On the evening of October 7, 1949, 26-year-old actress Jean Spangler left her Los Angeles home, telling her sister-in-law she was going to meet her ex-husband to discuss a late child support payment and then head to a night film shoot. She was last seen at a grocery store a few blocks from her home around 6:00 p.m. Two days later, her purse was discovered in a remote area of Griffith Park, about 5.5 miles from her home. One of the straps was torn, as if it had been ripped from her arm. Inside the purse, authorities found an unfinished and unsigned note addressed to a "Kirk," which read: "Can't wait any longer, Going to see Dr. Scott. It will work best this way while mother is away,".
The discovery of the note ignited several theories. Speculation immediately turned to actor Kirk Douglas, with whom Spangler had recently worked on the film "Young Man with a Horn." Douglas contacted police to state he was in Palm Springs at the time of her disappearance and, while he admitted to having "kidded with her a bit" on set, he denied knowing her personally. Investigators also explored the possibility that Spangler was seeking an illegal abortion, a procedure that was dangerous and clandestine at the time. Friends of Spangler told police she was three months pregnant when she disappeared and had mentioned wanting to terminate the pregnancy. The identity of "Dr. Scott" mentioned in the note was never confirmed, though there were rumors of a former medical student known as "Doc" who performed abortions.
Further investigation revealed Spangler's connections to organized crime figures. She had reportedly been seen in Palm Springs with Davy Ogul, an associate of mobster Mickey Cohen, just a week before she went missing. Ogul himself had disappeared two days prior to Spangler after being indicted on conspiracy charges. This led to speculation that both of their disappearances were related to mob activity. Over the years, there were several unconfirmed sightings of Spangler in California, Arizona, and Mexico, but none were ever substantiated. Despite extensive searches and a nationwide effort, no further evidence in Jean Spangler's case has ever been found, and her whereabouts remain a mystery. The Los Angeles Police Department still considers the case to be open.
Last Seen: Oct 7, 1949
