Thomas Ince’s Rumored Murder (1924)

Thomas Ince, a director, actor, and producer, died in 1924 on the yacht of media magnate William Randolph Hearst. Ince was nicknamed the "Father of the Western", having been involved in over 100 films until his untimely death at the age of 42.

Following Thomas Ince's rumored murder, people circulated that he was stabbed and assassinated on his boat by Hearst. The reports were so widespread that the front page of the Los Angeles Times' morning edition carried the headline "Movie Producer Shot on Hearst Yacht!" According to the account, Hearst accused his lover, Marion Davies, of committing adultery with Charlie Chaplin, who'd been reportedly on board the boat at the time. When Hearst saw Chaplin and Davies together in a compromised position, he grabbed a revolver and tried to kill Chaplin, but fatally injured Ince in the process.

Hearst was a persistent guy, and the county District Attorney resisted vigorously prosecuting the case. Only one individual was interrogated in connection with Thomas Ince's rumored murder: a Hearst employee. Chaplin would eventually deny being on the boat at all. However, no more investigations were conducted, and Ince's corpse was burned, thereby closing the case.