The gruesome murder of 22-year-old Cheryl Pervaler in the parking lot of Castilian Apartments in Burbank, California, still poses unanswered questions for investigators.

Cheryl Pervaler was found shot and beaten in her car in the Castilian Apartments parking lot in Burbank, California on April 20, 1968.

Neighbors John Miller and his wife discovered Cheryl Pervaler in her car which had the engine running, the radio playing, and the headlights on. Initially, they did not notice Cheryl until they heard a low guttural moan. Cheryl was sitting in the front seat, gasping for air, and bleeding heavily from head and chest wounds.

Upon realizing Cheryl was in the car and had been beaten, John Miller promptly called for help. Another neighbor, Larry Beauregard, expressed surprise upon learning of the incident but indicated prior knowledge of gunshots.

Neighbors called the police after finding Cheryl barely conscious and bleeding heavily from her head and chest wounds.

Neighbors proceeded to call the police after finding Cheryl. Paramedics arrived at the scene and swiftly rushed Cheryl to Burbank hospital. Due to the severity of her injuries, she was later transferred to the Los Angeles County hospital, where she tragically passed away during surgery preparation.

The crime scene left investigators with many unanswered questions.

Detective Lieutenant Dave McIntyre found a 32 caliber automatic pistol with "Love Paul" engraved on it lying on the passenger seat; however, it had not been fired. Cheryl's purse, with $35 inside, was found on the front seat, and two 25 caliber shells were on the floor of the driver's seat.

The victim's husband, Paul Prevailer, was questioned, but his whereabouts could not be definitively placed at the time of the murder.

The engraved pistol at the scene hinted at ...

Paul Prevailer’s past is marred by grievous misconduct, including being discharged from the LAPD, domestic violence, and implication in murder investigations.

Paul Prevailer had a troubled past, including a dismissal from the LAPD and a history of domestic abuse.

Paul's tenure with the LAPD came to an end when he was discharged for assisting a friend's roommate in obtaining an illegal abortion. Following his dismissal, his behavior took a troubling turn. Layla, Paul's first wife, observed a distinct change in his demeanor after their marriage. He became irritable and favored spending time alone with his firearms over being with her.

Paul was discharged from the LAPD after helping a friend's roommate obtain an illegal abortion.

After being fired from the LAPD, Paul's actions spiraled downwards as he moved from one scheme to another, squandering both his and Layla's funds.

Paul was violently abusive towards his first wife Layla, including an incident where he beat her until she lost consciousness.

Paul's violent outburst towards Layla reached a peak when he ferociously attacked her, causing her to be hospitalized with severe injuries to her head and face. He was stopped only by the approach of another car. The evidence detailed by Layla provided detectives insight into Paul's propensity for violence and his potential involvement in his current wife Cheryl's death.

Layla also survived two suspicious hit-and-run incidents she believed Paul had orchestrated.

After the car assault, in which Christina was an accomplice, helping Paul to escape the scene, Layla was the victim of two hit-and-run incidents. She was seriously injured in both cases and suspected Paul was behind these attacks. These incidents followed Layla's brutal assault and cumulatively netted Paul an insurance payout of $10,000.

Paul had also been involved in other serious crimes, including the murder of Marlon Cromwell.

Marlon Cromwell was found dead, shot multiple times in a burning house. Evidence suggested that the killer had used a bloodied towel as an improvised silencer and set the fire in an attempt to destroy any incriminating evidence.

Marlon Cromwell was found shot multiple times in ...

A complex circumstantial case implicates Paul and Christina in the murders of Cheryl Prevailer and Marlon Cromwell. Investigators uncovered connections that suggest the pair played crucial roles in these crimes, despite direct evidence remaining elusive.

Investigators discovered connections between Paul, Christina, and the murders of Cheryl Prevailer and Marlon Cromwell.

Christina and Paul were having an affair and worked together at an insurance company.

Detectives pieced together that Christina and Paul Prevailer were colleagues at the same insurance company. Co-workers witnessed a significant change in Christina's appearance, which they suspected was influenced by Paul, indicating they shared a close personal relationship. Although Paul admitted to dating Christina, he downplayed their affair as being non-serious.

Shortly after each murder, funds from the victim's life insurance policies were transferred between Paul and Christina.

Investigators focused on financial transactions following the murders, which revealed that funds from life insurance policies were moved between Paul and Christina, aligning with the timing of the deaths. Prosecutors noted that the deaths were carried out in a manner akin to planned executions, with Paul implicated in the death of his wife Cheryl by instigating events, though he may not have physically committed the act. Cheryl's insurance policy, started a few months before her death, included a payout that was doubled due to the circumstances of her death, which were deemed accidental or due to murder.

Despite the lack of direct evidence, the prosecution built a strong circumstantial case against Paul and Christina.

The prosecution assembled a case founded on circumstantial evidence, comprising over 30 witness statements and significant bank transfers, leading to a grand jury's indictment on all charges. Their overarching strategy linked the insurance policy gains to the motivations for murder, proposing that those benefiting from the policies should bear similar responsibility to the actual perpetrator.

Witness testimony from Paul's coworker Alan Halvorson further corrobora ...

The high-profile trial of Paul Prevailer and Christina Cromwell garnered significant attention due to its duration, the volume of witnesses, complex evidence, and surprising outcomes.

The high-profile trial of Paul Prevailer and Christina Cromwell lasted nearly 3 months.

The prosecution presented over 100 witnesses and a large amount of complicated circumstantial evidence.

The trial extended almost three months, with over 100 witnesses taking the stand and the prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi presenting complicated circumstantial evidence. The focus was on suspicious bank transfers following each murder, implicating Paul's involvement. Evidence was compelling enough for Bugliosi to proceed despite its circumstantial nature.

The defense attempted to place blame on each other, with Paul's lawyer arguing Christina orchestrated the murders and Christina's lawyer claiming she was manipulated by Paul.

Paul Prevailer and Christina Cromwell employed separate defense strategies, each attempting to place the blame on the other—Paul's lawyer contended that Christina was the mastermind behind the murders, while Christina's advocate portrayed her as a manipulated figure. Additionally, Paul's lawyer accused main prosecution witness Alan Halvorson of committing one of the murders, a claim that was rejected.

In the end, the jury found both Paul and Christina guilty on multiple counts of murder.

Despite inappropriate court behavior from Paul and questionable attire from Christina during the trial, the jury was unpersuaded by the defenses. Paul was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder, while Christina was convicted for the murder of her husband Marlon Cromwell.

Paul was sentenced to death in the gas chamber, even though he was not proven to be the direct perpetrator of the killings.

Paul Prevailer was handed down a death sentence in the gas chamber. This sentence was significant as it was imposed even though he was not definitively proven to be the one who directly carried out the killings.

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