Dr. Mayfield from A Stitch in Crime tried to murder 3 people. He was successful in two, but dear old Heidleman survived the ordeal. Funny that Columbo never tried to pursue Alexander's murder. Guess he was hell-bent on convicting Mayfield of the murder of the nurse.

Indeed, but you can only hang a man once. We know Columbo had iron clad proof for one, and that was all he needed ... like in "Murder by the Book" and any case where the murderer kills (or attempts to kill) more than once.

Did Harry Alexander actually die? That fall was just not convincing as fatal.

I would say he died, probably from a combo of the fall and the overdose.

He had to have died, otherwise he would have told Columbo that somebody had been waiting for him in his apartment and attacked him, and Columbo would have brought this up to Mayfield.

speaking of how harry alexander would have reported the attempted murder if he had lived....

i just wrote this recently in another post, but it always bothered me that joanne nichols in "how to dial a murder" didn't immediately tell columbo that eric mason had his hands around her neck in such a threatening manner.

Maybe she was uncertain about what Eric's intentions actually were. The first time I saw this episode, I didn't pick up on the possibiiity of attempted murder...I thought that Eric was just trying to emphasize his point. It wasn't until I read other comments that I saw the other interpretation.

But I guess she does sense some danger because she did leave the house shortly after that.

i thought the same thing E..and i didn't think she felt that it was an endangerment to her.........and we must remember that she was in love with him and she was portrayed as an innocent and naive soul..trying to make hot chocolate with columbo and hugging her teddy.