What Happened To Danny Goldman?

LINKED DEATHS: BEHIND THE SCENES

Scores of Hidden Secrets, and Links of Crime and Corruption

Among the most significant and far-reaching findings of the investigation is the revelation that numerous crimes and deaths were interconnected in previously unknown ways. The extent of crime and corruption proves to be more organized and deeply entrenched than ever before exposed. The volunteer team initially embarked on their quest to answer two primary questions: 1) what happened to Danny Goldman, and 2) why the case has persisted as an unsolved enigma for half a century.

Navigating the intricate trail required understanding the context and examining numerous other cases. The civilian cold case volunteers' thorough investigation of countless crimes and events led to the creation of an extensive, detailed timeline that offers both a broad and in-depth perspective on the surge of organized crime and many of its most heinous acts, several of which were previously unacknowledged. To date, we have identified 39 other deaths connected to a vast network of criminality. Among the 40 cases, 20 are officially classified as unsolved, and 20 are considered resolved and closed. Three victims were killed with the same firearm; several experienced similarly orchestrated shootings; all cases involved a specific group of high-level criminals and corrupt officials. We uncovered actual collaborations between prominent organized crime figures, high-ranking law enforcement members, and the extensive range of individuals and agencies under their control.

Certain key criminals left trails linking them to multiple crimes. For instance, our findings suggest that George Defeis was involved in the homicides of Danny Goldman, Gertrude Henschel, Estelle Oddo, and Richard Cloud. Despite arrests in various cases involving murder, narcotics, counterfeit money, theft, and other offenses, Defeis never went to prison. He died of natural causes in North Miami. Others, some deceased and some alive, have also avoided public exposure and conviction. They can now collaborate with the volunteers, as the statute of limitations on their crimes has expired.

On this page, cases are listed with victims' names and dates. Gradually, we are adding more details publicly. Throughout this site, you'll find videos both old and new, featuring newly shared personal accounts and samples of the thousands of documents and images that have been acquired.

In all 40 cases, we have identified new leads, unresolved issues, and well-concealed connections. The officially "closed" cases shouldn't be— their closure relied on inaccurate, inconsistent, and corrupt information. Each of these cases— whether deemed "open" or "closed" by the system— were derailed until now due to efforts to disseminate false information and obstruct justice.

Individuals in key positions controlled the system on both sides of the law in the 1960s.

Even today, conflicts of interest and personal relationships come into play, with vastly complex situations that contribute towards keeping some cases cold, sidetracked, or officially yet wrongly closed.

Many of these cases can potentially be resolved or, at the very least, brought to light. The work continues.

Related Cases

  • 04-29-1955, Charles Ferri ("open")
  • 04-29-1955, Marie Ferri ("open")
  • 06-14-1955, Marjorie Chillingworth ("closed")
  • 06-14-1955, Hon. C.E. Chillingworth ("closed")
  • 02-02-1956, Ruth Downing (“closed”)
  • 01-23-1960, Louis "Babe" Silvers ("open")
  • 10-15-1960, Samuel "Barney" Barnett ("closed")
  • 03-24-1961, Joseph DiMare ("recently closed")
  • 06-09-1962, Gertrude Henschel (“open”)
  • 10-08-1963, Tommy Griffin (“open”)
  • 03-28-1966, Daniel Goldman (“recently closed”)
  • 04-30-1966, John Lamedica (“closed”)
  • 05-09-1966, Arthur Dyas (“closed”)
  • 06-03-1966, Alfred McCurdy (“closed”)
  • 07-20-1966, Christopher McCary (“closed”)
  • 08-05-1966, Bobby Williams (“closed”)
  • 10-23-1966, Estelle Oddo (“open”)
  • 05-14-1967, Nat Ehrenberg ("open")
  • 01-23-1968, Delores Costello (“open”)
  • 01-23-1968, Reynaldo “Brian” Perez (“open”)
  • 04-15-1968, Anita Poveromo (“closed”)
  • 05-04-1968, Brian Male (“open”)
  • 02-11-1970, Gilbert Beckley ("open")
  • 06-10-1970, Wally Jefferson (“closed”)
  • 09-02-1970, Seymour Kant ("closed")
  • 07-27-1973, Landon DeRiggi (“open”)
  • 09-29-1973, James Patrick Kane ("closed")
  • 06-18-1974, Henrietta Lloyd ("closed")
  • 10-10-1975, Clarence Gehrke ("open")
  • 10-10-1975, Brian Gehrke ("open")
  • 10-23-1975, Richard Cloud ("closed")
  • 10-26-1976, Candace Mossler ("closed")
  • 11-26-1976, T.A. Buchanan (“closed”)
  • 11-01-1978, Richard Setchel (“closed”)
  • 06-03-1978, Manson Hill (“closed”)
  • 01-28-1981, Mary Ann Bryan ("closed")
  • 05-20-1982, "John Doe" (Aboul-Hosn)
  • 11-05-1982, Robert Scharf ("closed")
  • 02-24-1984, Russell Rolnick / Alan Hirsch ("open")

