How a 1950s Small Town Girl Unknowingly Became a Killer’s Captive on a Cross-Country Trip

How a 1950s Small Town Girl Unknowingly Became a Killer’s Captive on a Cross-Country Trip

Trista - December 8, 2018

How a 1950s Small Town Girl Unknowingly Became a Killer’s Captive on a Cross-Country Trip
Mary Rombalski with Investigator Barbour, on the left, and Sergeant Taylor, on the right. She is quoted saying “I went to sleep and dreamed I heard a shot. It was no dream.” Historical Crime Detectives.

The Biggest Surprise Of Mary’s Life

From San Antonio, they went to El Paso. On the way, Mary asked Red about the gun. However, she stopped questioning him when he started to get angry. Mary noted in her interview that the relatives she met of Red’s treated him well and told them they should go to a movie. Red declined but told Mary to go, so she did. The following day they went back on the road to Los Angeles. Surprising to Mary, Red pulled over to pay for the gas. When Mary asked if Red’s uncle gave him some money, Red responded that he was loaded and threw his wallet to Mary. She counted $250.

Mary asked Red how he got the money. It didn’t take Mary long to figure out that Red had stolen the money. She then demanded that he let her out of the vehicle at the next town. In response, Red started to choke Mary until she began to see black. He then told her, “You started this trip with me and you’re not getting off till the end of the line.” Mary said that all she could do was agree and be grateful that she was able to breathe again.

The Murder of Orville Johnson

Once the reached Los Angeles, Mary asked to be let out, but Red refused and told her they were going to San Francisco. Mary, who stated she hadn’t slept for 48 hours, asked if she could rest in the back, Red agreed. Mary noted that it was during the nap when she was woken up to a gunshot. She looked out, and it was dark, she was alone in the running truck, and the driver’s door was open. She then noticed they were parked at a gas station before she heard another shot and Red started running towards the truck.

How a 1950s Small Town Girl Unknowingly Became a Killer’s Captive on a Cross-Country Trip
Crime scene photo of victim Orville Johnson. Historical Crime Detective.

It took Mary a while to be able to speak to Red as he sped off away from the gas station. She asked him what he did. According to Mary, Red responded by saying “I just meant to hit him over the head. But the old guy talked too much and my gun went off.” He made Mary add the money; she counted $101. As they traveled, Red kept holding up places while Mary was sleeping. She would beg and plead for him to let her go but he refused, and Mary became more afraid of him. In fact, she was so scared that when a cop stopped them, she did not ask him for help.

It was in Nogales, Arizona when Mary was finally able to escape. Something went wrong with Red’s truck, so they had to stop. They were at a diner when Mary went to use the bathroom and never came out until Red was gone. She was in the bathroom for about two hours. From there Mary went right to the police station, and a man-hunt for Red started. He was arrested on January 7, 1955. Red admitted to his crimes and pleaded guilty on February 4. He was sentenced to life in prison. Mary went on to Hollywood, where people believe she lived out her life. Other than her interview for the Front Page Detective, Mary was never heard from publicly again.

 

Where did we find this stuff? Here are our sources:

“First Person Friday: I was a Killer’s Captive, 1954.” Jason Lucky Morrow, Historical Crime Detective. May 2017.

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