The Lt. Columbo Forum

An area where fans from all over can ask each other questions and voice their own ideas and opinions on anything Columbo.

This Forum is fondly dedicated in memory of  "cassavetes45"  (Carleen Zink),
Columbo's greatest fan and a great friend to us all.
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The Lt. Columbo Forum
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Female Murderers 2 Questions

Does anybody know how many killers in the series were female? I'm curious of the ratio.

Secondly, do you find that the female killers are more cocky than the guys? And some of the motives are definitely out there. For instance, Kay Freestone killing Mark because she didn't get the job. But then again she would not have been able to handle that job in the first place although she thought she could.

Re: Female Murderers 2 Questions

I don't know about "cocky," but Ruth Lytton has kind of a superior way around Columbo.

And of course Leslie Williams eventually has one. She even makes fun of his tricks -
"You've gone from insinuations to vaudeville!"

Re: Female Murderers 2 Questions

I quickly scanned and thought I counted 12 females out of all 69 episodes. Didn't count "Dagger of the Mind" or a conspirator like Nancy Brower in "Death Hits the Jackpot"....I would say that Kay Freestone easily was the most cold-blooded, cocky killer.

Re: Female Murderers 2 Questions

12 sounds right. I just did a recap myself and I believe that is the right answer. There is a killing in the last episode, Columbo likes The Nightlife however in my opinion Vanessa Farrow is guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Not murder.

Re: Female Murderers 2 Questions

When it comes to "cocky," Beth Chadwick becomes that way overnight, but in a GENERAL way, not so much when it comes to the murder investigation. About the closest she comes to being that way with Columbo himself is telling him to go get an indictment if he thinks he can.

Re: Female Murderers 2 Questions

Mark MacAndrews
I quickly scanned and thought I counted 12 females out of all 69 episodes. Didn't count "Dagger of the Mind" or a conspirator like Nancy Brower in "Death Hits the Jackpot"....I would say that Kay Freestone easily was the most cold-blooded, cocky killer.
Kay Freestone is also one of the most stoic killers in the Series, she keeps her cool all the way through the episode and only loses it briefly in the scene when Columbo is harassing her on the tv monitors. Even when she is being fired she keeps cool ''you'll be wanting me back sometime'' and at the end when its all over she still keeps her cool ''i'll fight, i'll survive, i might even win''

Re: Female Murderers 2 Questions

I mention her a lot, but Leslie Williams is great at being sure of herself without "advertising" it a whole lot. Like when Columbo finds out she's a pilot.
Columbo:"No kidding?"
Leslie: "No kidding."
And she just leaves it at that.