TESTIMONIALS

Other Resources

MISSING PERSONS POSTER Statement of Robert Landry, 1968  Statement of John Newsom, 1972  Dade County Grand Jury Report Spring, 1965 Dade County Grand Jury Report Spring, 1966 Royal Canadian Mounted Police letter to CNA SYNDICATE IN THE SUN, BOOK, 1968 TRIBUTE TO MYRA FARR, VIDEO, 2011 SAMANTHA STEINBERG, FORENSIC ARTIST STATE v. HILL, 1968 CASE OPEN CASES: 1/3 OF MURDERS GO UNRESOLVED, 2015 NPR REPORT

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Roy O’Nan interview

Danny Goldman was kidnapped during a crescendo of crime and corruption that was dominating all official aspects of Dade County. This film from 1966 has Ralph Renick interviewing Roy O’Nan about his participation and ties to corruption, illegal gambling, and several major law enforcement agencies in Dade County.

Members of the Department's "upper echelon" engaged in various forms of corruption, managing crimes and criminals out of the Sheriff's "intelligence office." Those who didn't share the proceeds of crime or threatened to expose the conspiracy were eliminated through set-up shootings. High-ranking officers involved in the Goldman kidnapping investigation were controlled by organized crime figures who also dominated other branches of government and official offices, enabling them to manipulate the entire system.

By 1966, the collaboration between law enforcement, burglars, and organized crime evolved into a crime wave. However, the partnership became unstable due to pressures and threats. High-ranking police officials, who shared the proceeds from specific targets, worried about losing their cash flow. The risk of exposure by burglars testifying before grand juries and the perceived increase of criminals withholding their share of loot contributed to a dangerous situation filled with retribution and consequences.

Shootings were carried out to protect this significant source of income. In several strikingly similar cases, burglars were killed by county Sheriff's deputies or municipal police officers. Burglars were assigned specific thefts or invited to a "meeting," where deputies or officers waited inside. Often, neither party knew they were being directed by the same people. As burglars crossed the threshold, they were killed in a hail of gunfire.

Witness statements and physical evidence were collected but ignored by investigating authorities from the same sheriff's department. Records and statements made at the scenes indicated that as burglars entered, they were instantly killed without warning. Evidence suggests at least six burglars were killed as part of this manipulation and murder scheme led by high-ranking law enforcement officials.

Tommy Griffin in 1963 was seemingly the first of this series of murders. In 1966, as the pressure on the system intensified, at least five more of these planned events took place, claiming the lives of Arthur Dyas, John LaMedica, Alfred McCurdy, Christopher McCary, and Bobby Williams.

The period surrounding Danny Goldman's kidnapping and murder was fraught with danger, leaving numerous victims in its wake. This was part of activities stretching back to the 1950s, as conspiracies led by Santo Trafficante and Meyer Lansky sought control over gambling and other criminal ventures throughout Florida. Five decades later, the murders of innocent victims and criminals remain unsolved and officially ignored. At least four young people have been missing without adequate explanations or answers for decades. The civilian investigation has filled the void, bringing these cases to public awareness and moving them towards an honorable resolution.

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