After seven months, a paroled murderess, Annie Marie Johnson, loses contact with the parole office. When her parole officer becomes suspicious and enlists the help of the police, they investigate her living arrangements with a couple who are supposedly sick and residing in sanitariums. As the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that Annie has forged signatures and may be involved in a possible murder plot. A search of the house eventually leads to a shocking discovery and Annie's arrest, trial, and conviction for murder in the first degree.

A police officer is shot and killed, leading Sergeant Joe Friday to investigate the case. As they pursue a suspect, Jake Carver, who is recently out of Folsom Penitentiary, the detectives set up a plan to gather evidence against him. Carver is suspected in a series of crimes, including the shooting of a drugstore owner in San Pedro. With clever tactics, they lure information out of Carver, leading to the discovery of crucial evidence that incriminates him. Carver is brought to trial, convicted of first-degree murder, and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Sergeant Friday and his team are on the trail of the notorious confidence man, Gentleman Wallace, who has returned to Los Angeles and has resumed his swindling operations. Wallace's latest scheme involves writing letters demanding payment of debts from deceased persons, and swindling their grieving families. After an extensive surveillance and investigative effort, Wallace is finally apprehended at a railroad station after attempting to swindle yet another victim. Ultimately, Wallace is tried and convicted on multiple counts of grand theft and sentenced to prison.

A wave of robberies and assaults has plagued Los Angeles, with the victims describing the assailant as a tall, beautiful woman. Detectives Joe Friday and Ben Romero investigate the latest case of a truck driver who was robbed, assaulted, and shot by the woman. As the investigation unfolds, they uncover the true identity of the perpetrator, who has been impersonating a woman to commit these crimes. After a dramatic pursuit and capture, the culprit is revealed to be a man named James Harold Sutter, alias the Bandit Queen. Sutter is tried and convicted for his crimes, and while serving his sentence in prison, he is tragically stabbed to death by another inmate. 

Two small girls go missing, and Sergeant Joe Friday and Ben Romero are called in to investigate. As the search gets underway, disturbing evidence is discovered, and the detectives find themselves on the trail of a potential suspect in their own neighborhood. When the bodies of the missing girls are found, the investigation intensifies, leading to the arrest and conviction of Claude Willis Jimerson for their murders.

Sergeant Joe Friday and his team are determined to apprehend Pacific Coast narcotics trafficker Arthur Z. Belmont. As they work to set up a meeting with Belmont, his trusted friend Floyd Ketchel becomes their lead. With a plan in place, they aim to catch Belmont in the act. However, the operation takes an unexpected turn, leading to a dramatic conclusion. The relentless pursuit of justice and the challenges faced by the narcotics bureau are highlighted in this thrilling episode. 

A wave of narcotics trafficking has swept into Los Angeles, and Sergeant Joe Friday and Ben Romero are put on the case. Their investigation leads them to a drug ring operating in the city’s shadows—where heroin is being sold to teenagers. In Part 1 of this two-part story, the detectives uncover a network of smugglers, pushers, and addicts—and come face to face with the chilling reality of the city’s growing drug problem. Originally aired: January 12, 1950.

Cast:
Jack Webb, Barton Yarborough, Raymond Burr, Harry Bartell, Virginia Gregg

Tags:
Dragnet, narcotics, heroin, LAPD, drugring, noir, truecrime, investigation, lawenforcement, suspense, teenagers, justice, smuggling, police, 1950s, detectives, crackdown, crime, part1, drugs

In this gripping tale from January 5, 1950, Sergeant Joe Friday faces a personal crisis when a friend from the Army, Max Tyler, is caught robbing a jewelry store—and he’s the one who has to put him away. But when Max escapes from prison just months before a potential parole, Friday is forced to track him down again—this time, with more on the line than just justice. It’s a powerful story about trust, betrayal, and redemption.

