task force have looked over your notes, and we see you’ve been doing an excellent job, and I hope we can help improve the investigation or at least add some more needed manpower. We’ll also be adding some technical support, but I’m sure the Captain has already informed you of that development.”

  “Yes, she did, Lieutenant.”

  “Please call me Rodney. May I call you Elgie?”

  “That’s fine.”

  “Very good,” Lieutenant Gray said. “Now, on to the press conference. I want you on my right side during the conference, and I’m sure they’ll have questions about the Butcher’s threats against you, your wife, and Ms. Chambers and why you’re not the lead investigator. I’ll field the questions about your status and you, of course, can field the questions about the threats. I’m assuming the threats were a bluff, he just wanted to get under your skin without doing any real damage?”

  “Yeah, no real damage is the right way to put it,” Elgie replied.

  “After the task force meeting, I want you to continue to monitor the tip line. Of course, if something comes up you can go ahead and handle it, but I want you to make sure to coordinate with me and inform me of any developments, and I’ll
do the same. Will that work for you?”

  “Yes, I’m fine with it.”

  “Good, shall we go to the press conference,” Lieutenant Gray said.

  “Sure, let’s go,” Elgie said.

  At the press conference, things went as expected. Elgie told the press about the threat and the results of those threats. Lieutenant Gray told the reporters that he would be leading the task force and Elgie would continue to lead the tip line. They would coordinate information. The task force meeting was mostly introductions and review of the evidence and explanation of the responsibilities of each task force member. The two new detectives were introduced —Jerome Bywater and Justin McBean. McBean and Bywater had been partners for over two years in Robbery-Homicide and were transferred to the task force at McBean’s request. McBean caught Elgie before he could leave the task force office.

  “Hello again, Lieutenant.”

  “What’s going on, McBean?”

  “I just wanted to thank you for your support on my appointment to the task force, sir.”

  “I didn’t have anything to do with it. I just found out you were on the task force when you walked into the meeting. I’m sure your diligence and consistent following of the case made you a likely candidate. You’re more informed on the case than most of the other task force members. I’m sure you’ll be an asset.”

  “Thank you, sir. I’ll do my part to apprehend the Butcher.”

  “I’m sure you will.”

  After the meeting, Elgie returned to the tip line office. Due to the press conference, they had a flurry of calls. Elgie sent Sergeant Johnson and Sergeant Pool to take the calls that required in-person follow ups. With Kim and Connors no longer assigned to the tip line, Elgie thought he should remain in the office as much as possible to ensure that things ran smoothly. He also wanted to be able to evaluate the calls and decide which were valuable leads and which were extraneous information.

  Tuesday was a beautiful morning, it was seventy-two degrees with a light breeze blowing from the west. Howard Gassal and Jannette Holloway were a young couple out for a hike in Griffith Park in Los Angeles. Following the heavy rains of just a few days ago, the ground was soft but not spongy. The dirt underfoot gave way enough to leave good tracks to follow, which is what the couple was looking for, since they had never been to Griffith Park before and were visitors to Los Angeles from Columbus, Ohio. The couple was surprised to see the trees on each side of Foot Trail were green and lush unlike in Ohio were the leaves were Auburn and had fallen from the trees at this time of year.

  “Let’s continue going northwest to East Trail and head towards Griffith Park Drive,” Howard said.

  “Okay,” Jannette said, “there’s a lot of trees here, what kind are they?”

  “Let me check the guide,” Howard replied. “It doesn’t say anything about the regular trees, but it says a lot about palm trees.”

  “Like what?”

  “It says that palm trees aren’t indigenous to Los Angeles, but they’ve been here from at least the 1930s because they show a postcard from then with palm trees lining the streets just like they line this trail. It also says that they’re not really trees.”

  “Then what are they?”

  “It doesn’t say, but it says the reason they aren’t trees is that they don’t bear fruit or supply wood. They aren’t even good for shade. Get this, they don’t have roots like other trees either. They don’t keep the soil from eroding like real trees.”

  Jannette took a close look at the bottom of one of the palm trees. “Yeah, I can see how the roots didn’t stop the dirt from sliding away. Hey, what’s that?”

  “What?”

  “That thing sticking out of the ground. You said palm trees don’t have roots like other trees, so what’s that?”

  “I don’t know. That’s probably the root from one of the other trees.”

  “I don’t think so, let’s take a closer look.” Jannette walked over to the thing sticking out of the ground. “My goodness, I think it’s a hand!”

  “No, it can’t be a hand. Why would a hand be sticking out of the ground in Griffith Park?”

  “I don’t know. Come over here and take a look for yourself.”

  “Shit!” Howard yelled. “It’s a hand. We better call the police.”

  “Are you sure this is the work of the Butcher, Doctor Montgomery?” Elgie asked.

