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Back Brass Verdict Save as PDF
Chapters (64)
  1. PART ONE
  2. One
  3. Two
  4. Three
  5. PART TWO
  6. Four
  7. Five
  8. Six
  9. Seven
  10. Eight
  11. Nine
  12. Ten
  13. Eleven
  14. Twelve
  15. Thirteen
  16. Fourteen
  17. Fifteen
  18. Sixteen
  19. Seventeen
  20. Eighteen
  21. Nineteen
  22. Twenty
  23. Twenty-one
  24. Twenty-two
  25. Twenty-three
  26. Twenty-four
  27. Twenty-five
  28. Twenty-six
  29. Twenty-seven
  30. Twenty-eight
  31. Twenty-nine
  32. Thirty
  33. Thirty-one
  34. Thirty-two
  35. Thirty-three
  36. PART THREE
  37. Thirty-four
  38. Thirty-five
  39. PART FOUR
  40. Thirty-six
  41. Thirty-seven
  42. Thirty-eight
  43. Thirty-nine
  44. Forty
  45. Forty-one
  46. Forty-two
  47. Forty-three
  48. Forty-four
  49. Forty-five
  50. Forty-six
  51. PART FIVE
  52. Forty-seven
  53. Forty-eight
  54. Forty-nine
  55. Fifty
  56. Fifty-one
  57. Fifty-two
  58. Fifty-three
  59. PART SIX
  60. Fifty-four
  61. Fifty-five
  62. Acknowledgments
  63. About the Author
  64. ALSO BY MICHAEL CONNELLY

I found what I was looking for an hour into my second run at the files. It had been there in front of me the whole time. First in Elliot’s arrest report and then on the time-and-action chart I had drawn myself. I called the chart the Christmas tree. It always started basic and unadorned. Just the bare-bones facts of the case. Then, as I continued to study and make the case my own, I started hanging lights and ornaments on it. Details and witness statements, evidence and lab results. Soon the tree was lit up and bright. Everything about the case was there for me to see in the context of time and action.

I had paid particular attention to Walter Elliot as I had drawn the Christmas tree. He was the tree trunk and all branches came from him. I had his movements, statements and actions noted by time.

  • 12:40 p.m. — WE arrives at beach house
  • 12:50 p.m. — WE discovers bodies
  • 1:05 p.m. — WE calls 911
  • 1:24 p.m. — WE calls 911 again
  • 1:28 p.m. — Deputies arrive on scene
  • 1:30 p.m. — WE secured
  • 2:15 p.m. — Homicide arrives
  • 2:40 p.m. — WE taken to Malibu station
  • 4:55 p.m. — WE interviewed, advised
  • 5:40 p.m. — WE transported to Whittier
  • 7:00 p.m. — GSR testing
  • 8:00 p.m. — Second interview attempt, declined, arrested
  • 8:40 p.m. — WE transported to Men’s Central

Some of the times I estimated but most came directly from the arrest report and other documents in the file. Law enforcement in this country is as much about the paperwork as anything else. I could always count on the prosecution file for reconstructing a time line.

On the second go-round I used both the pencil point and eraser and started adding decorations to the tree.

  • 12:40 p.m. — WE arrives at beach house front door unlocked
  • 12:50 p.m. — WE discovers bodies balcony door open
  • 1:05 p.m. — WE calls 911 waits outside
  • 1:24 p.m. — WE calls 911 again what’s the holdup?
  • 1:28 p.m. — Deputies arrive on scene Murray (-4-alpha-1) and Harber (-4-alpha-2)
  • 1:30 p.m. — WE secured placed in patrol car Murray/Harber search house
  • 2:15 p.m. — Homicide arrives first team: Kinder (#14492) and Ericsson (#21101) second team: Joshua (#22234) and Toles (#15154)
  • 2:30 p.m. — WE taken inside house, describes discovery
  • 2:40 p.m. — WE taken to Malibu station Joshua and Toles transport
  • 4:55 p.m. — WE interviewed, advised Kinder takes lead in interview
  • 5:40 p.m. — WE transported to Whittier Joshua/Toles
  • 7:00 p.m. — GSR testing F.T. Anita Sherman Lab Transport, Sherman
  • 8:00 p.m. — Second interview, Ericsson in lead, WE declines got smart
  • 8:40 p.m. — WE transported to Men’s Central Joshua/Toles