Crime Library: Criminal Minds and Methods

The Mistress of Hollywood: June Cassandra Mincher

Murdering 'The Thing'

He also talked about the murder of June Mincher, although he did not name her. Pascal had hired him to help protect a wealthy family and the target had been a black transvestite he referred to as "the thing." He said he'd initially rigged her car with a bomb that failed to explode and had been a member of the team that had beaten her up. When that had failed, he'd been ordered to take care of her.

"I understand you used my gun," Rider said.

"Yeah," Mentzer admitted, "I used your gun." 

Karen Greenberger, aka 'Laney' Jacobs
Karen Greenberger, aka "Laney"
Jacobs

The detectives had it all on tape. It seemed that their case was made, for both murders, and with several offenders. "The most important evidence that came out of our wire tap," said Stoner, "was he started bragging about how he and others broke into the victim's [Mincher's] apartment and pistol-whipped her. Then he had tracked her down to where she was staying and he shot her friend first and then proceeded to shoot her several times in the back of the head."

Warrants were issued for the arrests of Marti, Lowe, and Mentzer. But there was more to be learned, because they still did not know much about the person who allegedly had ordered Radin to be killed: Laney Jacobs. She had once been a cocaine dealer and after Radin had died, the police had gone to question her but she'd left town. Now there was compelling reason to find her.

It turned out she'd gotten married and her name was now Karen Greenberger. Her new husband had just committed suicide — although several people believed she'd shot him for his considerable fortune. "Laney" was brought in for questioning in the Radin homicide. With all the other arrests, the story was pieced together and came out in the 1991 trial. All four defendants — Jacobs-Greenberger, Mentzer, Marti, and Lowe — were tried together and the proceedings lasted more than a year.

Categories
We're Following
Slender Man stabbing, Waukesha, Wisconsin
Gilberto Valle 'Cannibal Cop'
Advertisement