Some small updates.
June 5, 1919 Per
findagrave, Muldavin's 3rd/4th wife, Evelyn, was born Eveline Marie Emerson in Paris. Her father, Theodore Emerson, was married to someone else (
Maud--who was involved in a famous court case in 1920, unsuccessfully contesting her wealthy adopted father's will, which left her $10, and her young stepmother/former housekeeper an estate of ~$100k--Maud admitted to being "rather wild" earlier in her life) at the time of Evelyn's birth, while her mother was Louise Strainchamps. The article confusingly says that Theodore married Marie Strainchamps as his third wife in 1921, then divorced in 1922--unclear to me if Louise and Marie are the same person.
October 26 or 27, 1923 Santa Fe, NM, birth, according to Muldavin's obituary in 2002. Per his brother Michael, Muldavin was born in Brooklyn. He was adopted by the Muldavins.
1925-1930s A number of passenger lists show that when Guy was young, he travelled with his family to Havana, Cuba, Hamburg, Germany, Genoa, Italy, and Le Havre, France from 1925 through the early 1930s. (
Guy Muldavin)
1920s-1930s Per Daily News, Muldavin stated at his later trial that he resented being "a Jew and a foster child" and "squeaked through high school," before enrolling for a few months at Alfred University (in Alfred, NY). He was ineligible for military service due to a ruptured ear drum and a "bad leg." When he allegedly enrolled at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, he took on a new persona, based on the success of his "foster brother," Michael Muldavin, an intelligence officer and Harvard Law grad--in this new persona, he claimed to have been a 2nd lieutenant in WWII, with degrees from the University of California and the University of British Columbia, and part-ownership of a hotel in Havana.
September 8, 1936 Ruth Marie Terry is born in Tennessee. (
FBI)
Late 1930s Per Muldavin's brother Michael, around this time period, Muldavin changed his name from Rockwell Guy Muldavin to Raoul Guy Rockwell.
April 12, 1941 Muldavin's second wife, Manzanita,
marries her first husband, William Mearns.
1940s Per his first wife Joellen's obituary, they met while he was a professor at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
May 9, 1946 Allegheny, PA, marriage to Joellen (Jo Ellen) Loop
~1946-1947 Per an article in the Honululu Advertiser in January 1962, approximately 15 years prior, Muldavin opened a "nocturnal antique shop," which was open from 6pm to midnight. This doesn't totally work for me in light of other info, I think more likely this would have been in the early 1950s.
Late 1947/Early 1948-1950 Per an article from 1960 in the Bellingham Herald, Muldavin lived in Fortuna in Humboldt County in northern CA with his in-laws, the Loops. Per his first wife Joellen's obituary, they lived in a "tree stump along a river," and Muldavin (named as Guy Raoul Rockwell) "sang at KIEM radio station Monday to Friday at five pm."
June 18, 1950 The body of Henry Baird, 22, was found near Fortuna, CA. He had been shot in the back of the head with a .32 caliber gun (one of which was missing from Baird's car) and was naked except for his socks/shoes, with his clothes folded nearby. He had last been seen with Barbara Kelley, 17, who was a waitress in Fortuna. Her clothes were folded under his, but
she was never found. Barbara worked at one of the two restaurants in Fortuna; Muldavin was a short-order cook at the other, which was owned by his then-FIL. When he was arrested in 1960 on the larceny charge,
the Humboldt County Sheriff wanted to speak with Muldavin regarding the Baird murder/Kelley disappearance. It doesn't seem super consistent with his known MOs, though. Gail Patrick Irish
confessed to their murders in 1963 but appeared to have mental health issues. Authorities said they would consider Irish's confession a hoax unless he was able to lead them to Barbara. He did lead them on at least one unsuccessful search, but I can't find that he was ever able take them to her body or be convicted. There was
speculation at the time of the original murder that it was a murder-suicide, with Barbara's body being pulled out to sea, where she theoretically drowned herself after shooting Baird, as well as if she had fled.
Early 1950s? Per his first wife Joellen's obituary, "they moved to the northwest, and he worked at the Seattle Bon Marche furniture department."
