In 1927, 12-year-old Marion Parker was kidnapped in Los Angeles by William Edward Hickman, who demanded ransom from her father. But even after he was paid, Hickman had no intention of letting her go. This shocking case gripped the nation and changed the way kidnappings were investigated.

Source Materials:

Fiend Captured at Echo, Or; Jailed; Confesses, Report". Albany Democrat-Herald. December 22, 1927. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020.

What Marion Parker's Ransom Note Really SaidGirl's Grisly Killing Had City Residents Up in Arms - Los Angeles Times

How Marion Parker Murder Case Inspired 'Perry Mason' | Crime News

HICKMAN HANGED AS HE COLLAPSES; Loses Nerve as He Pays the Penalty for the Murder of Marian Parker. TELLS GUARD OF CRIME Youth Declares He Was Not Grazy --Would Have Killed Best Friend to Gain Ends. - The New York Times