Chris Walker

Police reports show that they spent weeks asking as many of Albert's friends as they could find, including Kroenke, what Albert had told them about finding the gun. And in the end, they found that Albert told a more or less consistent story, and he had no clear motive to kill Jack. But perhaps he knew who did.

Police reports show that they spent weeks asking as many of Albert's friends as they could find, including Kroenke, what Albert had told them about finding the gun. And in the end, they found that Albert told a more or less consistent story, and he had no clear motive to kill Jack. But perhaps he knew who did.

After all, he'd failed a lie detector test on the question, do you know who killed Jack Licciardi? And given the way he'd stashed the gun and gone into hiding, Albert seemed genuinely afraid for his life. But afraid of who? The police asked him this question in multiple interviews. The mafia, Albert kept saying.

After all, he'd failed a lie detector test on the question, do you know who killed Jack Licciardi? And given the way he'd stashed the gun and gone into hiding, Albert seemed genuinely afraid for his life. But afraid of who? The police asked him this question in multiple interviews. The mafia, Albert kept saying.

When pressed on this, Albert told the police that Robert Licciardi had always claimed or joked, Albert wasn't sure, that the Licciardis had ties to organized crime. And so here we are with the mafia rumors again. But whether or not the rumors were true, Albert's fear was palpable. He told friends that someone was trying to frame him.

When pressed on this, Albert told the police that Robert Licciardi had always claimed or joked, Albert wasn't sure, that the Licciardis had ties to organized crime. And so here we are with the mafia rumors again. But whether or not the rumors were true, Albert's fear was palpable. He told friends that someone was trying to frame him.

And as soon as the police let him go, he disappeared from Stockton, not to be seen for years. And that meant Capron and Williams were back to square one. They were also left wondering, who would try to frame Albert? What to make of his recollections of a woman screaming and a long-haired person coming into the garage? And was there any basis to his mafia mentions whatsoever?

And as soon as the police let him go, he disappeared from Stockton, not to be seen for years. And that meant Capron and Williams were back to square one. They were also left wondering, who would try to frame Albert? What to make of his recollections of a woman screaming and a long-haired person coming into the garage? And was there any basis to his mafia mentions whatsoever?

The detectives hadn't uncovered any shred of fact there. It seemed way more plausible that one of Jack's sons, like the one who told Albert the mafia tales, or the one who was on trial for grape fraud, was behind the murder. So what of the sons? Throughout the investigation, Robert had been cooperative but somewhat unreliable.

The detectives hadn't uncovered any shred of fact there. It seemed way more plausible that one of Jack's sons, like the one who told Albert the mafia tales, or the one who was on trial for grape fraud, was behind the murder. So what of the sons? Throughout the investigation, Robert had been cooperative but somewhat unreliable.

He'd answered their questions about events surrounding the murder, but when asked to help identify the gun, Robert said he was busy and wouldn't come to the station. And Michael had been oddly quiet. In the nearly month and a half since Jack's murder, he'd barely said a word to detectives, which made them wonder. Was he simply distracted by his upcoming trial?

He'd answered their questions about events surrounding the murder, but when asked to help identify the gun, Robert said he was busy and wouldn't come to the station. And Michael had been oddly quiet. In the nearly month and a half since Jack's murder, he'd barely said a word to detectives, which made them wonder. Was he simply distracted by his upcoming trial?

Was he tired of dealing with law enforcement? Or was he hiding something? So in early March, almost two months after Jack's murder, Sergeant Capron decided it was time to revisit Michael as a suspect. The detective arranged to meet him at his home in La Mirada, and when he pulled up, Capron was surprised to see that Michael's home was built like a fortress.

Was he tired of dealing with law enforcement? Or was he hiding something? So in early March, almost two months after Jack's murder, Sergeant Capron decided it was time to revisit Michael as a suspect. The detective arranged to meet him at his home in La Mirada, and when he pulled up, Capron was surprised to see that Michael's home was built like a fortress.

According to Michael's wife, Norma, We installed cameras.

According to Michael's wife, Norma, We installed cameras.

When Michael emerged from behind the security wall surrounding his home, he apologized that he'd waited so long to talk to the detective. Things had been scary, Michael said, for him, his wife, and his four daughters. Capron noted that Michael seemed uneasy. In a police report, he wrote, quote, But as they talked, Capron sensed it wasn't because Michael didn't want to help.

When Michael emerged from behind the security wall surrounding his home, he apologized that he'd waited so long to talk to the detective. Things had been scary, Michael said, for him, his wife, and his four daughters. Capron noted that Michael seemed uneasy. In a police report, he wrote, quote, But as they talked, Capron sensed it wasn't because Michael didn't want to help.

He'd been quiet for another reason, a reason that he wouldn't quite articulate to the detective, but Michael broached by way of asking for police protection. As it turned out, he'd recently had a close call, an incident that he didn't mention to the police, but that I heard about from his wife, Norma. She swears it happened like this.

He'd been quiet for another reason, a reason that he wouldn't quite articulate to the detective, but Michael broached by way of asking for police protection. As it turned out, he'd recently had a close call, an incident that he didn't mention to the police, but that I heard about from his wife, Norma. She swears it happened like this.