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True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers

BLACK TUNNEL, WHITE MAGIC-Rick Jackson and Matthew McGough

True Murder: The Most Shocking Killers

Dan Zupansky

True Crime, News Commentary, Documentary, News, Society & Culture

42.7K Ratings

🗓️ 3 March 2025

⏱️ 68 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Detective Rick Jackson, a decorated LAPD detective and a key inspiration in the development of Harry Bosch, delivers a shocking and immersive look into the one case he could never let go. In June 1990, Ronald Baker, a straight-A UCLA student, was found repeatedly stabbed to death in a tunnel near Spahn Ranch, where Charles Manson and his followers once lived. Shortly thereafter, Detective Rick Jackson and his partner, Frank Garcia, were assigned the case. Yet the facts made no sense. Who would have a motive to kill Ron Baker in such a grisly manner? Was the proximity to the Manson ranch related to the murder? And what about the pentagram pendant Ron wore around his neck? Jackson and Garcia soon focused their investigation on Baker’s two male roommates, one black, and one white. What emerges is at once a story of confounding betrayal and cold-hearted intentions, as well as a larger portrait of an embattled Los Angeles, a city in the grip of the Satanic Panic and grappling with questions of racial injustice and police brutality in the wake of Rodney King. Rick Jackson, the now-retired police detective who helped inspire Michael Connelly’s beloved Harry Bosch, along with co-writer, Matthew McGough, take us through the events as he and his partner experienced them, piecing together the truth with each emerging clue. Black Tunnel White Magic is the true story of a murder in cold blood, deception and betrayal, and a city at the brink, set forth by the only man who could tell it. BLACK TUNNEL, WHITE MAGIC: A Murder, a Detective's Obsession, and 90's Los Angeles on the Brink-Rick Jackson and Matthew McGoughFollow and comment on Facebook-TRUE MURDER: The Most Shocking Killers in True Crime History   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064697978510 Check out TRUE MURDER PODCAST @ truemurderpodcast.com

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

You are now listening to True Murder, the most shocking killers in true crime history,

0:13.1

and the authors that have written about them.

0:15.8

Gacy, Bundy, Dahmer, The Nightstalker, BTK.

0:21.1

Every week, another fascinating author,

0:23.7

talking about the most shocking and infamous killers in true crime history.

0:27.9

True murder.

0:29.1

With your host, journalist and author, Dan Zufansky.

0:40.3

Good evening.

0:47.6

Detective Rick Jackson, a decorated LAPD detective and a key inspiration in the development of Harry Bosch, delivers a shocking and immersive look into the one case he could never let go.

0:55.0

In June 1990, Ronald Baker, a straight-A-U-CLA student,

1:01.0

was found repeatedly stabbed to death in a tunnel near Spawn Ranch,

1:06.0

where Charles Manson and his followers once lived.

1:10.0

Shortly thereafter, Detective Rick Jackson and his partner,

1:13.4

Frank Garcia, were assigned the case. Yet the facts made no sense. Who would have a motive to

1:21.2

kill Ron Baker in such a grisly manner? Was the proximity to the Manson Ranch related to the murder?

1:29.9

And what about the pentagram pendant Ron wore around his neck?

1:34.3

Jackson and Garcia soon focused their investigation on Baker's two male roommates, one

1:40.2

black and one white.

1:42.6

What emerges is at once a story of confounding betrayal and cool-hearted

1:46.8

intentions, as well as a larger portrait of an embattled Los Angeles, a city in the grip of the

1:54.4

satanic panic, and grappling with questions of racial injustice and police brutality in the wake of Rodney King.

2:04.1

Rick Jackson, the now retired police detective who helped inspire Michael Connolly's beloved Harry

...

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