Fifth Generation

141. Geneva Odelia "Jean" HILLIKER was born on 15 April 1915 in Greenfield Township, Monroe County, WI.^5,22 She appeared in the census in 1930 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁹ She died on 22 June 1958 at the age of 43 in El Monte, Los Angeles County, CA.¹²⁰
Internet Website Article: The body of Geneva “Jean” Hilliker Ellroy was discovered at approximately 10:00 am on Sunday, 06/22/58. Her body had been dumped in an ivy patch just a few inches shy of the curb near the playing field at Arroyo High school in the small city of El Monte, California. Officers from the El Monte Police Department arrived at the scene at approximately 10:15 am. According to Ellroy, they noted the following:

“It was a female Caucasian. She was fair-skinned and red-headed. She was approximately 40 years of age. She was lying flat on her back… Her right arm was bent upward. Her right arm was resting a few inches above her head. Her left arm was bent at the elbow and draped across her midriff. Her left hand was clenched. Her legs were outstretched.

She was wearing a scoop-front, sleeveless, light and dark blue dress. A dark blue overcoat with a matching lining was spread over her lower body.

Her feet and ankles were visible. Her right foot was bare. A nylon stocking was bunched up around her left ankle.

Her dress was dishevelled. Insect bites covered her arms. He face was bruised and her tongue was protruding. Her brassiere was unfastened and hiked above her breasts. A nylon stocking and a cotton cord were lashed around her neck. Both ligatures were tightly knotted.” (Ellroy 1996:4-5)

The officers on the scene noted something else, “…the odd position of the body. It looked haphazard and fastidious.” (Ellroy 1996:5)

At approximately 12:00 pm detectives from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department arrived on the scene. The investigation of homicide in El Monte city was contracted to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau. Shortly after the arrival of the detectives from the L.A.S.D. a deputy from the coroner’s office made the scene.

He examined the body and made the following observations:

“…the coroner’s deputy lifted the coat off the victim’s lower body.

She was not wearing a slip, a girdle or panties. Her dress was pushed up above her hips. No panties and no shoes. That one stocking down her left ankle. Bruises and small lacerations on the insides of her thighs. An asphalt drag mark on her left hip.

…He had the body stripped and positioned face up on his gurney.

There was a small amount of dried blood on the victim’s right palm. There was a small laceration near the centre of the victim’s forehead.

The victim’s right nipple was missing. The surrounding areola was creased with white scar tissue. It appeared to be an old surgical amputation.

The coroner’s deputy took a scalpel and made a deep six-inch-long incision in the victim’s abdomen. He parted the flaps with his fingers, jabbed a meat thermometer into the liver and got a reading of 90 degrees. He called the time of death as 3:00 to 5:00 am.” (Ellroy 1996:5-7)

The detectives searched the immediate area. They did not find any of the missing articles of clothing. They could not locate any tire marks or drag marks. The ivy around the body did not appear to be trampled.

A dispatch was made to the local radio stations:

“Dead white woman found. Forty/red hair/hazel eyes/5’6”/135 lbs. Direct potential informants to the El Monte PD and Temple City Sheriff’s office…” (Ellroy 1996:8-9)

Later that afternoon a woman came forward. Her name was Anna May Krycki, she had heard the radio bulletin and called the El Monte PD. She told the dispatcher that the dead woman sounded like her tenant, Jean Ellroy. Two officers were sent to interview Mrs. Krycki. The officers described the clothing worn by the victim. Mrs. Krycki stated that it sounded like Jean’s favourite outfit. The officers mentioned the scar on Ms. Ellroy’s right nipple. Mrs. Krycki stated that Jean had showed her that scar. The officers sent a patrol car to find the detectives from the L.A.S.D. assigned to the case. They arrived within twenty minutes and continued the interview with Mrs. Krycki.

According to Mrs. Krycki, Jean Ellroy was a registered nurse. She had been divorced for several years. She lived with her son in a small bungalow that she rented from Mrs. Krycki and her husband. She and her ten-year-old son had been living there for approximately four months. The son spent weekdays with his mother and weekends with his father. The boy was with his father at the moment. She had spoken to Jean briefly Saturday night, but she did not discuss her plans for the evening. She stated that she had seen Jean drive off in her car, alone, at approximately 8:00 pm Saturday night. As far as she knew Jean was a private woman who did not have much of a social life. She kept men and alcohol to a minimum.

Mrs. Krycki and her husband were asked to accompany the detectives to the Los Angeles County Morgue to identify the body.

Later that day, Jean Ellroy’s car was found behind a bar called the Desert Inn. The Desert Inn was located two miles from the dump site and about one mile from the victim’s house. The car was searched. It appeared to be in pristine condition. The victim’s keys, purse, underwear, and shoes were not in the car. They did find six empty beer bottles, wrapped in brown paper and tied with string.