October 18, 1955 An article in the Corvallis, OR Gazette-Times about the fifth annual antique show and sale in Corvallis lists Muldavin ("Raoul Rockwell" from Seattle) as an exhibitor.
1956 Muldavin's brother Michael stated in an AP article in 1960 that he had last seen Muldavin four years prior.
Early 1956 Per the Honolulu Advertiser in Jan 1962, William and Mazanita Ryan Mearns come into Muldavin's antique shop, and Muldavin and "Manzie" hit it off immediately.
Mid 1956 Per the Honolulu Advertiser in 1962, Muldavin told Joellen to "clear out of the shop, he was through with her," "without warning and in the presence of customers."
July 16, 1956 Joellen obtains a divorce and custody of their nine year old daughter.
September 23, 1956 An ad for an antique show at the Coliseum in the Spokane Spokesman Review features Muldavin ("Raoul Rockwell") as an exhibitor.
Late 1956 Per the Honolulu Advertiser in 1962, Manzanita and her oldest daughter Dolores move into Muldavin's Seattle home, allegedly married after both obtaining divorces--this is inconsistent with records showing Mearns and Muldavin married in 1958.
September 30, 1958 Kootenai, ID, marriage to Manzanita Mearns--why there? There is both a Kootenai town and a Kootenai County, both in northwest Idaho--Couer d'Alene is in Kootenai County. The population of Kootenai in 1960 was 180. I know my grandparents crossed state lines to marry in the 1940s because there wasn't a waiting period in the adjacent state.
Early 1959 Per the Honolulu Advertiser in 1962, Evelyn Emerson and her stepmother and her husband Clifford and Germaine Emerson Winkler go to Muldavin's antique shop, where Evelyn and Muldavin again immediately form a connection. Manzanita reportedly was so distraught she sought medical attention and allegedly told the physician that "she would fight to the last ditch to keep her husband."
Early 1960 Muldavin alleges that he paid $500 to Terry Devlin, a Vancouver man, to act as middleman ("picker") to obtain a collection of American Indian artifacts that Devlin had told Muldavin about.
March 1960 The Honolulu Advertiser in 1962 states that this was the first month that Manzanita and Dolores missed their visit to Vancouver to see the other two children, Anita (13) and Mavis (7). Her ex-husband contacted Manzanita's sister, Rita, who stated she hadn't seen her for months, but this was due to a rift regarding Rita's disapproval of Muldavin. There's an unsubstantiated tip that Muldavin made a trip to central Washington around this time ("spring").
April 1, 1960 The Honolulu Advertiser (1962) states that Manzanita again missed the visit to Vancouver. One of the Vancouver daughters (Anita) called Muldavin to ask where Manzanita was, and Muldavin told her that Manzanita was ill.
April 15, 1960 Per the Honolulu Advertiser, Muldavin files for divorce from Manzanita. He is testy with police investigating her disappearance and tells them she was discussing divorce when she left, but he would charge desertion and divorce her. Allegedly he did this with an eye to marrying Evelyn, but when she proved reluctant, a (forged) letter was sent to her stepmother, Mrs. Winkler, from "Maj John Riley," telling them of Muldavin's "conspicuous gallantry as an intelligence officer from 1939-1945." At trial, this letter was revealed to have been written by Ron Gregory, husband of Irene Gregory, who comes up later. Evelyn had briefly been married to a Frenchman that she divorced in Mexico after the war and resumed her maiden name. Her father passed away, and her stepmother remarried well, and Evelyn then spent most of her time with the wealthy Winklers.
May 1960 Per the AP, Muldavin allegedly started telling friends that he would be going to Africa and Portugal on a Fulbright scholarship. Per the Honolulu Advertiser, this is when William Mearns reported his wife missing to Seattle police--apparently he had done so at one point in the past, prior to their divorce, and it turned out she was with Muldavin in Seattle (this may explain the discrepancies regarding the date of Muldavin and Manzanita's marriage).
June 1960 Per the Honolulu Advertiser, Muldavin told Evelyn that he had the opportunity to purchase the aforementioned American Indian artifacts, and, if he had the money to do so, they could be resold at a profit, with the proceeds split. Evelyn suggested that he borrow the money from her stepmother, who agreed and gave him a $10,000 check.
