Halloween is most commonly associated with kids in costumes, candy and creepy fun. However, Halloween 1957 in Los Angeles didn’t turn out to be a night of fun for married couple Peter and Betty Fabiano. The couple had given out candy earlier in the evening to trick-or-treaters. Nothing unusual happened that day.
After a long day, the couple went to bed around 11 p.m. But then the doorbell rang. The couple didn’t expect company that late at night. In their minds, it must be a late-night trick-or-treater. Peter answered the door.
A person was standing at the door wearing jeans, a Halloween mask, and carrying a paper bag with a .38 caliber pistol. The person at the door shot Peter and fled the scene. Peter died as a result of the shooting.
Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department arrived at the scene to investigate the shooting. Their investigation failed to reveal the motive for the shooting. It appeared that Peter Fabiano didn’t have any enemies, and there was no reason anyone would want to kill him. As part of their investigation, law enforcement began to look into the couple’s background.
Peter Fabiano was born in 1923 and served in WWII. After returning from the war, the couple opened two beauty salons in Los Angeles.
They had a great reputation and a thriving business. Their lives seemed to be charmed. Despite its perfect appearance, the relationship did have some cracks.
There were disagreements between Betty and her husband over her friendship with Joan Rabel, a writer and photographer. In addition, she had worked in one of Peter’s salons. After Joan began working for Peter, Betty and Joan became friends. Things
had gotten so heated between Peter and Betty that she left Peter and moved in with Joan. However, Betty eventually moved back in with Peter.
Several months would pass before law enforcement caught a break. The murder weapon was located inside a locker. It belonged to a woman named Goldyne Pizer. So what was this woman’s story? There was no connection between her and the Fabianos.
She confessed to law enforcement that she had murdered Peter Fabiano. The connection between her and the crime was through Joan Rabel. According to Pizer, Rabel convinced Pizer that Peter Fabiano was an evil man who mistreated Betty. Rabel convinced Pizer to kill Peter. It was concluded that Pizer had romantic feelings for Joan Rabel, who easily persuaded Pizer to kill Peter.
Police arrested both Rabel and Pizer and charged them with first-degree murder. Pizer expressed remorse for killing Peter, stating that Rabel had manipulated her into doing so. Rabel expressed no sympathy for the homicide. They both received life sentences. Neither woman would stay in prison for life. Eventually, both were released.
Law enforcement never charged Betty with any involvement in her husband’s death. After Peter’s death, Betty remarried and lived out her life until she died in 1999.
Today, true crime enthusiasts continue to discuss the infamous homicide. Peter is believed to have been caught up in a vicious love triangle. Rabel was in love with Betty and thought Peter stood in her way. And Pizer had feelings for Rabel and would do anything to please her. As a result, she murdered Peter Fabiano-a man she didn’t even know.
All the parties involved are now deceased, so we will never know what happened. I hope you enjoyed reading this creepy true crime Halloween story. Have a Happy Halloween!
Marc is a longtime resident of Clermont County and an avid reader. Contact him through his website at www.themarcabe.com or through Facebook: www.Facebook.com/themarcabe or his twitter account @themarcabe. Marc also has a podcast called Catch my Killer where he interviews family members seeking justice for their murdered loved ones. You can listen at www.catchmykiller.com.