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Originally Aired: December 22, 1949

22 Rifle for Christmas: A Holiday Tragedy

In this unforgettable and emotionally devastating episode of Dragnet, Sergeant Joe Friday and Ben Romero investigate the disappearance of nine-year-old Stanley Johnstone just days before Christmas. What begins as a routine missing person case soon darkens into a grim and all-too-familiar reality.

The boy was last seen playing in his backyard. A trail of blood, an empty .22 caliber shell, and a missing Christmas gift—a rifle—paint a haunting picture. As the detectives search the neighborhood and question family and friends, they uncover a terrible truth: Stanley had discovered his present early and taken it out to play.

But this isn’t just Stanley’s story. His best friend, eight-year-old Stevie Morheim, is missing too. When Stanley finally returns home, silent and withdrawn, the full weight of the tragedy is revealed: the rifle went off while the boys were playing. Stevie is dead.

Stanley leads Friday and his father to the body, hidden in a cave near their home. The boy had stayed there for hours, praying for his friend to come back to life.

Narrated with painful restraint and deep compassion, 22 Rifle for Christmas is not just a detective story—it’s a sobering indictment of dangerous gifts and a poignant exploration of guilt, innocence, and the burden of responsibility.

Keywords: "Dragnet 22 Rifle for Christmas episode," "Stanley Johnstone Stevie Morheim case," "December 1949 Dragnet radio," "Joe Friday Christmas tragedy story," "gun accident child death drama," ".22 caliber rifle cautionary tale," "classic Dragnet emotional episode."

Cast: Jack Webb (Sgt. Joe Friday), Barton Yarborough (Ben Romero), with supporting performances by Peggy Webber, Harry Bartell, and other members of the Dragnet radio company.

Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/26...