The victim’s ex-husband and son were tracked down around 6:30 pm, Sunday afternoon. The husband’s name was Armand Ellroy. He was about sixty years old. When questioned about his ex-wife it became apparent that there was no love lost between them. They’d married in 1940, divorced in 1954. When questioned on his ex-wife’s social life Ellroy stated that she was a secretive woman. He that said she lied when it suited her, was promiscuous, and an alcoholic. He figured that her recent move to El Monte was a “run from or run to some lowlife she was seeing.” (Ellroy 1996:15) He went on to state that his son had caught her in bed with strange men several times. (Armand Ellroy was never considered a suspect.)

The victim’s son was named Lee Earle Ellroy. He seemed to be holding up OK.

An autopsy was performed. The cause of death was ascribed to “asphyxia due to strangulation by ligature.” (Ellroy1996:28) He discovered that the victim was in her menstrual phase. A tampon was in place at the rear of the vaginal vault. He took a smear for spermatozoa, it came back positive. When he shaved the victim’s head he noted that the tissues of the victim’s head were “Intensely cyanotic and suffused with dark bluish-purple discoloration.” (Ellroy 1996:29) When he examined the contents of her stomach he found whole kidney beans, bits of meat, masses that appeared to be carrots or squash, and a mass that appeared to be some form of cheese. A toxicology screen returned a blood alcohol level of .08%.

In his report the medical examiner stated that she had been struck in the head six times or more and was possibly unconscious when strangled. The condition of the contents of her stomach placed her last meal one to two hours before he death. He stated that the meal probably consisted of some sort of “Mexican-type” food. (Ellroy 1996:31) She had engaged in sexual intercourse at some time during the evening of her death.

As the investigation progressed, using witness accounts, the detectives assigned to the case were able to piece together what appears to be a fairly plausible chronology of the events that lead up to Jean Ellroy’s murder:

According to Mary Kay Krycki, Jean Ellroy left her house at approximately 8:00 pm on Saturday evening 06/21/58. She was next seen by a waitress at the Momma Mia restaurant at “around” 8:00pm. The waitress stated that she appeared to be “looking for someone.” (Ellroy 1996:360) She was next seen at a bar called the Desert Inn. Patrons who identified her stated that she arrived alone “about eight o’clock.” (Ellroy 1999:57) She was joined by a man and woman. The witnesses at the bar stated that neither Jean Ellroy nor her companions were ‘regulars.’ The man was described as a swarthy Caucasian or possibly a Mexican, approximately forty years old, 5’8”-6’ tall, with straight dark hair slicked back into a widow’s peak. The woman was described as being white, “hippy or broad across the hips” (Ellroy 1996:47), with “dishwater blond hair” (Ellroy 1996:47) pulled back into a ponytail, they estimated her age to be late-twenties. The patrons stated that both women seemed familiar with the Swarthy Man.

Jean Ellroy was next sighted at a place called Stan’s Drive In by a car-hop named Lavonne Chambers. Ms. Chambers served Jean Ellroy on two occasions that night. The first time, she and the Swarthy Man arrived at around 10:20 pm. They pulled up in a two-tone green ’55 or ’56 Oldsmobile. (Not Jean Ellroy’s car.) Jean ordered a grilled cheese sandwich. The Swarthy Man ordered a coffee. Ms. Chambers noted that Jean was in quite a good mood and appeared to be intoxicated. The Swarthy Man appeared to be sober. She did not see them leave.

Ms. Chambers served them again at approximately 2:15 am. Jean Ellroy ordered a cup of coffee and a bowl of chilli. Again, the Swarthy Man just ordered a coffee. Jean Ellroy appeared to be quite drunk, but still in a good mood. Her clothing was dishevelled. Ms. Chambers stated that she “could see practically the whole breast, (on) one side.” (Ellroy 1996:64) She described the Swarthy Man as acting “very bored.” (Ellroy 1996:65) They paid and left. It was the last time Jean Ellroy was seen alive. The “Blond Woman” and “Swarthy Man” were never identified, despite the efforts of the L.A.S.D. Detectives in 1958-59 and James Ellroy’s re-investigation from 1994-on.

Geneva Odelia "Jean" HILLIKER and Armand ELLROY were married on 29 August 1947 in Ventura County, CA.^25,120,121 They^25,120,121 were divorced in 1954.¹²⁰ Armand ELLROY was born about 1898.¹²⁰ He died on 4 June 1965 at the age of 67.¹²¹

Geneva Odelia "Jean" HILLIKER and Armand ELLROY had the following children: