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.