Surveillance Log

(Between March 9 and 16, a detective working for D Magazine followed Miss Sweeney. Here is the detective’s report.)



3/9/81

7:00 a.m. The subject’s black over white Cadillac, Texas license HRG-14, was parked under the carport.

There was no activity whatsoever observed throughout the day.



3/10/81

8:00 a.m. Surveillance commenced.

9:20 a.m. The subject left her apartment, went out to her car then returned to her apartment. She then came out again with a brown grocery sack and put it in the garbage can. (She was wearing a brownish coat and carrying a blue bag.) The subject then entered her automobile and had a lot of difficulty backing out of the carport. She appeared to be going to work, then she turned off Turtle Creek and took Maple Avenue to Oak Lawn, out Oak Lawn to Industrial, then took the viaduct into Oak Cliff. She got off at Beckley and wound around in the hills of Oak Cliff. It was very evident she didn’t know where she was going or how to get there. Finally she went back to where she started out, crossed under the turnpike, and stayed on the service road; then went back under the turnpike and stopped at “Bob Rice Photo,” arriving there at 10:09 a.m. She parked in front, exited her vehicle, and entered the shop.

10:14 a.m. The subject returned to her car with what appeared to be a flat package. She entered her automobile and left the area going a more direct way to downtown Dallas. She parked her car in the Times Herald parking lot at Griffin and San Jacinto and proceeded across the street to the Times Herald building, arriving at exactly 10:32 a.m.

10:32 a.m. Surveillance discontinued at this time.

7:32 p.m. The subject came out of the Times Herald building and entered her automobile. She proceeded to Central Expressway and continued on to the Safeway store in Snyder Plaza. She arrived at Safeway at 7:50 p.m., made a few purchases, then entered her car again at 8:10 p.m. She drove directly to her home, arriving there at 8:13 p.m.

9:00 p.m. Surveillance discontinued.



3/11/81

5:00 p.m. Subject’s car was not in the parking lot at the Times Herald. A check was made at subject’s residence, and her car was not located. (It was known the subject was scheduled to go to the Anatole Hotel at 7:00 p.m.)

7:20 p.m. Surveillance at the Anatole Hotel revealed Mike Smith, photographer for the Times Herald, was to cover an affair at the hotel with Julia Sweeney. Smith was present at this time; Sweeney had not yet arrived.

7:40 p.m. Subject arrived at Anatole Hotel with an unidentified male. Both were dressed in formal attire. The subject met her photographer at the registration table and they immediately “swung into action.” She was taking notes and Smith, the photographer, was taking pictures. They all milled around until the cocktail hour was over, and at this time, 8:30 p.m., Smith left the party. The subject and her unidentified escort remained for the dinner, fashion show, and auction, all of which took place behind closed doors in the Grand Ballroom. This affair was put on by the Norwood Insitute.

11:00 p.m. The subject and unidentified escort left the ballroom and walked to her parked car where he held the door for her, then got behind the wheel. (It was noted while the subject and companion were in the hotel she had left the blinkers on in her vehicle.) When the subject and her companion came through the lobby of the hotel they appeared to be enjoying the evening; both were laughing and talking. He did not hold her hand or display any affection. This unidentified male was described as 5’11″, 170 lbs., with brown hair, long nose; nice looking.

11:25 p.m. Subject and her escort arrived at subject’s residence, parked under her carport, and he walked her to her door (showed no display of affection). Then he departed the area, after entering a 1974 Toyota which was parked on the street, bearing Texas license WQM-276.

Note: Texas Department of Public Safety records reflect WQM-276 is a 1974 Toyota registered to Clifton D. Zwirner, Dallas.

11:30 p.m. Surveillance discontinued.



3/12/81

8:00 a.m. Surveillance commenced.

10:38 a.m. Subject left her apartment and proceeded directly to the Times Herald, arriving in the parking lot at 11:01 a.m. Today she was wearing something tan-orange with jacket and carrying blue canvas bag.

11:30 a.m. Surveillance discontinued until 5:00 p.m.

5:00 p.m. Surveillance commenced at Times Herald parking lot.

5:31 p.m. Subject came out of Times Herald, entered her vehicle alone and drove directly to her apartment, arriving at 5:45 p.m.

6:40 p.m. An unidentified male arrived at subject’s apartment, and they both left in a 1980 Camaro, Texas license, VUM-735. He was described as 6’, 190 lbs., dark hair, grey at temples, mustache, middle-aged. They departed the area at 6:45 p.m.

