From Homicide Special: Susan Berman's wood-shingled cottage seems distinctly out of place at the edge of Beverly Hills. In Berman's living room, a Liberace ashtray, shaped like a piano, holds a few crumpled butts. On the wall are pictures of Berman's parents: her mother tap-dancing, one of her father's wanted posters, which reads "Reward $8000." Another wall features a photo of Susan in a party dress posing with Jimmy Durante. Her refrigerator contains only a carton of milk, a half-stick of butter, a jug of cranberry juice cocktail and a package of cheddar cheese. In the spare bedroom where Berman was killed, faint winter light bleeds through the window and illuminates a few brownish-red commas of blood. Berman was found in a white T-shirt and purple sweatpants. Barefoot. A single bullet casing was discovered next to her body. She was shot once in the back of the head. Excerpted from Homicide Special: On the Streets with the LAPD's Elite Detective Unit by Miles Corwin All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
