From Chapter 2: The phone rang at 1:05 the morning of June 13, 1994. I woke up and went into the kitchen to answer it, knowing full well it probably wasn't a social call. I immediately recognized the voice of Ron Phillips, my good friend and boss in West LA Homicide. "We've got a double homicide," he said. "One of the victims might be the wife of O.J. Simpson." I wasn't on call to handle a homicide that weekend, but I knew that if Ron called me, he needed the extra help.

We agreed to meet at the station, gather our gear, and get a car. On the drive over, I went through a mental checklist, as I often do. What would I need at the scene? What particular problems does a double homicide present? By anticipating certain challenges, I thought I would be better prepared to meet them. But there was no way to prepare for the case I was about to get involved in. Ron and I met at the station shortly before 2:00 a.m. We got our briefcases, flashlights, and other gear, then drove to the crime scene at 875 South Bundy Drive, arriving at 2:10. Two black and white police vehicles were parked in the middle of the street.

My friend Sergeant Marty Coon was standing nearby with Sergeant Dave Rossi, the West LA watch commander. Officer Robert Riske had been the first on the scene. I knew Riske only casually from previous arrests, but my impression was that he was quiet, professional, and competent. His performance at this crime scene did not disappoint me. He did an outstanding job under the circumstances. Riske told us how he had discovered the victims' bodies, where he had been, and what he had seen. Even without Riske's direction, it was easy to see the blood-stained sidewalk and large canine paw prints in red leading away from the residence.