Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-28
The GoIindez Story
Is First-Rote Thriller

Eagle Scout. In 1919. he moved
with his parents and three sisters
to Eugene.
While still In high school, he de-
veloped q passion for flying. He
soloed when he was Is.
Tells Of Chartered Flight
He was rejected by the armed
forces and the airlines because
Of poor eyesight. He then enrolled
first in the University OF Oregon,
oregon State College and the Uni
versity of Washington, working to-
ward degree in aeronautical engi-
neering. In November. 1855, he
left Oregon for a drafting job in
Miami, Fla. and part-time work
at an air taxi service there.
Five months later-early in
March, 1956-he told his airport
employer. that he had contracted
to fly a special charter flight "for
some big wheels from the Do
minican Republic"
On March S, Mr.. Murphy rented
twin-engine plane at Linden,
N. j.. for $500 in cash. His where
abouts from March 5 to March IL
are unknown. But on the morning
Of March 12-at 9:44 a.m.-he
was cleared for takeof from an
airfleld in Newark. He had filed
flight plan for Miami and listed
no passengers.
"The plane landed. not in Miami,
but at an Amityville. Long Island,
airport" Mr.. Porter says, without
revealing his sources.
Early on the morning of March
Is, Mr.. Murphy landed at Lantana
Airport near West Palm Beach, Fla.
There he bought sos worth Of gas
and took of again.
A few days later. he was back in
Miami. He told friends he had
flown wealthy invalid" from New
York to Tampa. His co-workers
noted he suddenly was loaded with
money" He bought a brand new
convertible. for which he paid cash
$500.
Got Dominieon Job
A month later, Mr.. Murphy quit
his job in Miami. announcing that
he'd gotten better-paying Job
flying for the Compania Dominic
cana de Aviacion (the Dominican
national airline) out of Cuidad Tru-
jillo.
From the Dominican Republic, he
wrote his parents that he was earn
ing $500 a month plus overtime in
his new job. Standard pay for other
pilots in his status was $3.50 a
month. He had become engaged to
a Pan American Airlines steward
ess whose flights sometimes per-
mitted her to stop of at Ciudad
Trujillo.
But within six months, Mr..
Murphy seems to have had a
change Of heart about his new
job. On November II he wrote
his parents that he was coming
back to the United States. Two
days later he resigned from CDA.
On the afternoon of December 3,
Mr.. Murphy met his f1ancee at the
Ciudad Trujillo airport. He told
her he had an appointment at S
pm. that day at Trujillo's palace;
that he would see her in Miami
in few days.
The next morning. Mr.. Murphy's
car was found abandoned on a
cliff overlooking shark-filled waters.
Immediately, the Dominican gov
eminent started search. And two
weeks later, Octavio de la Maza, a
Dominican airlines pilot who had
flown with Murphy, was picked up
for questioning.
Wos the Note Genuine?
On January 2. Mr.. de la Maza
was found hanged in his cell. A
note addressed to his wife was
found near the body. It intimated
that he and Mr.. Murphy had been
drinking together. that Murphy
had made homosexual advances.
they fought and Mr.. Murphy fell
into the water. A translation of
the note concludes:
You know that this American
left tthe airline) because he was a
rumor monger and a traitor he
offended me personally and he tried
to strike me and I gave him blow
in the face and he fell into the
water. I could not save him.
For this reason, remorse is killing
me and that is why 1 am putting
an end to my life. Pardon me. Since
l denied all this to the law l have
wished to make the confession to
YOU"
The United States State Depart
ment challenges-diplomatically but
firmly-the suicide note as well 81
other points in the Dominican ex-
PLANTATION.
In a recent dispatch to the Do
minicans. the United States En-
bassy in Ciudad Trujillo stated:
From an examination of these
documents and other evidence. this
Government has concluded that if
the specimens of handwriting sub
mitted by the Dominican authorities
as being Of Mr.. de la Maza are actu-
ally his. then the suicide note was
not written by Mr.. De la Maza."