P

LEASE DON’T be dead, darling!”

Donnell “Spade” Cooley begged

his wife. “You can’t be dead, I love

you so!” he sobbed. It was shortly before

midnight on Monday, April 3rd, 1961,

and the former “King of Western Swing”

was sitting beside his 37-year-old wife

Ella Mae in the ambulance rushing her

to hospital.

A few minutes after 11 p.m. an excited

woman had phoned the Kern County

sheriff in Mojave, California, saying

that Mrs. Cooley had been injured at

the couple’s Willow Springs ranch 25

miles away in Antelope Valley. She was

badly hurt and in urgent need of hospital

treatment, the caller said.

Moments later a similar call was

relayed to Mojave from the Los Angeles

sheriff at Lancaster, in Antelope Valley.

This time the unidentified caller said that

Mrs. Cooley was believed to be dying.

Spade Cooley’s name rang an instant

bell with the officer who took the calls.

38 Murder Most Foul The Killer King Of Western Swing

They noted that her face was bruised

and her knees were scratched, but they

were unable to learn what had happened,

other than that Mrs. Cooley had “met

with an accident” at the ranch earlier that

evening. Cooley said he hadn’t called a

doctor. He had realised belatedly – on

the advice of the nurse – that his wife

was seriously hurt, and now he wanted

Left, Cooley (centre) with his band

in their 1940s heyday

The now-retired 50-year-old cowboy

violinist-turned-bandleader had built

a national reputation with his frequent

broadcasts on radio and TV.

An ambulance was dispatched from

Lancaster, and when its driver and his

assistant arrived at the hillside ranch

house, they were met by Spade Cooley

who appeared to be in a state of shock.

Two women were with him, and one of

“Okay, Melody,

You Can Watch

Me Kill Your

Mother!”

This Case Report By

Edward S. Sullivan

Cooley (right) was promptly

taken into custody

THE KILLER K

OF WESTERN SW

THE KILLER K

OF WESTERN SW

them said she was a nurse and friend of

the family.

Then the women and Cooley led the

way to a bedroom where Ella Mae, a

singer in his band when they married, lay

naked on a bed. She had been wrapped

in a blanket, and the ambulancemen

couldn’t determine if she was still alive.

“