Photo shoot

 

Aug. 3, 1957
Los Angeles

In June 1957, about the time she turned 19, Judy, at right, met Betty at a Hollywood photographer's studio. They were both young and hoping for modeling careers, so Betty, 19, asked Judy to move into the apartment at 1302 N. Sweetzer Ave., which she shared with a third aspiring model, Lynn, 22.

In late July, Judy complained to her roommates that she felt she was being followed, but assumed it had to do with legal action brought by her estranged husband, Robert, over custody of their 1-year-old daughter, Susan.

She filed for divorce June 7 and was awarded custody of the girl, but Robert took Susan back three weeks later. He said Judy "kept the baby's home and person 'in a filthy state' " and neglected the girl "to associate with other men." A custody hearing was scheduled for Aug. 9 and Judy was hoping to find a job to show that she was a good mother.

"Judy was not the Hollywood type at all," Betty said. "She and I were like sisters. She was going to get a job in a dime store to prove she was worthy of her child."

Judith Ann (Vanhorn) Dull never made that custody hearing. On the afternoon of July 29, 1957, a photographer named Johnny Glinn came to the apartment and asked for Lynn. She wasn't home, but Glinn noticed some of Judy's pictures and asked about hiring her instead. Glinn made an appointment to pick up Judy at 2 p.m. on Aug. 1, 1957, offering to pay $40 ($286.61 USD 2006) for two hours of modeling.

Betty thought Glinn was creepy for following Judy around the apartment the day they left on the photo shoot. "I knew there was something odd about the man," she said. "He said he wanted to shoot pinup pictures. Yet he told her to bring a selection of street outfits, which she did."

She became worried when Judy didn't return and called Glinn's phone number, and was even more concerned when it turned out to be a machine shop (he actually lived at 5924 Melrose). The next day, she reported Judy's disappearance to deputies at the West Hollywood sheriff's station.

But by then Judy was dead and buried in a shallow grave 4 1/2 miles west of Indio, 100 feet off Highway 60/70. Glinn eventually took detectives to the site. His real name: Harvey Murray Glatman.

To be continued.

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Comments

[Gabe]

Poor Judy Dull. And those other girls. I saw Keith Morrison's piece recently on the recent case of a young woman from Michigan who was lured to her death by a promise of a James Bond audition. Apparently this sort of tragedy is going to continue to play itself out as long as there is a Hollywood.

[Brian Bell]

I always wondered what happened to her daughter Susan. She would be 50 years old now. And her husband Robert Dull who would in his 70's, I assume. Any information?

--I don't have any information beyond what's in the entry. On the other hand, if I did know more, I doubt that I would post it. These people suffered a terrible loss and my inclination is to let them be.

--Larry