spoilers since disappearance sea favorite niece phyllis murder mystery writer abigail mitchell ruth gordon strong suspicions phyllis husband edmund galvin charles frank responsible death fact abigail convinced murdered made look like tragic accidentbr br knowing theres evidence edmund arrested phyillis death deciding take law hands abigail cooks elaborate plan make look like phyllis death tragic accident getting edmund secretly come mansion give combination walkin safe leave vacation new york city abigail tricks going inside locking startled surprised edmund in safe soundproof nobody mansion butler maid abigails personal secretary veronica mariette hartley hear screaming help next day edmund found suffocated death veronica discovered edmunds body put away safe keeping abigails latest murder mystery manuscriptbr br lt columbo peter falk called case involving strange death edmund garvin determine murder tragic accident going edmunds apartment columbo puzzled find single photo late wife whos missing month ties abigail always felt edmund love phyllis also suspect her abigails mind murder br br columbo big fan together wife abigails murder mystery novels hard time realizing fact responsible edmunds death evidence points abigil including pair missing car keys edmunds proved abgail fact house way airport edmund locked inside walkin safebr br going evidence columbo comes strange conclusion edmund must left evidence inside safe writing killer is conclusion quickly checkmated found edmund even pen pencil well light safe lightbulb burned out write it theres also something odd thats inside safe lt columbos mind ever since came case black paint residue found dead edmunds fingernails belt buckle br br its evidence put together number items safe end hangs edmunds murder tricky cunning mystery writer abigail mitchell edmund let abigail unknowingly convict final attempt air safe used up breathing using burnt matchsticks write abigail last manuscript murdered him abigail mitchell