Cast:

Jack Webb, Barton Yarborough, Raymond Burr, Virginia Gregg, Harry Bartell

Tags:

Dragnet, robbery, escape, prison, LAPD, betrayal, redemption, fugitives, SanQuentin, California, manhunt, noir, detectives, drama, reformation, policework, suspense, 1950s, JoeFriday, friendship

Originally Aired: December 29, 1949

The Roseland Roof Murders: Blood on the Marble Steps

In this tense and sprawling case from Dragnet, a series of armed robberies spirals into a shocking murder that leaves the LAPD chasing shadows across the city. A string of drugstore holdups had already put the department on edge—but the gang’s most violent act comes when they ambush and murder a dance hall owner during a routine deposit run.

The victim, Walter Conroy, is gunned down at the bottom of the marble steps leading to a downtown bank’s night depository. The killers leave few clues behind—just a witness with a partial license plate number and a maroon Pontiac sedan. With the clock ticking, Sergeant Joe Friday and Ben Romero begin a grueling investigation that stretches over weeks and involves sifting through 123 vehicle registrations.

When they finally zero in on the suspects—Amo Thurston, Lloyd Newton, and John Lacombe—it becomes clear this is no ordinary robbery crew. All three men are heavily armed, two-time losers, and unafraid to kill. With the help of stakeouts, DMV records, and a garage paint locker, the detectives corner the gang.

A dramatic arrest unfolds in a Temple Street garage just as the suspects attempt to repaint their getaway car. Twelve loaded firearms are recovered from the scene.

But the story doesn’t end there. After being jailed and facing trial, Thurston and Lacombe escape—beating a deputy, stealing an ambulance, and holding up a gas station before they’re recaptured hours later in a hail of gunfire.

Grim, relentless, and methodical, The Roseland Roof Murders showcases the brute endurance and calm precision that defined the early years of Dragnet.

Keywords: “Dragnet Roseland Roof Murders,” “Walter Conroy dance hall murder,” “Amo Thurston LAPD stakeout,” “Temple Street garage arrest,” “drugstore gang robbery series,” “December 1949 Dragnet radio,” “Joe Friday Ben Romero episode.”

Cast: Jack Webb (Joe Friday), Barton Yarborough (Ben Romero), with supporting performances by Harry Bartell, Peggy Webber, Herb Butterfield, and the Dragnet radio company.

Originally Aired: December 22, 1949

22 Rifle for Christmas: A Holiday Tragedy

In this unforgettable and emotionally devastating episode of Dragnet, Sergeant Joe Friday and Ben Romero investigate the disappearance of nine-year-old Stanley Johnstone just days before Christmas. What begins as a routine missing person case soon darkens into a grim and all-too-familiar reality.

The boy was last seen playing in his backyard. A trail of blood, an empty .22 caliber shell, and a missing Christmas gift—a rifle—paint a haunting picture. As the detectives search the neighborhood and question family and friends, they uncover a terrible truth: Stanley had discovered his present early and taken it out to play.

But this isn’t just Stanley’s story. His best friend, eight-year-old Stevie Morheim, is missing too. When Stanley finally returns home, silent and withdrawn, the full weight of the tragedy is revealed: the rifle went off while the boys were playing. Stevie is dead.

Stanley leads Friday and his father to the body, hidden in a cave near their home. The boy had stayed there for hours, praying for his friend to come back to life.

Narrated with painful restraint and deep compassion, 22 Rifle for Christmas is not just a detective story—it’s a sobering indictment of dangerous gifts and a poignant exploration of guilt, innocence, and the burden of responsibility.

Keywords: "Dragnet 22 Rifle for Christmas episode," "Stanley Johnstone Stevie Morheim case," "December 1949 Dragnet radio," "Joe Friday Christmas tragedy story," "gun accident child death drama," ".22 caliber rifle cautionary tale," "classic Dragnet emotional episode."

Cast: Jack Webb (Sgt. Joe Friday), Barton Yarborough (Ben Romero), with supporting performances by Peggy Webber, Harry Bartell, and other members of the Dragnet radio company.