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10 Disturbing Things To Know About The Los Feliz Murders

On the night of 6^th December 1959, a gruesome murder took place in a posh mansion on Los Feliz hilltop, Los Angeles, the United States of America. Renowned Dr Harold Perelson murdered his wife before he took away his life. 50-year-old cardiologist, Dr Harold Perelson took the life of his 43-year-old wife Lilian Perelson and attempted to kill his 18-year-old daughter, Judy before killing himself.

The doctor and his family were living a normal life in the mansion they had acquired a few years before the crime. Dr Harold and his family lived a good life as he had bought his daughter a nice car and generally had a good public image. However, Dr Harold had a history of mental illness and was alleged to be using abusing some prescription medicine.

On that night, Dr Harold Perelson took a ball-pen hammer and bludgeoned his wife to death. He later went on to attack his 18-year-old daughter Judy who survived the ordeal. Later on, the doctor took his life by taking a concoction of water, acid, and tranquillizer pills.

After their deaths, their mansion remained in place and is still there to date. No one has ever lived in it as people believe it is haunted, but it is the private property of someone who purchased it and left his two cats living in it. Here are the 10 Disturbing Things To Know About The Los Feliz Murders:

1. The Assailant was a Decorated Cardiologist

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50-year-old Harold Perelson was a decorated career man and personality in his community, the Los Feliz hilltop community. He was a decorated cardiologist and physician.

Dr Perelson used to live a high life full of riches after battling with debts for several years before becoming stable. Neighbours of the Perelson family reported that they lived peacefully and never showed any signs of violence at the time leading to the murders.

2. Harold Perelson had Battled Mental Illness Before the Murders

Although he was a decorated cardiologist, Dr Harold Perelson had his own flaws which were found in some documents. A World War II draft card showed that Dr Harold had battled mental illness before the murders.

He was admitted to Temple Hospital after he had a brief psychiatric stint which he had developed by abusing prescription medicines. The time he spent at the mental facility is not that clear but he might have been there for quite some time.

He was abusing the drug Thorazine which brought about his mental health problems. Evidence showed that if there was proper management of mental illness in the 1950s, the doctor could have been redeemed from the condition.

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3.  The Doctor Bludgeoned his Wife using a Ball-pen Hammer

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On the night of 6^th December 1959, Dr Harold Perelson decided to commit the gruesome act of killing his wife. That night as his family was asleep, Harold reached out for his hammer which he might have planted near their bedroom.

He went ahead and bludgeoned his wife to death. It is believed that his wife died out of the trauma she received from the bludgeoning as well as choking on her blood.

4. Harold Attempted to Murder his Children but Failed

After killing his wife using the hammer, Dr Harold moved to his children’s rooms where he had wanted to kill them too. He began with his 18-year-old daughter Judy.

Judye, as she was commonly referred to was attacked by her father but managed to escape from the scene. The commotion which ensured from the attempted murder woke the other two children who survived the attack. Judy dashed out of their home to seek help after managing to escape from her father.

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5. Neighbours Heard Screams from the Perelson Mansion

The screams and commotion from the murder attack by Dr Harold Perelson woke up the other two children who survived the killing. After Judy managed to escape from her father’s attack, she rushed to their immediate neighbour who had previously baby-seated them.

The neighbour and other neighbours in the locality revealed that they heard the screams and commotion from the Perelson mansion. During the commotion, Dr Harold had told his two young children to go back to sleep as they were having bad dreams.

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6. Perelson Took His Life by Taking a Concoction of Water and a Fatal Dose of Nembutal

Photo by cottonbro studio:

After failing his mission of killing his children, Dr Harold Perelson had to inflict harm on himself. He decided to take his own life by taking a concoction of water and a fatal dose of Nembutal.

Nembutal is a prescription medicine that has bad side effects including death when overdosed. His body was found lying beside his wife’s body which was soaked in blood from the multiple head injuries. Dr Harold’s head was found wrapped in a polythene bag.

7. The Murders were Premeditated by Dr Harold Perelson

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The Los Feliz Murders were carried out in a gruesome manner that people had several unanswered questions. Dr Harold’s struggles with mental health issues and some financial strains later might have influenced his act of killing his wife and killing himself.

It was and is still believed that Dr Harold Perelson had planned and premeditated the murders. The scene of the murders clearly showed this as well as how he had planned to wipe out his children too.

8. The Mansion was Left Vacant for Several Years

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A Year later after the murders, the Perelson mansion was sold to Emily and Julian Enriquez. However, the couple never used the mansion to stay over, but they used it as a storage site. They were spotted taking boxes to the mansion but never lived nor spent a night there.

Rudy Enriquez inherited the mansion in 1994 and neither stayed nor changed the old decor. However, he claims to be regularly visiting the mansion to feed his two cats that live there.

9. Neatly-wrapped Gifts of the Perelsons can be Seen in the Mansion

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Years after the suicide-murder incident and change of ownership of the Perelsons mansion, some items still stand the way they were on a fateful night. Neighbours and some visitors have shared their tales after visiting the Los Feliz Murders mansion.

Through the windows, several items belonging to the Perelsons family can be seen. The 1950s-style television set, a Christmas tree, and neatly-wrapped gifts can be spotted in the unchanged living room of the mansion.

10. The Los Feliz Murders is One Popular True Crime Topic

The Los Feliz Murders became a popular topic for various true crime podcasts and a subject for various books. Several people have been tuning in to the podcasts that talk about these gruesome murders. However, the real reasons behind the brutal murder and suicide by Dr Harold Perelson have never been known after all these years.

Mental health issues have become a major problem in the current society as many people suffer without coming out clean. Some have committed self-harm, and others affected their families and people close to them. We should be mindful of people suffering from mental health issues.

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