On October 27, 1943, in the upscale Georgetown neighborhood of Washington D.C., a shocking crime unfolded. The body of a young secretary, identified by her landlord as Mrs. Robinson, was discovered at the morgue in the morning. Mrs. Nonie Bhroeder, her landlady, had previously confirmed the identification. An insurance policy belonging to Mrs. Robinson was found in her room at the Mergner residence. Detective Sergeants Walter D. Perry and Bernard Crooke, unaware of the connection to the Mergner household, paid a visit to the University Avenue address in search of information. As they entered the back room, they spotted the suspect, Mergner, sitting quietly with his father. Perry and Crooke began questioning him about his employment as a housekeeper for Mrs. Robinson, but their conversation was cut short when Perry noticed a bloodstained newspaper on a nearby table. He excused himself to investigate further and discovered a bullet-ridden car parked outside, spattered with blood and a shoe in the vehicle. The discovery sparked Perry’s instincts, and as he returned to the room, Mergner suddenly pulled a gun on Crooke. The detective lunged at the suspect, and they wrestled to the ground. Perry rushed in to disarm Mergner, foiling a potentially deadly escape.
Related Federal Cases
- DC Road Rage: Life for Uber Driver Killer · Washington
- DC Killer Gets 17 Years: Wyoming Prison for Lover’s Shooting · Washington
- D.C. Killer Gets Life for Child’s Murder · Washington
- 107-Year Term for Teenager’s Killer in Mo. · Washington
- D.C. Killer Gets 17 Years for Cold-Blooded Shooting · Alabama
Key Facts
- State: National
- Category: Violent Crime
- Era: Historical
- Source: Library of Congress — Chronicling America ↗
📬 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
