The Mysterious Murder Of Bob Crane

Bob Crane was the beloved star of Hogan's Heroes. His easygoing personality and quick wit won him friends and fame but what he did behind closed doors led to quite a few enemies. The first blow opened up Crane's head at the scalp. The second strike to the head crushed the actor's skull. The killer than strangled him with a VCR cord around the neck but Crane was dead by that time. He was 49 at the time of his death. This was a case of anger and rage as it was a bit of overkill. It was truly a horrific scene and his head was an absolute mess when they found him. On the 28th of June 1978, Police found a lot more than just a grisly murder scene. 50 pornographic video tapes were discovered in a closet along with photo equipment in the bathroom. They would use the equipment to photograph themselves making love with women.. Lots of women and at the same time. He had one of the first home video camera's ever marketed and he liked to tape himself having sex with lots of women.

Clearly the fun loving actor had a secret dark side. He was dealing with some pretty serious demons. Author Dr. Robbie Ludwig says he achieved fame and because of his success and his identity couldn't stand it any longer so he created this pornographic underworld that made him feel better longer and the two collided in this horrible way. After Hogan's Heroes was cancelled in 1971, Crane seemed to sink ever deeper into his pornographic compulsion. He had deep addictions, not just the kind where he was going to go home and tie up the wife for some kinky sex but rather he was obsessed. The initial suspect in the case was long time partner and sexual wing man John Carpenter. It was a general belief that John Carpenter had a little more interest in Bob Crane than Bob Crane had in him. Friends maintain the Crane wanted to cut off the friendship and when police found the actors datebook with Carpenter's name scratched out he became the prime suspect.

It is the lead investigator's belief that around the time of Crane's murder he broke off the relationship with Carpenter which infuriated Carpenter. This is all speculation, of course, since Carpenter refused to help with the investigation. Police found small traces of blood in Carpenter's rental car but since DNA was not available at the time they could prove only that is was Crane's blood type. The case remained circumstantial. The case sat on the shelf for 14 years. That is until the police found an overlooked photo of what appeared to be brain matter in Carpenter's car. John Carpenter was finally charged with killing Bob Crane. Rick Romley, the lead prosecutor in the case thought he had a slam dunk case since he had the blood in Carpenter's car and a photo of what appeared to be brain matter. He thought sure he would be able to convince a Jury that Carpenter was Guilty.

But he forgot that he would have to explain where that photo had been for 14 years and how it suddenly appeared out of thin air plus the fact that Crane had undoubtedly made many enemies from outraged husbands whose wives were sleeping with the actor. The evidence proved inconclusive. On October 31st 1994, Carpenter was acquitted of all charges. Carpenter died four years later at the age of 70. There are no other suspects and the case remains officially unsolved.