Note: Texas Department of Public Safety records reflect Texas license VUM-735 is registered to Winn Morton, Lancaster, Texas. He is a theatrical designer with offices in The Quadrangle.

7:00 p.m. Subject and her companion arrived at the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Plack Carr. This home sits far back into the woods and there was a valet out on Forest Lane with a flashlight to direct the cars into the grounds. Another valet was at the home to show people where to park. This gathering had something to do with the fine arts.

9:03 p.m. The subject and her male friend departed the area and proceeded to Swensen’s Ice Cream Factory on Oak Lawn Avenue, and Blackburn, where they entered and sat in a booth at the front.

9:45 p.m. Subject and male companion left Swensen’s and drove directly to her apartment. He parked in front of the apartment, walked her back to her apartment, and both went inside.

9:55 p.m. Subject’s male companion left the apartment alone, entered his vehicle, and departed the area.



3/13/81

9:00 a.m. Surveillance commenced.

11:01 a.m. The subject came out of her apartment, entered her vehicle, and proceeded directly to the Dallas Times Herald parking area. She arrived there at 11:24 a.m.

11:30 a.m. Surveillance discontinued until later in the day.

5:00 p.m. Surveillance initiated in the Times Herald parking lot where subject’s car can be viewed.

6:45 p.m. The subject came out of Times Herald building, entered her car, and went directly to her home arriving at 7:06 p.m.

7:35 p.m. Subject and her sister, Caroline, left in subject’s car and proceeded to Hillcrest, then to Forest Lane and turned off Forest Lane onto Stults. They proceeded to Roundrock and then to a residence on Hanford, arriving there at 7:55 p.m. Both got out of the vehicle and entered this home. (This is the home of David and Nancy Wells.)

9:48 p.m. The subject and sister left the residence Hanford and the couple living there walked them out to the car and stood talking a couple of minutes. The subject and her sister left the area and arrived at their home at 10:05 p.m., parked in the carport, and entered their apartment.

10:30 p.m. Surveillance discontinued.



3/14/81

10:00 a.m. Subject was observed leaving her apartment in her vehicle. She turned left on Mockingbird Lane and due to heavy traffic and the stop light the investigator was unable to follow her. Every effort was made to locate her in the area, however she could not be found.

2:45 p.m. The subject arrived back at her apartment and appeared to have had her hair done. (A second investigator was called in.)

5:01 p.m. The subject left her apartment and went to the Dallas Country Club, arriving at 5:05 p.m. (This function is the Avon Tennis cocktail party.)

5:45 p.m. The subject left the Dallas Country Club and proceeded to the Fairmont Hotel, where she parked in the outside parking area behind the hotel, arriving at 6:03 p.m. She entered the hotel alone to attend a cerebral palsy cocktail party. Shortly after the subject arrived, a man identified as Andy Hanson (her photographer) also arrived. He drives a grey Cutlass and was wearing a dark suit, white shirt, etc. The party was held in the International Room on the main floor.

6:30 p.m. The subject left the Fairmont Hotel alone, entered her automobile, and returned to her residence, arriving at 6:43 p.m.

7:46 p.m. The subject left her residence with an unidentified male driving a 1980 Cadillac, Texas license VUH-128. This person appeared to be about 6’ tall, weighing 190 lbs. with dark hair. They arrived at the Bent Tree Country Club at 8:15 p.m. Investigator was unable to get in close enough for a better description of subject’s male companion.

Note: Texas Department of Public Safety records indicated Texas license VUH-128 is registered to Thomas E. Carr II, Dallas.

The function at the Bent Tree Country Club was a play, dinner, and dance. The theme must have been Arabian Nights because the boys parking cars were wearing sheik headgear and robes, and there were animals tied in front of the entry. It was learned this affair would not end until approximately 2:00 a.m.

Sometime between 12:45 a.m. and 1:40 a.m. the automobile with Texas license VUH-128 was missing from the parking area. They apparently had departed by a different exit. The parking area was checked thoroughly in the event the valets had moved the automobile. However, it could not be located.



3/15/81

2:05 a.m. Investigators proceeded back to the subject’s apartment and all lights were off in the apartment, including the front porch light which had been burning when the subject left her apartment earlier in the evening.



3/16/81

11:00 a.m. Surveillance commenced. No activity was observed at this time in or around the subject’s apartment.