King David Gray, a prominent American cinematographer, met a tragic end on June 30, 1938, in Los Angeles, California. Gray, who was 52 years old at the time of his death, was found shot in his car parked in front of a post office on Wilcox Avenue in Hollywood. The discovery was made by James Fisher, an advertising worker at The Hollywood Citizen-News, who found Gray's body slumped over in the vehicle. The investigation revealed that Gray had been shot in the chest from a distance of at least a foot, and he was clutching a letter addressed to "daddy dear," which was reportedly from a friend named Frances Blakeley, a 29-year-old graduate of the University of Southern California.
Gray's death was immediately classified as a homicide, with the police ruling out suicide due to the absence of a weapon at the scene. Robbery was also dismissed as a motive since Gray's valuables, including his paycheck and loose change, were found intact. Friends of Gray mentioned that he had been depressed in the weeks leading up to his death, but the police believed that jealousy or robbery could have been potential motives. However, the exact reason for his murder remains unclear.
The investigation into Gray's murder saw several suspects and leads, but none led to a definitive conclusion. One of the suspects was John "Jack" Henry Moran, a typewriter repairman from San Francisco, who was questioned after allegedly bragging about the murder in a Bay Area cafe. Despite the initial suspicion, Moran was eventually released from police custody due to a lack of concrete evidence. Another suspect was Joseph L. Chester, a 35-year-old ex-convict who committed suicide in Baldwin Park, California, following a high-speed car chase through Ventura County in July 1938. Chester's involvement in Gray's murder was never confirmed, and his death further complicated the investigation.
Gray's murder remains one of Hollywood's unsolved mysteries. Despite the efforts of law enforcement and the various leads that emerged, the identity of his killer has never been determined. Gray's death left a significant impact on the Hollywood community, where he had been an active cinematographer since the 1910s, contributing to over 50 films throughout his career. His untimely demise not only marked the end of a prolific career but also left a lingering question about the circumstances surrounding his tragic death.
