Probe ongoing in cop’s slaying
By
DAILY NEWS
PUBLISHED: January 29, 2007 at 12:00 a.m. | UPDATED: August 29, 2017 at 2:44 a.m.
BURBANK – It has been 20 years since Charles Robert Anderson was slain while putting his son to bed in the family’s near-perfect home on a quiet, upscale cul-de-sac.
Police believe somebody close to the family was involved in the fatal shooting of the 35-year-old Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy, but won’t discuss details of the case beyond that.
And the circumstances and the unanswered questions behind his killing have caused considerable pain and internal strain within the family.
“After 20 years, we don’t have any information,” said John Anderson, 66, of Granada Hills, Charles’ older brother. “It’s an ongoing frustration for us – we don’t know anything.
“It’s difficult for all the family members. We don’t have any closure whatsoever.”
Charles was a respected law enforcement driving instructor with a natural gift behind the wheel.
“He was a very dedicated, very focused guy,” said retired sheriff’s Lt. George Grein, who was an honorary pallbearer at Anderson’s funeral, attended by hundreds of law enforcement officers.
Anderson also had a knack for real estate, amassing a small fortune through the purchase and sales of apartments, relatives said.
It was nearly midnight on Jan. 24, 1987, when the blue-eyed, sandy-haired Anderson and his wife, Beth, arrived at their two-story home in the 1700 block of Oak Street.
The devoted father entered the house holding 5-year-old Michael while Beth and 11-month-old Ricky remained in the car. He climbed the stairs and tucked Michael into bed.
When Anderson stepped into the hallway, he was ambushed and shot, authorities say. One bullet slammed into Michael’s room.
The killer of Charles Robert Anderson slipped out of the house, and police have been trying to catch him ever since.
Beth Anderson, who has since remarried and divorced, could not be reached for comment.
Although two decades have passed, the Burbank Police Department remains committed to solving the case.
“The fact that he’s a police officer, when I look at Charley, it’s like looking in the mirror,” said Lt. Pat Lynch, who has been with the Burbank Police Department for half of his 52 years. “We’re about the same age, and I realize it could have happened to me just as easily.”
Police said they had a suspect or suspects in Anderson’s slaying and presented their case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office in 1999. Prosecutors said there was insufficient evidence and told detectives to come back with more.
Anderson’s sister, Trish Belisle, 62, wants potential witnesses to come forward, saying Charles was a good man with a great sense of humor who is dearly missed.
[email protected]
(818) 713-3329
HOW TO HELP
Anyone with information on the killing of Charles Robert Anderson is urged to call the Burbank Police Department at (818) 238-3279.
Many years, few answers
JAN. 26, 2002
12 AM
Ryan Carter
BURBANK -- It has been 15 years since an off-duty police officer was
killed in the city, but Burbank Police aren’t giving up on the unsolved
case.
Thursday marked the 15th anniversary of the shooting death of Los
Angeles County sheriff’s deputy and longtime Burbank resident Charles
Anderson. Shortly after midnight on Jan. 24, 1987, the 35-year-old father
was killed as he put his son to bed in their home in the 1700 block of
West Oak Street.
After several police and sheriff’s department investigations, and
thanks to the advent of DNA technology, Burbank Police are still looking
for Anderson’s killer.
“This case has always haunted us,” said Burbank Police Lt. Tim Stehr,
who is overseeing the investigation. “This is the only off-duty officer
who has been shot in Burbank, and it’s never been solved.”
Since the slaying, the case has been reviewed four times. Binders of
paperwork, reports and evidence still sit at the department. The gun used
in the killing has not been found.
“We’re hoping somebody will talk,” Stehr said. “We need that one piece
of evidence that will give us the information that will put the killer
behind bars.”
On the night of the killing, Anderson came home with his wife, Beth,
and two children, police said. As he carried his 5-year-old son to bed,
his wife apparently remained in the car with the couple’s 1-year-old to
collect some items inside. She told police she heard gunshots and ran to
a neighbor’s home for help.
“It’s been difficult for us to clarify what happened because
[Anderson’s wife] has not allowed us to interview her again,” Stehr said.
Police originally thought Anderson walked in on a burglary, but that
theory is changing.
In the late 1990s, a tip prompted a yearlong investigation by two
detectives. No one was arrested at that time in connection with the
killing.
“There were indications that the murder was by someone close to the
victim,” Stehr said, though he declined to elaborate.
Former neighbors find the shift in thinking surprising.
“I find that hard to believe because of the way they were as a
family,” former neighbor Linda Palmowska said, adding the friendly couple
had frequent visitors.
Asked if she was frustrated with the case, Beth Anderson paused.
“I’m frustrated that my husband is not here with me to raise his
children,” she said.
Meanwhile, Anderson’s older sister and Burbank resident, Trish
Belisle, remains hopeful.
“I would really like to have it solved,” she said. “We’ve been so
close we can taste it. But still, until somebody comes forward and gives
more information, it’s going to stay like it is.”
Anyone with information about the slaying is asked to call Burbank
Police detectives at 238-3210.