The Big Cup

Originally Aired: March 9, 1954

Dragnet #238, "The Big Cup," Sergeant Joe Friday and Officer Frank Smith investigate the brutal murder of an elderly woman, Ethel Lawrence, who has been beaten to death in her home on Green Oak Drive. A neighbor, Earl Brody, discovers the body after the victim's dog, Nero, howls incessantly throughout the afternoon. When Friday and Smith arrive at the scene, they find the elderly woman has been struck dozens of times, her arms showing defensive wounds from trying to protect herself. The house has been ransacked to make it appear as though robbery was the motive, but the detectives aren't convinced.

As they question the shaken Brody, who attempts to steady his nerves with frequent drinks, they learn that the victim had been divorced and had ongoing disputes with her ex-husband about alimony payments. The neighbor reveals he saw Mrs. Lawrence cheerfully collecting her mail at noon, just hours before the killing. Though Brody knows details about the contentious relationship between the Lawrences, he refuses to elaborate, insisting the detectives should speak directly with the ex-husband. Friday and Smith obtain the address of the garage where Mr. Lawrence works and prepare to track him down.