Murder at Sunset Spiritualist Temple

I randomly came across this story in the LA Times. The story happened in the 1940s and was covered in several articles and they were so over the top and campy and dramatic that a pretty straightforward investigation turned into this noir horror pulp fiction murder mystery novel, so naturally I had to write a blog about it. 

Before the hollow unseeing eyes of a grinning human skull, Mme. Lorraine met death in her mystic temple of spirits at 4384 Sunset Blvd. last night when her "adopted" daughter fired a bullet through her heart, according to police. 

Apparently Mme. Lorraine's actual name was Celeste Frank, she operated "Sunset Spiritualist Temple" a small parlor where she held seances and gave readings. Mme. Lorraine had been recently widowed, and sent for her young friend, Charlotte Jean LeNord, age 24, who she had unofficially adopted as her daughter to come live with her and keep her company. 

There in a darkened incense laden room where Mme. Lorraine gave readings in palmistry, cards, and from a crystal ball. Miss leNord told the offices how she had threatened the 50 year old Spiritualist with a .32 caliber revolver following an argument. 

Apparently after a very minor argument about Charlotte parking the car in the wrong place, a gun was accidently fired, one shot into the wall, and the other into Mme. Lorraine. Charlotte reportedly turned herself into the police. 

A silent macabre witness to the killing was an age colored human skull in which rested a crystal ball which Mme. Lorraine used in her divination of the future. 

    On the table near the skull a Bible, inscribed to Mme. Lorraine, lay open with a page turned down and a passage marked. "And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet. I have no need of you."  

When questioned by police Charlotte confessed that she had no idea how the gun went off, She stated, "I wish it hadn't happened. I'd give anything to have her back," and tearfully remembered that only recently she had read Mme. Lorraine's palm and found "she was destined for a violent end. Her life line ended in a star, that means violence." 

After a long extremely public trial, Charlotte Jean LeNord was found not guilty and was acquitted of the charges, which were deemed to be accidental.

The Sunset Spiritualist Temple is now the parking lot of Del Taco.