On
the morning of Monday, December 16, 1935, Thelma Todd was found dead in
her car inside the garage of Jewel Carmen, a former actress and former
wife of Todd's lover and business partner, Roland West.
Carmen's house
was approximately a block from the topmost side of Todd's restaurant.
Her death was determined to have been caused by carbon monoxide
poisoning. Todd had a wide circle of friends and associates as well as a
busy social life; police investigations revealed that she had spent the
last night of her life at the Trocadero, a popular Hollywood
restaurant, at a party hosted by entertainer Stanley Lupino and his
actress daughter, Ida. At the restaurant, she had had a brief but
unpleasant exchange with her ex-husband, Pat DiCicco. However, her
friends stated that she was in good spirits, and were aware of nothing
unusual in her life that could suggest a reason for committing suicide.
The detectives of the LAPD concluded that Todd's
death was accidental, the result of her either warming up the car to
drive it or using the heater to keep herself warm. However other
evidence, such as a bloodied lip, seemed to point to foul play.
A
Coroner's Inquest into Todd's death was held on December 18, 1935.
Autopsy surgeon A.P. Wagner testified that there were "no marks of
violence anywhere upon or within the body" with only a "superficial
contusion on the lower lip". The jury ruled that the death appeared to
be accidental but recommended "further investigation to be made into the
case, by proper authorities."
Subsequently a grand jury probe was
held to determine whether Todd's death was a murder. After 4 weeks of
testimony the inquiry was closed with no evidence of murder being
brought forward. The case was closed by the Homicide Bureau listing the
death as "accidental with possible suicide tendencies." However
investigators were unable to find any motive for suicide or a suicide
note.
Todd's body was cremated. After her mother's death in 1969,
Todd's remains were placed in her mother's casket and buried in Bellevue
Cemetery in her hometown of Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Source: Wikipedia.com
On
the morning of Monday, December 16, 1935, Thelma Todd was found dead in
her car inside the garage of Jewel Carmen, a former actress and former
wife of Todd's lover and business partner, Roland West.
Carmen's house
was approximately a block from the topmost side of Todd's restaurant.
Her death was determined to have been caused by carbon monoxide
poisoning. Todd had a wide circle of friends and associates as well as a
busy social life; police investigations revealed that she had spent the
last night of her life at the Trocadero, a popular Hollywood
restaurant, at a party hosted by entertainer Stanley Lupino and his
actress daughter, Ida. At the restaurant, she had had a brief but
unpleasant exchange with her ex-husband, Pat DiCicco. However, her
friends stated that she was in good spirits, and were aware of nothing
unusual in her life that could suggest a reason for committing suicide.
The detectives of the LAPD concluded that Todd's death was accidental, the result of her either warming up the car to drive it or using the heater to keep herself warm. However other evidence, such as a bloodied lip, seemed to point to foul play.
A Coroner's Inquest into Todd's death was held on December 18, 1935. Autopsy surgeon A.P. Wagner testified that there were "no marks of violence anywhere upon or within the body" with only a "superficial contusion on the lower lip". The jury ruled that the death appeared to be accidental but recommended "further investigation to be made into the case, by proper authorities."
Subsequently a grand jury probe was held to determine whether Todd's death was a murder. After 4 weeks of testimony the inquiry was closed with no evidence of murder being brought forward. The case was closed by the Homicide Bureau listing the death as "accidental with possible suicide tendencies." However investigators were unable to find any motive for suicide or a suicide note.
Todd's body was cremated. After her mother's death in 1969, Todd's remains were placed in her mother's casket and buried in Bellevue Cemetery in her hometown of Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Source: Wikipedia.com
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