  “Yes, I’m as sure as I can be unless someone else was doing the exact same thing as the Butcher a year or so ago. I know that it’s the twenty and two pattern because when he buried the victim, he put lime on the body probably to keep the smell down, but it also mummified it and made the cut marks remain clear. It’s the same number of stab wounds in the same places at the same depths. It’s the Butcher’s work alright.”

  “I’d better call Lieutenant Gray and tell him about this development,” Elgie said.

  “I’ve already called him,” Doctor Montgomery said. “He told me to call you to come down and said you would fill him in on the results. Also, Doctor Brooks is coming down to pick up the victim’s clothes for analysis for trace evidence. I think there’s a good chance of evidence because this was an earlier kill and he may have missed evidence that he’s learned how to avoid with practice. That may be why he hid the body.”

  “That makes sense. Was there anything on the body that might help in identifying a suspect?”

  “I was wondering when you would get to that question,” Doctor Montgomery said. “I have a doozie of an answer. See right here on the victim’s shoulder?”

  Elgie took a good look on the outside of the shoulder.

  “Is that a cross?”

  “Yes, it is. The assailant used a metal cross, heated it, and branded the victim’s shoulder.”

  “What is the victim’s name?”

  “Sorry, I should have said it by now. I was just a little excited. Her name is Carla Stevenson. Her I.D. was with her in the makeshift grave. She came up missing from Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood over a year ago, which is consistent with her body’s condition. I used that as my estimate of the time of death within two days, although she was probably killed the same day she came up missing. The West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station is faxing over the missing person’s report.

  “Did they fax it to the task force office?”

  “No, they faxed it to you. They say you’re the only one they know. You and your partners.”

  “The cross isn’t on any of his current victims,” Elgie said, “I can only assume he gave that up since it would help identify him. Perhaps he did that with other victims. I’ll check that in ViCAP and call Hollywood Division to see if they have any bodies with that cross on them. I think that gives us another clue about his identity. He may believe he’s doing God’s work by killing people who destroy families.”

  “You have a point, Lieutenant,” Doctor Montgomery said. “A good point that may point the investigation in the right direction.”

  Elgie went to his office to get the police report from his fax machine, entered the new information into ViCAP and called the LAPD Hollywood Division to find out if they had any bodies with the cross brand on them. They said they didn’t. Elgie figured if there were any other brands they were probably buried as well.

  Elgie returned to the tip line office where he reviewed the missing person’s report for Carla Stevenson. He noted that there was a description of the vehicle she was seen getting into before her disappearance. It was a new white pick-up truck. There were no identifying characteristics reported.

  At the office, Elgie reviewed the files on the suspects looking to see if any of them owned a white truck. None of them did, however, that didn’t mean they didn’t own one at some other time and may have sold it. He decided to do a search through the DMV database and determine if any of the suspects owned a white pick-up truck a year ago. They didn’t, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t have access to one. He reviewed the Bad Trick List to determine if anyone had reported a white truck.
There were two mentions of a white truck. He thought this may be a lead worth noting. The whiteboard behind the front desk had information to ask callers. Elgie added the white truck as information the call takers should ask any person reporting a possible suspect.

  “Sergeant Johnson, is there anything going on that I should know about?”

  “Nothing, Lieutenant, all the calls have been basically false leads. Sergeant Pool and I have gone out on four calls, and none panned out.”

  “Have there been any calls regarding our three suspects?”

  “No, sir.”

  The phone on Elgie’s desk rang.

  “Hello, this is Lieutenant Reynolds.”

  “Lieutenant, this is the front desk, there’s an Alexander Deorader here to see you.”

  “Send him up.”

  Elgie went to the door of the tip line office to see Deorader when he got off the elevator.

  “Over here, Mr. Deorader.”

  “Okay, Lieutenant Reynolds.”

  “What brings you here, Mr. Deorader?”

  “I was watching the news, and I saw a picture of the woman that was killed, and I recognized her.”

  “Where did you see her?”

  “At Jimmie’s in Hollywood,” Deorader said. “I was at Jimmie’s in Hollywood after I got out of jail and I saw that woman at the club. I didn’t leave with her. But I remember seeing her and I saw who she left with.”

  “Would you recognize the man if you saw him again?”

  “Yes, I think so.”

  Elgie reached into his desk and took out the photos of Alan Reader, Paul Rodson, and Norman Bennaderick.

  “Is the man you saw one of these?”

  “Yes, this is the man right here.”

  “Hold on a minute, Mr. Deorader, I need to go to the task force office right quick. Just have a seat next to my desk, and I’ll be right back.”

  Once in the task force office, Elgie grabbed Kim and went into Lieutenant Gray’s office.

  “Lieutenant Gray, I have one of our suspects in the tip line office, and he says he saw the man Mrs. McMullen left Jimmie’s in Hollywood with. It’s Paul Rodson.”