Thelma Todd, a renowned star from the golden era of Hollywood, met her untimely demise on a fateful Sunday between 5AM and 8AM.
The cause of death, as determined by the coroner, was carbon monoxide poisoning.
When Thelma was discovered, her car was still running, but it had run out of gas.
Interestingly, she was found wearing the same clothes she had worn to a party on Saturday night.
However, her stomach contained peas and carrots, which were not served at Cafe Trocadero, where the party took place.
Another perplexing piece of evidence is Thelma’s immaculately styled hair.
Despite the strong winds that night, her hair showed no signs of being disheveled.
The distance between the location where she was dropped off and where she was found dead was quite substantial.
If Thelma had indeed walked from the drop-off point to the garage, she would have faced a challenging journey.
She would have had to either ascend over 270 stairs or navigate through dark and hilly streets.
However, her shoes showed no dirt or damage that would be expected from such a walk.
Furthermore, her feet were clean and her stockings remained undamaged, indicating that she did not attempt to walk barefoot.
These peculiarities ignited suspicion among people, leading them to question whether Thelma had actually made the walk or if someone had placed her there.
Adding to the mystery, it was discovered that she had a broken nose.
One theory suggested that she may have been locked out and sought shelter in her car until morning.
However, the presence of her key in her handbag raised doubts about this possibility.
Could this tragedy have been a terrible accident?
Some reports even mentioned the possibility of a stroke or heart attack, implying natural causes.
Yet, the evidence fails to align with any of these explanations.
Considering suicide as a potential explanation, it seems difficult for many to believe.
According to Thelma’s friends, her behavior indicated a promising future and excitement about her cafe.
Moreover, her car was filled with Christmas gifts intended for loved ones when she was found.
The absence of a suicide note, along with her broken nose, which would be challenging to self-inflict, cast doubt on this theory.
It prompts one to wonder if she was the victim of foul play, but by whom?
If Thelma Todd’s demise was neither accidental nor a result of suicide, the remaining possibilities are murder or natural causes.
The primary suspect in this case was her ex-husband, Pat DiCicco.
Rumors and inconsistencies quickly emerged, leading fingers to point at Pat.
Besides being a producer, Pat had ties to the mob and a close association with the infamous gangster, Lucky Luciano.
The duo had intended to establish an illegal gambling parlor on the third floor of Thelma’s cafe, but she adamantly