The Amita Buddha Matter

Originally Aired: September 29, 1953Johnny Dollar #182, "The Amita Buddha Matter,"Johnny Dollar flies to Los Angeles to investigate what initially appears to be a tragic house fire that claimed the life of William McEdwards. However, Beverly Hills Police Chief Anderson reveals a disturbing truth: McEdwards was murdered, stabbed and struck with a severe skull fracture before the fire was set to cover up the crime. Dollar interviews the victim's young widow, who had been married only six months. She explains that she was in Pasadena on the evening of the murder, having taken an antique Chinese Buddha to their friend Charlie Wilkins for appraisal. The statue was a belated wedding gift from Bill's father, John McEdwards, who discovered it during a film production trip to Korea.Dollar's investigation leads him to the elder McEdwards' estate, where he's greeted by four giant Great Danes guarding the property. As Dollar begins questioning the victim's father about the mysterious Buddha statue and the circumstances surrounding his son's death, the case grows more complex, with the rare oriental artifact emerging as a potential key to understanding why someone would commit murder.