MrBallen

On the morning of December 21, 1980, a woman in her 40s walked into a jail cell in Los Angeles, California. Now, in this jail cell already was another inmate. Her name was Etta Louise Smith. She was 32 years old, and at the time, she was laying on one of the benches inside of this cell. Etta had actually been in jail for four days leading up to this moment.

The police were sure Etta had something to do with the savage murder of a nurse in the area, but they really didn't understand what role she had played. In fact, virtually everything about Etta was very confusing to police. And Etta herself was not really doing herself any favors because she wasn't really explaining how she had the information that she had.

The police were sure Etta had something to do with the savage murder of a nurse in the area, but they really didn't understand what role she had played. In fact, virtually everything about Etta was very confusing to police. And Etta herself was not really doing herself any favors because she wasn't really explaining how she had the information that she had.

The police were sure Etta had something to do with the savage murder of a nurse in the area, but they really didn't understand what role she had played. In fact, virtually everything about Etta was very confusing to police. And Etta herself was not really doing herself any favors because she wasn't really explaining how she had the information that she had.

Now, Etta had already gone through a 10-hour long interrogation, which led police nowhere. She had undergone a polygraph test, which didn't lead to any new answers. And she had also undergone a thorough strip search. She had been kept without food for 24 hours at one point. She had been left in this cold jail cell without shoes for four days. But she just wouldn't crack.

Now, Etta had already gone through a 10-hour long interrogation, which led police nowhere. She had undergone a polygraph test, which didn't lead to any new answers. And she had also undergone a thorough strip search. She had been kept without food for 24 hours at one point. She had been left in this cold jail cell without shoes for four days. But she just wouldn't crack.

Now, Etta had already gone through a 10-hour long interrogation, which led police nowhere. She had undergone a polygraph test, which didn't lead to any new answers. And she had also undergone a thorough strip search. She had been kept without food for 24 hours at one point. She had been left in this cold jail cell without shoes for four days. But she just wouldn't crack.

She would not confess to playing a role in this murder. And so this was why police on this day had decided to go another route to get information out of Etta. That woman in her 40s who had just walked into Etta's jail cell was pretending to be an inmate, but in reality, she was an undercover cop.

She would not confess to playing a role in this murder. And so this was why police on this day had decided to go another route to get information out of Etta. That woman in her 40s who had just walked into Etta's jail cell was pretending to be an inmate, but in reality, she was an undercover cop.

She would not confess to playing a role in this murder. And so this was why police on this day had decided to go another route to get information out of Etta. That woman in her 40s who had just walked into Etta's jail cell was pretending to be an inmate, but in reality, she was an undercover cop.

And her job was to go into this jail cell, befriend Etta, win her trust, and see if maybe then Etta would begin revealing information about what she had done. And so after this undercover cop walked into the jail cell, the jailer shut the door behind them, closing in the undercover cop and Etta.

And her job was to go into this jail cell, befriend Etta, win her trust, and see if maybe then Etta would begin revealing information about what she had done. And so after this undercover cop walked into the jail cell, the jailer shut the door behind them, closing in the undercover cop and Etta.

And her job was to go into this jail cell, befriend Etta, win her trust, and see if maybe then Etta would begin revealing information about what she had done. And so after this undercover cop walked into the jail cell, the jailer shut the door behind them, closing in the undercover cop and Etta.

And at this point, Etta was woken up by the noise and she sat up on her bench and she looked over at the undercover cop. And the cop, you know, she was immediately struck by Etta's appearance. Etta did not look like a murderer. She was this little, slight, totally unthreatening person who really just looked like a suburban mom who maybe had a white collar job.

And at this point, Etta was woken up by the noise and she sat up on her bench and she looked over at the undercover cop. And the cop, you know, she was immediately struck by Etta's appearance. Etta did not look like a murderer. She was this little, slight, totally unthreatening person who really just looked like a suburban mom who maybe had a white collar job.

And at this point, Etta was woken up by the noise and she sat up on her bench and she looked over at the undercover cop. And the cop, you know, she was immediately struck by Etta's appearance. Etta did not look like a murderer. She was this little, slight, totally unthreatening person who really just looked like a suburban mom who maybe had a white collar job.

But the undercover cop also knew that appearing to be totally harmless was a great cover for being a murderer, and so this could all totally be an act. And also, to this undercover cop, it just seemed like Etta was way too calm and collected, given her circumstances.

But the undercover cop also knew that appearing to be totally harmless was a great cover for being a murderer, and so this could all totally be an act. And also, to this undercover cop, it just seemed like Etta was way too calm and collected, given her circumstances.

But the undercover cop also knew that appearing to be totally harmless was a great cover for being a murderer, and so this could all totally be an act. And also, to this undercover cop, it just seemed like Etta was way too calm and collected, given her circumstances.

She is effectively wanted for murder, and the police are putting so much pressure on her to get her to speak about it, and she's just laying down sleeping in her cell, making no big deal about it. But the undercover cop maintained a very neutral persona and she sat down and at some point she asked Etta, you know, hey, what are you in here for?