E&P is reporting that Berkeley Breathed, creator of Bloom County and the current Opus Sunday comic strip, will appear on America’s Most Wanted during a segment on the unsolved “Book of Days” murder of Michael Cahill in Austin, TX back. The Book of Days murder got its name from a calendar that ran from 1977 through 1995 which featured the photographic talent of Texas. In 1979 there was a string of burglaries of the homes and apartments of the photographers who were featured in the 1978 calender. That now infamous calendar included Berkeley – who was a photography major at the University of Austin. Cahill startled the intruder and was shot in the head. The burglar/murderer continued his thieving after the murder including Berkeley’s apartment.
The Austin American-Statesman has a very informative article on the unsolved murder mystery.
Check listings for show times
UPDATE: Here is a newspaper article from the Press-Telegram about Berkely’s AMW segment.
Breathed, who now lives in Southern California, believes he surprised the intruder during the break-in at his Austin home about a week after the shooting. He said the burglar had stacked albums by his door, including “Dark Side of the Moon” by Pink Floyd.
“The house was turned upside down, and it took a few minutes to understand what happened,” he said.
Like similar break-ins at the time, the perpetrator seemed to be focused on a few selected items.
“He ended up killing a musician, and he was stealing music as well as photographs and photographic equipment,” Breathed said. “There was this odd connection between the music and photographic community.”
Breathed did not know Cahill personally, but had heard of him from the city’s vibrant music scene.
“I found it very exciting to help out,” he said. “Mike Cahill might not be completely forgotten … I’m quite hopeful and thankful that we get a second chance. It doesn’t happen often.”