CA CA - Bernadine Lewis, 30, left bar with man, beaten, raped, murdered, Long Beach, 30 Jan 1975

[Danie]

I’m her daughter..Danie started this thread for me. How do I post news articles I have?

Click on report on your post ask to be verified

 

[v0x]

I’m her daughter..Danie started this thread for me. How do I post news articles I have?

Hi Brokenheartedforever.

Welcome to Websleuths. Please consider becoming a verified insider. If you have links from mainstream news sources, you can include the link in a post here. Just cut and pate the link in your post.

 

[Danie]

I’m her daughter..Danie started this thread for me. How do I post news articles I have?

Click on report on your post ask to be verified

 

[katydid23]

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That is heartbreaking. I am so sorry.

Did the police investigate the circumstances? I imagine they investigated your father at some point? Was he officially cleared?

 

[v0x]

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If you could share which newspaper this was published in and when, it would be helpful. Thanks.

 

[Brokenheartedforever]

I lived in Venice beach from 1980 through 1999....this case really interests me.

But I suppose she was most likely abducted from Anaheim area...unless she was visiting Venice area when she was attacked?

She had been at Saltys bar in Long Beach on Thursday Jan 30 and was discovered in that trash dumpster in Venice Beach on Sunday Feb 2

 

[Brokenheartedforever]

That is heartbreaking. I am so sorry.

Did the police investigate the circumstances? I imagine they investigated your father at some point? Was he officially cleared?

I was told they thought he was getting away with murder but couldn’t prove it. He failed the first polygraph

 

[Sweetsbeach]

From Independent Press-Telegram
23 Mar 1975, Page 1 - Independent Press-Telegram at Newspapers.com

Bernadine Lewis, 30, of Anaheim was last seen alive at 4 p.m., Jan. 30., when she left Sally's Bar, 2299 E. Anaheim St. in Long Beach, with a dark-haired, neatly dressed man about 35. Her nude, battered body was found in a trash can in Venice three days later. Three weeks after that, her.car was found in Long Beach. Long Beach and Los Angeles investigators are seeking the man who left the bar with the victim. He is described as white, about 5 feet. 10 inches, 180 pounds, with dark, curly hair. He speaks French as a second language and is believed to be from Canada. He was wearing white trousers and a red blazer. Secret Witness will pay $2,000 'for information leading to the arrest and murder conviction of Mrs. Lewis's slayer. If you have such information, call Secret Witness at 436-2526 between 8 a . m . and midnight weekdays, or from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Or write: Secret Witness, P.O. Box 67, Long Beach, Calif. 90801. (Selected summaries of other Secret Witness cases in which rewards of specified amounts arc offered will be found on Page B-6.)

 

[katydid23]

Wow, they had a lot of information it seems. A good sketch and strong description of the man she left the bar with.

Very disappointing that they couldn't find him, with all that detailed info.

 

[katydid23]

From Independent Press-Telegram
23 Mar 1975, Page 1 - Independent Press-Telegram at Newspapers.com

Bernadine Lewis, 30, of Anaheim was last seen alive at 4 p.m., Jan. 30., when she left Sally's Bar, 2299 E. Anaheim St. in Long Beach, with a dark-haired, neatly dressed man about 35. Her nude, battered body was found in a trash can in Venice three days later. Three weeks after that, her.car was found in Long Beach. Long Beach and Los Angeles investigators are seeking the man who left the bar with the victim. He is described as white, about 5 feet. 10 inches, 180 pounds, with dark, curly hair. He speaks French as a second language and is believed to be from Canada. He was wearing white trousers and a red blazer. Secret Witness will pay $2,000 'for information leading to the arrest and murder conviction of Mrs. Lewis's slayer. If you have such information, call Secret Witness at 436-2526 between 8 a . m . and midnight weekdays, or from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Or write: Secret Witness, P.O. Box 67, Long Beach, Calif. 90801. (Selected summaries of other Secret Witness cases in which rewards of specified amounts arc offered will be found on Page B-6.)

2000 dollars was quite a big reward back in 1975. I wish someone had the right tip to call in.

They must have had a witness from Sally's Bar, since that was such a detailed description. How did he get away with this?

 

[katydid23]

I was told they thought he was getting away with murder but couldn’t prove it. He failed the first polygraph

But they also had that sketch of a different suspect. So its seems like a complex situation.

 

[StarrChance]

Bernadine Lewis was murdered & found in a garbage bin in Venice Beach, California Feb 2, 1975 by a worker at a Palm gas station on Venice Blvd. She was badly beaten, raped & killed. Looking for help to solve her case.

Hi Danie, so sorry your mother Bernardines case wasn’t solved at the time, it’s hard to believe someone so evil would do this only once. Unfortunately I suppose DNA wasn’t collected or kept from that time.
I have found a number of articles I can post.

 

[Brokenheartedforever]

I was 13 at the time..I was kept from accurate details. Once I was an adult I was scared to probe and also figured it wouldn’t bring her back. In the last 2 months I’ve had friends and family send me things after they learned I didn’t know. I got those news articles sent to me 3 days ago. My mom was supposed to attend a youth group meeting with me on Thursday night..the night she disappeared. She called me to tell me she couldn’t come home but would be home in the morning. She never came home. Her body was found on Sunday. I literally learned from news articles that my stepdad told police he saw her last Saturday morning! Coroner put her death at late Saturday night or early Sunday morning.

 

[Sweetsbeach]

2000 dollars was quite a big reward back in 1975. I wish someone had the right tip to call in.

They must have had a witness from Sally's Bar, since that was such a detailed description. How did he get away with this?

Right? It's such a long time to go without answers. Have you tried to file a FOIA request @Brokenheartedforever?

 

[Brokenheartedforever]

I w

But they also had that sketch of a different suspect. So its seems like a complex situation.

as referring to my step dad..not the composite suspect. As far as I know, he was never located or identified

 

[Danie]

Hi Danie, so sorry your mother Bernardines case wasn’t solved at the time, it’s hard to believe someone so evil would do this only once. Unfortunately I suppose DNA wasn’t collected or kept from that time.
I have found a number of articles I can post.

Heartbrokenforever is her daughter. She can give much info, thank you!

 

[katydid23]

I w

as referring to my step dad..not the composite suspect. As far as I know, he was never located or identified

If I am understanding you correctly, you do have some suspicions about your stepdad still?

 

[Brokenheartedforever]

Right? It's such a long time to go without answers. Have you tried to file a FOIA request @Brokenheartedforever?

I was told because it was never solved, it’s still technically open so getting information would be difficult and FOIA wouldn’t apply. I’m hoping I can find a current detective w LAPD Homocide or Cold Case Unit who will look into files for me and help me figure out what I don’t know

 

[Brokenheartedforever]

If I am understanding you correctly, you do have some suspicions about your stepdad still?

After reading in the newspaper articles he told police he saw her Saturday morning (she was missing since Thursday night)..that makes no sense to me

 

[katydid23]

After reading in the newspaper articles he told police he saw her Saturday morning (she was missing since Thursday night)..that makes no sense to me

yah, that doesn't make sense.

Do you know when she was 1st reported missing? Did your stepdad call the police when she never returned home on Thursday night?:

 

[Brokenheartedforever]

yah, that doesn't make sense.

Do you know when she was 1st reported missing? Did your stepdad call the police when she never returned home on Thursday night?:

I don’t know for sure when..I don’t think it was before Friday