Orson Welles

Mary Pacios lived near Beth in the ’30s and ’40s, and wrote a book more focused on portraying Beth as a kind, loving girl. Within the pages lies her theory, and Pacios points at famed director Orson Welles (Citizen Kane).

Most armchair detectives lend little weight to the theory, claiming Pacios uses coincidental happenings to solve the case.

Pacios believes Welles had a fetish for bisection. In The Lady from Shanghai (filmed in ‘46) showed off bisected mannequins and a plastic face which was cut from one cheeksdie to the other. He also performed a “cut a woman in half” magic trick for servicemen during WWII.

In her book, CHILDHOOD SHADOWS, Pacios reports that Welles, who was then separating from his wife (Rita Hayworth), met Beth at an LA diner.