Noted Mystery May be Solved

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 998, 14 June 1930, Page 25

Noted Mystery May be Solved

LIGHT ON HOLLYWOOD DRAMA The most baffling mystery in the history of the cinema industry—the murder of Mr. Desmond Taylor, an English motion picture director and an Old Cliftonian, in his bungalow at Hollywood on February 1 or 2, 1922—may at last be within sight of solution. More than eight years after the murder the police have arrested Russo Dinaldo, an accountant, aged 41, a friend of one of the actresses—the late Miss Mabel Normand and Miss Mary Miles Minter—whose names from the beginning have been associated with the mystery. Rinaldo is said to have confessed to the murder. His alleged account is that on the evening of February 1 he followed one of the actresses to the bungalow and overhead a violent quarrel between her and Mr. Taylor. When the actress left he entered the bungalow and remonstrated with Mr. Taylor for his actions during the quarrel. Mr. Taylor drew a revolver. A scuffle ensued, during which Rinaldo secured possession of the weapon, with which he says he shot the director. Since the murder Rinaldo states that he has been living in various cities in Southern California and in Tucson, Arizona. The story he tells coincides in every particular with the believed facts of the case, but the police are sceptical about the confession. Rmaldo has been separated for two years from his wife, a music teacher of Glendale, California. She has informed the police that her husband was a victim of shell shock and that ever since the war his conduct has been erratic.

The last known visitor at the bungalow of Mr. Taylor before his death was Miss Mabel Normand. Near the body was a handkerchief bearing the initials “M.M.”, which was identified as those of Miss Mary Miles Minter. Both Miss Minter and Miss Normand were closely questioned at the time, but neither was able to throw any light on the mystery. The “confession” will be subjected to a .thorough investigation.