THE CROWD:Murder mystery with a slithery twist

They came to finally determine just who murdered the sinister Mr. Divelopmor, who, in 1998, threatened to mass murder the monkeys at the Santa Ana Zoo, then take over the zoo from the city and turn the property into a mall. Divelopmor was murdered and his plot foiled. The case, however, was never solved. Last Saturday night in Orange County, 430 patrons of the Santa Ana Zoo, including an impressive contingent of Newport-Mesa residents, converged on the park at sundown to solve the case. It was a night of “Mystery Under The Zoofari Express,” chaired by Kathy Solloway.

The 14th annual zoo fundraiser was a hoot, as guests followed murder mystery clues and imaginations expanded via Vox Vodka Zingers! Bertha the boa constrictor was on hand for up-close and personal photos and a “killer hug.” Vera Oxblood of Dover Shores, deathly afraid of anything that slithers, especially when it’s six feet long with forked tongue, downed another Zinger, gathered her strength and moved closer to Bertha.

“I can’t do it,” she exclaimed. “I just can’t. I’ll throw-up. I think I’m about to.”

Oxblood disappeared into the zoo night, not to be seen again. Major party underwriter Debbie Newmeyer of Newport Beach is considering organizing another mystery night next year in search of Vera Oxblood.

Party planners actually sent all the guests on a wild hunt; wandering or riding the train through the zoo, following mystery clues, meeting critters, experiencing new zoo exhibits and partaking in fab food from caterer Panache.

Dinner was served in the amphitheater, tables glowing with candlelight under the evening stars. That boa constrictor theme was ever-present as a snake centerpiece surrounded the table-top candles. So much for flowers.

Big zoo sponsors of the night included Wanda Baldwin; the Reily-Dostel family; Stuart Anderson; Tom and Debbie Newmeyer; Karen Baldwin; Clyde Inman; Martha Hopkins-Lesak; Carole and Del Stagg; Dorothy and Donald Kennedy; Cathi and Barry Hofstetter; and Marjorie Phillips, to name only a few.

Big thanks to committee members Steve McGuigan, Michelle Begen, Patty McClendon, Roseanne Bye, Sandy Pignone, Lana Chandler and Michelle Bigalke for their hard work and over-the-top dedication. More than $100,000 was raised to support the zoo as a result of an enormous effort to rally the community and to bring in a substantial silent and live action that included some 124 items up for bid under the eye of auctioneer Chuck Dreyer, who also served as emcee. Local vendors donating to the auction deserve mention, but it would take an entire page of the paper. Funds from the merchandise donated will make a difference to be sure.

Special recognition was paid to honored guests of the evening Suzi Furjanic, Ted Rzeszewski and Bud Hurlbut, all super-devoted zoo patrons. The honorees were lauded by zoo director Cathi Decker, on hand to meet and greet all of the guests, including the glamorous Newport couple Paige and Jay Kunkle; Linda and Dave Chapel; Sheryl and Keith Brown; Shari Ciko; Danielle and Steve Schmidt; Linda and Tim McCool; Pam Selber; Donel and Bill Wiles; and Karin and Howard Hall.

In the end, as the midnight music of the Class of ’69 band played on, Debbie Newmeyer revealed the results of the magical murder mystery.

Case solved. The prime suspects — Jon Ribble; Ron Glazer; Kathleen Edman; Howard Hall; Jay and Paige Kunkle; Curtis Farrell; Roseanne Bye; and Newmeyer herself — had all been exonerated.

The murderer was Bertha, the boa constrictor with the killer hug. She had done it to save her monkey friends, threatened by Divelopmor. The friends of the Santa Ana Zoo are hoping for leniency at sentencing.

Meanwhile Vera Oxblood is still missing.

A very silly night indeed — all for a wonderful cause!