Episode 51: The Murder of Howard Witkin

In 1980, Howard Witkin was the life of the party—a fun-loving, adventurous socialite who had made Santa Clara his home. After a whirlwind romance and 9 years of marriage, Howard and his wife Judith parted ways. Judith moved to Michigan with her new husband, taking their three children with her. Howard, though heartbroken, embraced the single life, still remaining a devoted father, despite the distance between him and his kids. On March 22, 1980, Howard was supposed to meet friends for a casual BBQ. But as the hours passed and Howard didn’t show, concern began to set in. Some of his friends decided to check on him. What they found inside his home was gruesome, Howard had been shot multiples times. It wasn’t a robbery gone wrong, there were no signs of forced entry. Investigators quickly suspected that this wasn’t some random act of violence but rather a professional hit. Suspect after suspect were eliminated until investigators received a call which would change the entire direction of the investigation. Join us as we delve into the story of Howard Witkin—his vibrant life, his tragic death, and the intricate web of clues that detectives had to navigate to uncover the chilling truth behind his murder.

 

Sources:

“People v. Singer (1990)” on Justia U.S. Law (https://law.justia.com/cases/california/court-of-appeal/3d/226/23.html)

“Flint native Judith Barnett, guilty of murder, featured in new book, TV show” by Omar Abdel-Baqui in  Detroit Free Press on March 30, 2020 (https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/03/30/convicted-murderess-judith-barnett-flint-native-back-spotlight/5050788002/)

“Journalist Reflects on Covering a Grisly Case With Detroit Jewish Connections” by Madeline Halpert in The Detroit Jewish News on April 20, 2020 (https://www.thejewishnews.com/culture/arts/journalist-reflects-on-covering-a-grisly-case-with-detroit-jewish-connections/article_b221344e-1f57-5ae7-a3b9-a472d6616894.html)

“Notorious South Bay Murder-For-Hire Convict Found Fit For Parole” by Ian Cull and Stephen Ellison on NBC Bay Area on June 5, 2019 (https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/notorious-south-bay-murder-for-hire-convict-found-fit-for-parole/172147/)

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/199459621/howard_l-witkin

“Woman Behind Santa Clara Murder for Hire Plot Free on Parole” by Erika Towne in The Silicon Valley Voice on October 17, 2019 (https://www.svvoice.com/woman-behind-santa-clara-murder-for-hire-plot-free-on-parole/)

“The Story that Wouldn’t Let Me Go” by Katherine Ellison on September 24, 2019 (https://katherineellison.com/2019/09/24/the-story-that-wouldnt-let-me-go/)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/SanJoseHistory/posts/2161250884006134/

“Kill Now, Pay Later” on Unusual Suspects, Season 8, Episode 10 – HULU on March 21, 2016

“Judith Singer” on SNAPPED, Season 27, Episode 5 – Peacock on April 5, 2020