The Big Hate

Originally Aired: July 10, 1952

Dragnet #161, "The Big Hate," presents Sergeant Joe Friday and Frank Smith with a haunting mystery. A 25-year-old man named Gordon John Miller is discovered hiding in a freight car at a deserted train yard, clutching the body of a dead woman. Despite the grim circumstances, Gordon refuses to speak or cooperate with investigators, even as Friday patiently walks him through everything the police already know. The victim's identity remains unknown at first, with no visible marks to indicate cause of death, though evidence suggests she was a heavy drinker.

As Friday works to break through Gordon's wall of silence, the investigation slowly yields clues. Among Gordon's possessions are a woman's handkerchief, an address book, and a ring engraved with the name Elizabeth. When fingerprint analysis finally identifies the victim as Elizabeth Hoffman, a 52-year-old music teacher, Friday presses harder for answers. Gordon's continued refusal to explain his connection to the dead woman or why he was found cradling her body in that boxcar only deepens the mystery surrounding this tragic case.