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Carole Landis--RIP

July 5, 2008 | 12:42 pm
Carole_landis_bathroom
Above, the photo of Carole Landis published in The Times.
Carole_landis_bath_counter

Dropcap_s_vadisomeone was kind enough to send me a scan of this photo. Here are the items on the bathroom counter: a book of matches, a comb and several bottles. It's a bit difficult to tell, but I think a pill bottle is visible behind the large bottle in the center of the photo. If so, we have found four pill bottles so far.
Carole_landis_lhand And we get a closeup of her left hand. I noticed right away there's no wedding ring. She had filed for divorce, so that's not terribly surprising -- but worth noting. Also notice that the bathroom appears to be carpeted.

Update: Now this is interesting. According to news reports, Landis was holding a satin ribbon bearing the Lord's Prayer in her left hand. But I don't see any ribbon, just a shadow from the leg of the bathroom sink. Unfortunately, her right hand is obscured.
Carole_landis_bath_top_shelf

Of course, we're snooping, so we're going to look into this locking cabinet. What's in here? On the top shelf, we find a small box and what appears to be a small pouch or portfolio-type cover with a snap.
Carole_landis_document


Carole_landis_lock
This is the item that interests me the most. On the bottom shelf of this locking cabinet, closest to her head, we find some sort of typed or printed document. Unfortunately, I can't get any more detail by enhancing the photo. But it's clearly a document. Presumably this is not a will as there was confusion after her death about where it was located.

What seems evident, though, is that she was using the locking cabinet to store valuables.

In fact, someone sent me another photo of the scene in which the cabinet door isn't blocked by Detective Jones. At left, there's the lock.

Someone who has more time than I do might find it productive to get a copy of her probate records from Los Angeles County. Because there was a legal dispute over her estate, it's fairly likely there's a large file that should include a detailed inventory of everything she owned when she died.

Observations? Thoughts?

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The portfolio-like thing on the top shelf is commonly used to keep good pearls (it's usually lined in silk), and the small box is about the right size and type for earrings. Perhaps she locked her jewelry in the cabinet.



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