All Things Morbid

Okay! So this is the 3rd to last post about the Black Dahlia and its suspects. Who else is counting down? ‘Cause I definitely am. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I do love writing about this stuff, but the Black Dahlia…There is a lot to write about.

Anyway, aside from my emotional distress about everything I have to write about which actually isn’t that much and it’s just me procrastinating, lets talk about Robert ‘Red’ Manley.

So, a married red-headed pipe clamp salesmen called Tobert- I mean Robert. Robert. Definitely not Robert with a T so its Tobert in the 3rd season of Only Murders In the Building…

Anyway, Robert Manley was believed by the Police to have been the last person to see her alive, which, as we know, is suspicious in itself. Manley told the Police that he first met Short in late 1946- he struck up a conversation with her on a street corner.

Manley “asked if she wanted to ride, she turned her head and wouldn’t look at me.”

“Finally she turned around and asked me if I didn’t think it was wrong to ask a girl on a corner to get into my car.”

And then they became best friends.

Sort of.

When Short needed a place to stay after the holidays she would send Manley a message to come pick her up. Like her own personal Uber.

So now we get to the part where I explain why the police labeled him as the last person to see Short alive.

….

….

Riight, I actually have to explain for you guys to know. Ugh, Work. Carrying on with the case, Short had Manley drive her to L.A- to the Biltmore Hotel to meet a sister that did not exist. When the so-called ‘sister’ hadn’t showed up by 6:30, Manley left Short at the hotel, and drove home to his family.

So, was Robert ‘Red’ Manley a murderer, you think?

…Or was he just a really oblivious man who didn’t know how to strike up a ‘normal’ conversation with a girl on a street corner?

I think the latter.

And, as the wonderful Pip puts it [The book character, not..well, me. But I am wonderful too. Definitely.] in A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder: “There’s a million discrepancies about that night.” Though I think that line’s from the TV show, and not the book. Which you should watch by the way. Emma Myers stars as Pip Fitz-Amobi and she is really good. She also played Enid in Wednesday- Who else is excited for the 3rd season coming out?

Excuse me being a fan-girl for a whole paragraph. The trials of writing a blog post and trying to stay on topic.

Woe is me.

Now imagine a graceful close of my eyes and a deeply sad and profound delivery of those words.

Not a teenager using her ‘optimistic cynicism’ as some people put it – You know who you are – to mock the word and be entirely worthy of the crown of the drama queen- which I totally deserve.

I’ve been ranting. I’m sorry. Bad Pip, bad Pip. I, um, switched on to ‘Dobby’ mode there for a second. Totally happens to people- a common occurrence.

BACK TO THE TOPIC THIS POST IS ABOUT…..

Though the police did consider Manley as a suspect, he passed a polygraph test with flying colors. No suspicious behavior. Unlike some people I can name…Cough Cough, George Hodel, Cough Cough.

Manley suffered the rest of his life with his mental health, and although the police deemed him innocent, he died with a stain of suspicion still directed at him.

So ‘which of the Pickwick triplets did it? Who of the crew could commit this crime?’

Another season 3 Only Murders In the Building Reference- I am full of them today.

Until my next post, dear readers, and a reminder: Don’t get into red headed pipe clamp salesman’s cars just because they asked if you needed a ride. Or just any anyone with hair, no matter what color it is. And people with no hair. They can also be murderers who want to kill you.

Adios!