“I Think They’ve Killed Marilyn”
A little before 6 a.m., the mayor of Bay Village, Spencer Houk, received a disturbing phone call. On the other end of the line was his good friend, Sam Sheppard. Short of breath and sounding more frazzled than ever, Sam exclaimed, “My God Spence! Get over here quick. I think they’ve killed Marilyn.”
Mayor J. Spencer Houk. Photo by Bettmann/Getty Images
Houk and his wife Esther drove as quickly as they could to the Sheppard’s home, where they found Sam, white as a ghost, rocking back and forth in his swivel chair, holding onto his neck as if it were to tumble off him if he were to let go of it.