Los Angeles has had its share of notable murder cases– The Charles Manson-directed Tate/Lobianca murders, the Nicole Brown Simpson/Ron Goldman slayings that led to the arrest and trial of football legend O.J. Simpson, and the Night Stalker case to name a few.
In the early morning hours of July 1st, 1981, intruders broke into a home on Wonderland Ave off of Laurel Canyon in the Hollywood Hills and brutally beat and murdered four people (a fifth victim survived with massive brain injuries). The case would be known by many names– The Four on the Floor Murders, The Laurel Canyon Murders, and The Wonderland Murders. The investigation would lead to the arrest of porn star John Holmes, drug dealer Eddie Nash, and Nash’s bodyguard Greg Diles. Nash was accused of orchestrating the murders as retribution for a robbery of cocaine and money that had occurred at his home two days earlier. Holmes was involved in both the planning of the robbery at Nash’s and accused of assisting in the murders of “The Wonderland Gang” that Nash and Diles had planned. Over the next 20 years, there would be three separate trials and three acquittals. There would be accusations of bribed jurors and corrupt federal agents.
Famed crime writer Michael Connelly (author of the Bosch books which were turned into a TV series now streaming 7 seasons on Prime Video, as well as The Lincoln Lawyer, soon to be a series on Netflix) has always been intrigued by The Wonderland Murders case. He is now the writer, narrator, and executive producer of the fascinating new 8-part true crime Audible Original documentary podcast THE WONDERLAND MURDERS AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD which is being released on the 40th anniversary of the murders–July 1st, 2021.
In yet another twist to the case, the podcast follows the nine lives of a man named Scott Thorson AKA Jess Marlow, known best as Liberace’s lover and confidant, played by Matt Damon (in the movie Behind the Candelabra). Thorson is the “missing” Wonderland witness, claiming to be in the room while Nash beat information out of John Holmes and also says he was there as Nash subsequently planned the Wonderland Murders. Over the course of the interviews with him in the podcast, Connelly comes to refer to Thorson as an “unreliable narrator”–he may be telling the truth or he may be fabricating to help get himself out of legal troubles. He is either the ultimate conman or the ultimate witness to the secret history of Hollywood.
Cherry the Geek TV sat down with Detectives Tom Lange and Bob Souza, the two LAPD lead investigators of The Wonderland Murders case. They wrote what Connelly refers to as the definitive book on the investigation–“Malice in Wonderland,” and also appear in the podcast to discuss the case. Over the course of their investigation the detectives dealt with snitches, thieves, drug addicts and porn stars as well as a powerful and connected prime suspect who was able to turn the investigation against them. They discuss the case as well as Scott Thorson and the new podcast.
THE WONDERLAND MURDERS AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD premieres exclusively on Audible July 1st. You can purchase it here:https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Wonderland-Murders-the-Secret-History-of-Hollywood-Podcast/B0979PRBF3?qid=1624955732&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=MMEM4Q5RDCS4C5K013EQ
About Author
