The Roseland Roof Murders: Blood on the Marble Steps
Published on Apr 25, 2025, 4:48:30 AM
Total time: 00:30:37
Published on Apr 25, 2025, 4:48:30 AM
Total time: 00:30:37
Originally Aired: December 29, 1949
The Roseland Roof Murders: Blood on the Marble Steps
In this tense and sprawling case from Dragnet, a series of armed robberies spirals into a shocking murder that leaves the LAPD chasing shadows across the city. A string of drugstore holdups had already put the department on edge—but the gang’s most violent act comes when they ambush and murder a dance hall owner during a routine deposit run.
The victim, Walter Conroy, is gunned down at the bottom of the marble steps leading to a downtown bank’s night depository. The killers leave few clues behind—just a witness with a partial license plate number and a maroon Pontiac sedan. With the clock ticking, Sergeant Joe Friday and Ben Romero begin a grueling investigation that stretches over weeks and involves sifting through 123 vehicle registrations.
When they finally zero in on the suspects—Amo Thurston, Lloyd Newton, and John Lacombe—it becomes clear this is no ordinary robbery crew. All three men are heavily armed, two-time losers, and unafraid to kill. With the help of stakeouts, DMV records, and a garage paint locker, the detectives corner the gang.
A dramatic arrest unfolds in a Temple Street garage just as the suspects attempt to repaint their getaway car. Twelve loaded firearms are recovered from the scene.
But the story doesn’t end there. After being jailed and facing trial, Thurston and Lacombe escape—beating a deputy, stealing an ambulance, and holding up a gas station before they’re recaptured hours later in a hail of gunfire.
Grim, relentless, and methodical, The Roseland Roof Murders showcases the brute endurance and calm precision that defined the early years of Dragnet.
Keywords: “Dragnet Roseland Roof Murders,” “Walter Conroy dance hall murder,” “Amo Thurston LAPD stakeout,” “Temple Street garage arrest,” “drugstore gang robbery series,” “December 1949 Dragnet radio,” “Joe Friday Ben Romero episode.”
Cast: Jack Webb (Joe Friday), Barton Yarborough (Ben Romero), with supporting performances by Harry Bartell, Peggy Webber, Herb Butterfield, and the Dragnet radio company.