Just The Tip-sters

On January 15, 1988 in a semi-residential pocket in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, 25 year-old Catherine Braley – just recently relocated to Southern California from Iowa – was walking home from her job at a local specialty retail outlet when she decided to drop in to a local bar called The Hunter.  There she encountered three L.A. County Sheriff’s detectives – off-duty and out of their jurisdiction (this was LAPD territory) after attending a memorial service for a fallen colleague nearby.  After several hours of what all witnesses agreed was heavy drinking, Catherine and the three detectives departed the bar at around 11 pm.  Employees at the bar who peered through the windows at the foursome saw Catherine sitting in puddle in the parking lot, laughing.  Soon thereafter, the witnesses saw two of the detectives leave, leaving Catherine alone with one man – Detective Robert Mallen of the LA County Sheriff’s Department.  That was the last time anyone saw Catherine Braley alive.  Her battered body was found t