Margaret Logan, aged 62, was tragically murdered on May 30, 1944, in Los Angeles, California. Her death was a result of a brutal crime committed by Louise Peete, a notorious figure with a history of criminal activity. Margaret Logan had been a supportive friend to Peete, even during Peete's incarceration for a previous murder. This friendship, however, ended in betrayal and violence.
Louise Peete, who had previously been convicted of the 1920 murder of Jacob Denton, was paroled in 1939.
She later found employment with Margaret Logan, who worked at Douglas Aircraft Company. On the fateful day of Logan's death, Peete claimed that she found Logan badly bruised, allegedly from an assault by her husband. However, Logan's husband had died just days before in a psychiatric hospital, where he had been committed by Peete, who had masqueraded as his sister. This suspicious circumstance raised many questions about Peete's involvement in both deaths.
The investigation into Margaret Logan's death revealed that her body was buried in a shallow grave in the backyard of her Pacific Palisades home. The grave was discovered by police after noticing a slight rise in the ground framed by flower pots. During the trial, police chemist Ray Pinker testified about the discovery and the evidence linking Peete to the crime. A gun found in Peete's bedroom was tested, and the bullets matched the .32 caliber round found in the Logan home, further implicating Peete.
Louise Peete's trial began on April 23, 1945. Despite her attempts to fabricate stories about Logan's death, the evidence against her was overwhelming. The prosecution drew parallels between the murder of Jacob Denton and Margaret Logan, highlighting Peete's pattern of criminal behavior. Peete's defense struggled to refute the compelling evidence, and her volatile nature did not help her case. Ultimately, the jury found Peete guilty of first-degree murder, and she was sentenced to death. Peete was executed in the gas chamber in 1947, making her one of only four women to be executed in California.
Margaret Logan's tragic death and the subsequent trial of Louise Peete remain a notable case in the annals of Los Angeles crime history. The case highlighted the dangers of misplaced trust and the lengths to which some individuals will go to exploit and harm others for personal gain.
