The Big Story

Gambling and Divorce Can Mean Murder

Frank McCulloch, Reno Gazette

English · Radio, Dramatic Readings, Mystery & Thriller

A wealthy real estate investor is found shot and strangled in his car near Lake Tahoe. An ex-convict is charged, then released, and the search for the killer turns on police work and a Reno reporter’s investigation. A hotel employee provides a crucial link after hearing a suspicious confession and seeing the victim’s wallet.

This episode of The Big Story dramatizes a crime story drawn from the work of reporter Frank McCulloch of the Reno Gazette. The case follows the investigation from the initial arrest through the identification and capture of the actual killer in Houston, then recounts the trial and its outcome.

The series brings newspaper reporting to radio as a dramatic account of how journalists uncover and pursue important stories. Its crime-focused episodes combine investigative detail with the tension of a case unfolding, offering a vivid portrait of reporting as a search for evidence and accountability.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.