Mar. 11, 1963 - Two former convicts confessed today to kidnapping two Hollywood police detectives, but each accused each the other of shooting one of the men to death. “Their stories follow right down the line, but when it comes to the murder, they each point to the other guy,” said Sgt. P.R. Brooks of the Los Angeles homicide bureau. Both suspects — Gregory Powell (right), 30, of Boulder City, Nev., and Jimmy Lee Smith (left), 32, of Los Angeles — were arrested within 24 hours after the kidnap-slaying. They admitted kidnapping Ian Campbell, 30, of Chatsworth and Karl Hettinger, 28, when the policemen stopped their car for a routine check Saturday night. Mr. Campbell, married and the father of two young daughters, was shot to death in a deserted onion field near Bakersfield, Calif. Mr. Hettinger escaped by zigzagging through brush and hiding in some weeds. Mr. Hettinger later related that he and his partner had stopped the suspects’ car because it fitted the description of a vehicle used in recent robberies. After being overpowered by the two armed criminals, Mr. Hettinger and Mr. Campbell were made to drive toward Bakersfield. About 25 miles south of Bakersfield, the two men were forced out of the car. Mr. Hettinger said Powell shot Mr. Campbell in the mouth. As he fled, Mr. Hettinger looked back and saw both men pumping bullets into Mr. Campbell’s body. Both suspects have extensive police records. They met in Los Angeles three weeks ago. Powell told Sergeant Brooks they had staged several robberies in the area recently.