July 21, 1960 Per Daily News, Muldavin's divorce from Mearns on the grounds of desertion is finalized.
July 29, 1960 Kings Count, WA, first marriage to Evelyn Emerson, using the Raoul Guy Rockwell name.
August 2, 1960 Allegedly in preparation for his trip to Africa and Portugal, Muldavin auctions off the contents of his antique shop for $3,000 (Honolulu Advertiser, 1-7-62). He telephones Evelyn that evening to say that he was on his way to British Columbia to get the artifacts
August 3-5, 1960 At his trial, Muldavin stated that he intended to go to British Columbia, but alleged that Devlin appeared, asking for $1500. Muldavin claimed that he told Devlin that he couldn't pay without more information, Devlin told him fine, but then never came back with the info, leaving Muldavin with the loan check from Evelyn's stepmother, Mrs. Geraldine Winkler for $10,000. He claims, "I was expected to make money out of it." He allegedly planned to go to San Francisco to acquire some antiques to sell instead of getting the artifacts. He THEN claimed to have thought of his friend's wife, Irene Gregory (described by some press as "Eurasian"), who, again allegedly, had been making advances towards him and wanted him to take her to Portugal. He very confusingly claimed that he thought if he took her to San Francisco, her husband would "find out what kind of girl she was." For her part, Irene claimed that Muldavin had been trying to get her to go to Portugal and Africa with HIM for months, while she was "unsatisfied" with her husband Ronald and "infatuated with Rocky." (Honolulu Advertiser, 1-7-62). He met her at the Sea-Tac airport with a wedding ring (she was apparently unaware he was already married) and promised her they would go to Reno or Mexico for her to divorce Ronald. They then flew to San Francisco.
On the second day in San Francisco, Irene confessed to Muldavin that she had disobeyed his order not to tell anyone about their trip and told her neighbor. He forgave her, and they spent another night together. (Honolulu Advertiser, 1-7-1962)
Irene woke up the next day with a sore throat, and Muldavin told her that he had arranged for a doctor friend to meet her on the University of California campus. No one met her, and when she went back to the hotel room, Muldavin and the wedding ring were gone.(Honolulu Advertiser, 1-7-1962)
August 6, 1960 Per the New York Daily News, Muldavin flew to
Reno, NV, bought a sports car under the name Michael Strong, and drove to
Provincetown, MA, where he passed himself off as a writer for a Vancouver newspaper/magazine. He then went to New York, where he had surgery on his nose, and then drove to Key West, before flying back to NY for yet another operation on his nose ("straightening").
August 8, 1960 Muldavin's trip to British Columbia for the artifacts was supposed to take about five days, so Evelyn now became concerned that the plane had gone down in Puget Sound. Mrs. Winkler, OTOH, is becoming concerned about that $10k check. When the detectives looking for Delores and Mazanita come around, she supposedly encouraged them to check the house, where the women's full wardrobes were found.
August 11, 1960 Mrs. Winkler and Evelyn reported Muldavin missing, per an AP article from October 19, 1961.
August 30, 1960 Per an AP article, remains were found in a septic tank in the half-finished basement, covered with new cement. The "creaky old house" was both Muldavin's home and antique shop, two stories, on the Seattle Lake Union waterfront.
Early September 1960 Two legs are found about 200 miles east of Seattle, in the Columbia River in central Washington. (Honolulu Advertiser, 1-7-1962). They have a distinctive upturned toe that Manzanita's sister says could be Manzie's. However, these remains, along with those from the septic tank, are later stated to be from a female aged 16-20.
December 1, 1960 Per Daily News, Muldavin is arrested in his "curio-cluttered Greenwich Village apartment" by the FBI. He's described as 6'2", 250 lbs, with his brown hair dyed red. He was using the name Michael Strong.
December 7, 1960 Per the Spokane Chronicle, Muldavin is returned to Seattle for questioning regarding the disappearance of his wife Manzanita, and stepdaughter, Dolores Mearns.
October 1961 Trial on charge of grand larceny. His mother, Sylvia da Silva Muldavin ("of New York"), brother, Michael Muldavin ("prominent economist from San Diego"), and wife, referred to as Evelyn Emerson Rockwell, were all present.
