CA CA - Victor Kilian, 88, Hollywood, 11 March 1979

Satch

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This is a very old case, where no leads have ever turned up. Victor Kilian was often known as "that old guy" who appeared in many sitcoms from the 40's to the 70's. He was on an episode of "All in the Family" and "The Brady Bunch." IMDB lists his credits here:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0453081/

There are two stores that have circulated about his murder for years. One was that he met a man at a Hollywood bar or nightclub, they had a few drinks, and his body was discovered the next morning.

Other sources say that that Mr. Kilian was killed as he walked into his apartment coming back from grocery shopping by two burglars who were ransacking his place.

Whoever did this to him was never caught:

http://www.ghostwhisperer.us/Main/Kilian.html

In a shocking twist, Victor Killian appeared on an episode of All in the Family with another elderly actor Charles Wagenheim. Charles Wagenheim was actually killed himself that same year (on Killigan's birthday!) March 6, 1979. He was also beaten to death. It has never been known if the two killings are/were related, or committed by the same person or persons. Charles Wagenheim's killer was hired as a nurse to care for his wife who had suffered a stroke. One day, (just days before Victor Kiligan's murder) Charlie came home from grocery shopping and found the caregiver was going through their drawers and stealing things. Charlie started yelling at her, and she hit him over the head with a hard object, killing him. The caregiver I learned was prosecuted, convicted, and served eight years in prison.

Trying to learn more about Victor Kilian's case. Thanks!

Satch
 
Victor Kilian (1891–1979)
He was 88 years and still working as an actor.
 
According to the original news reports, Kilian was at home in his apartment watching T.V., and fixing a snack.

"Fernwood Flasher" Murdered (I remember that character well. :) )
March 12, 1979
Kilian was found dead Sunday afternoon, lying in front of his living room television set by his son Victor Kilian, Jr.
Actor is Found Beaten to Death

Killer of Actor Victor Kilian Hunted, Robbery Possible Motive

Son Finds Actor Slain in Hollywood Dwelling

VictorKilian.jpg
9G65gS8.jpg

"Grandpa Larkin" (L) and Elderly Man in Planet of the Apes (R)

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

Planet of the Apes
 
Satch, did you see this thread over at Find-a-Death?

http://www.findadeath.com/forum/showthread.php?2882-Victor-Killian

ETA: Here's an article about him, written a couple of years before his death:

http://tinyurl.com/mg45lk4

Sounds like he was a lovely man with a good sense of humor.

...and another edit! Here's an article from 1936:

http://tinyurl.com/l7w4nlg

Snippet from 1935--his parents wanted him to drive a laundry truck:

http://tinyurl.com/mzmmtte

That's for the great research and comments on Victor's case! Maybe some closure will happen. He sure seemed like a very kind, caring, and friendly man.

The date at the Find a Death link about when Victor met a man at a bar allegedly in 1982 is obviously wrong, as he was murdered in 1979. It was only a few years back that I also learned of the "Ghost" that looks for Victor's killer. That was almost as legendary as the legacy list of Mr. Killian's acting career!

He certainly deserves closer, and I wanted to bring this case to Websleuths, because it's one of the cases that you wonder why nobody was every apprehended? I don't even know if LE had any suspects in his case.

Satch
 
GoogleSearch for "Stephanie Boone nurse" turned up "The Mammoth Book of Hollywood Scandals" an E-book. In the preview, you can read chapter 40 about the deaths of Charles Wagenheim and Victor Kilian.
According to the book, the murder of Charles Wagenheim is solved, but the police concluded that there was no reason to suspect that the nurse was involved in Charles Kilian's murder as well. This murder remains unsolved.

http://goo.gl/HuKC6m


I wonder if Stephanie Boone was a registered nurse, or more of a caretaker. Acoording to the book, she

apparently had a record for armed robbery

the police discoverd the nurse's past armed robbery and escape convictions

That alone would have been enough to strike her off as a nurse, even in the 1970's ??

The police located her months later while she worked in an animal shelter, which is an odd place for a nurse to work.

Stephanie Boone was 24 years young in 1979, so she'd be born around 1954 / 1955. I wonder what became of her.
Unfortunately for WS, "Stephanie Boone" is a rather common name and some of those Stephanies are also nurses and / or love animals.
 

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