October 26, 1961 Muldavin is convicted on the charge of grand larceny, on his 38th birthday.
November 21, 1961 Per the AP, a judge declined to dismiss perjury charges against Muldavin for claims Muldavin made regarding Vancouver antique dealer Daniel Terrance Devlin during the previous month's larceny trial.
March 22, 1962 Muldavin is released on a suspended sentence for the grand larceny charge. The judge stated that there was a "difficult aspect" in sentencing Muldavin "because he is suspected of having committed 'a much more serious crime.'" (AP, 3-24-62) His brother Michael stated that Muldavin's family in San Diego was prepared to rehabilitate him, and his wife Evelyn would also welcome him there (AP 3-23-1962).
August 10, 1963 Los Angeles, CA, second marriage to Evelyn Emerson, using the Guy R. Muldavin name.
December 18, 1970 An article in The Mercury from the Newsweek Feature Service about Christmas sales trends has a comment from Muldavin, listing him as the executive VP at David Orgell, Inc. in LA.
December 27-28, 1971 An article in The Mercury (among other papers) about Christmas sales trends has a comment from Muldavin, listing him as the executive VP at David Orgell's in CA.
April 30, 1973 An ad in the Los Angeles Times seeks salespersons for David Orgell, with Muldavin interviewing.
February 16, 1974 Reno, NV, marriage to Ruth Terry.
July 26, 1974 Ruth Terry's unidentified body is found "in the dunes about a mile east of the Race Point Ranger Station in
Provincetown, Massachusetts. The cause of death was a blow to the head and is estimated to have occurred several weeks prior. Her hands were missing, presumably removed by the killer so she could not be identified through fingerprints and her head was nearly severed from her body. The left side of her skull had been crushed. No weapon was found at the crime scene. Her nude body was discovered lying on a beach blanket with her head resting on folded jeans." (
FBI)
October 18, 1975 Los Angeles, CA, marriage to PS/PR
November 18, 1975 Notice in the Las Vegas Optic of Muldavin as plaintiff vs his brother Michael (aka Samyon) in the fourth judicial district court for the county of San Miguel in NM, regarding real estate in that county.
~1976 Per article from 1985 in The Californian, 9 years prior, Muldavin quit his job as executive vice president at David Orgell's, a china, crystal, and silver store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.
February 1, 1977 Muldavin, described as a "satirical author," is featured on a KCRW-FM radio show, per the Los Angeles Times.
~1980 Per 2002 obituary, had lived in Salinas for 22 years at the time of his death
October 30, 1981 An article in the North Bay Nugget states that Muldavin's wife P, of Marina Del Rey, CA, attended a 50th anniversary party for her parents, G and ES.
February 24, 1983 Notice in The Californian that Muldavin was appointed to the Chualar County Water District Board of Directors.
July 5, 1985 Per article in The Californian, was working as a DJ at KAZU
October 17, 1986 Notice in the Los Angeles Times that PMuldavin's paintings ("When Beauty Is Enough") are being exhibited at Woman's Building.
Spring 1988 Multiple notices in the Los Angeles Times that his wife P has (a) painting(s) on exhibition at Mount St. Mary's College, a women's university in LA.
May 12, 1988 Obituary for his MIL in the North Bay Nugget states that Muldavin is living in LA with his wife, P.
March 18, 1994 Very interestingly, an obituary for P's father lists his surviving children, with their spouses, and, in one case, even a "friend" in parentheses after their names. P is listed as Phyllis S-Muldavin, but no spouse is listed with her. Then, the next day, Guy is added in.
June 19, 1994 Ad for exhibition "The World of Cups" at the Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena lists his wife, P, as a featured artist.
March 14, 2002 Salinas, CA, death. Obituary references a long illness and hospice. P is still listed as his wife.
November 17, 2021 Muldavin's widow P dies in Thousand Oaks, CA. (
2021 Fall Los Angeles Collegian 6 , p. 9)
Further biographical info: Obituary references one sister, (JT of Salinas), who was living at the time of his death in 2002. Per
The Independent, this was actually a woman with whom he had had a romantic relationship that later turned platonic. However, there's only about a year between the death of Ruth Terry and his marriage to P--hopefully, it occurred sometime then?
