Carl Switzer - Wikipedia

Thank you my friend Maj Marty Hogan for making us aware that August 7 is the anniversary of the birth of American singer, child actor, dog breeder and guide Carl Dean Switzer .
I well remember Alfalfa from The Little Rascals.
Sadly on January 21, 1959 at the age of 31 Carl Dean Switzer was shot to death by an acquaintance in Mission Hills, California, during an argument over $50 that Switzer felt the acquaintance owed him. The acquaintance pled self-defense, and the judge ruled the death "justifiable homicide."

Background from imdb.com/name/nm0842813/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm
"Biography
Overview | Mini Bio | Spouse | Trade Mark (2) | Trivia (20)
Overview
Born August 7, 1927 in Paris, Illinois, USA
Died January 21, 1959 in Mission Hills, California, USA (homicide)
Birth Name Carl Dean Switzer
Nicknames Alfie, Alfadoofus
Height 5' 9" (1.75 m)
Mini Bio (1)
Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer was born on August 7, 1927 in Paris, Illinois, USA as Carl Dean Switzer. He was an actor, known for Beginner's Luck (1935), Pat and Mike (1952) and Night 'n' Gales (1937). He was married to Dian Collingwood. He died on January 21, 1959 in Mission Hills, California, USA.
Spouse
Dian Collingwood (1954 - 1956) ( divorced) ( 1 child)

Trade Mark (2)
Off-key singing of popular (usually Bing Crosby) songs
Artificially straightened cowlick

Trivia (20)
1. Was Alfalfa in the "Our Gang" comedies.
2. Shot to death by an acquaintance in Mission Hills, California, during an argument over $50 that Switzer felt the acquaintance owed him. The acquaintance pled self-defense, and the judge ruled the death "justifiable homicide." [Source: "The Hollywood Death Book," James Robert Parish, 1992.].
3. Buried at Hollywood Memorial Park (now Hollywood Forever), 6000 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, California.
4. Many sources have stated that the image of a dog displayed on his tombstone refers to the hound from the Little Rascals series. This is not, in fact, correct; rather, the image references work as a professional breeder.
5. Although one of the most popular members of "Our Gang," Switzer's later life became an almost textbook example of the former child star whose life takes a turn for the worse. Numerous brushes with the law, a broken marriage, and grade-Z film work (when he could get it) all led up to his sudden, violent death in January 1959 at the age of only 31. Eight years later a similar fate befell his brother, actor Harold Switzer, who then operated a company installing and servicing washers and dryers. In April 1967, after killing a customer over a dispute, Switzer drove himself to a remote area near Glendale, California and committed suicide. He was 42.
6. For all his problems, Switzer did have notable success as an adult as a highly regarded hunting guide, whose regular clientele included Roy Rogers and James Stewart.
7. His father was often engaged in power struggles with George 'Spanky' McFarland's father (over billing, screen time, star status, etc.). The boys, however, managed to get along fine with one another.
8. His best friend in the "Our Gang" cast was Tommy Bond, who played his on-screen nemesis Butch.
9. Was a "problem child" during his tenure in "Our Gang." Switzer was known for staging pranks on both the crew and his fellow child actors (including his on-screen girlfriend Darla Hood, who in real life was apprehensive of Switzer).
10. Distant cousin of David Switzer.
11. He and his brother Harold Switzer decided to audition for Our Gang but could not gain access into the studio. They went to the Our Gang Cafe and began singing and were quickly signed into Beginner's Luck (1935).
12. His father and brother were buried next to him.
13. He died on the same day as Cecil B. DeMille. Coincidentally, one of his final acting roles was an uncredited appearance as a slave in The Ten Commandments (1956), the last film which DeMille directed.
14. In White Christmas (1954), the photo that Vera-Ellen shows to Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye of her brother Bennie is actually a photo of Switzer.
15. Despite his trademark off-key singing, in real life he was a very skilled singer.
16. He had three older siblings, Harold Switzer, Janice "Genness" Genevieve and a brother who died during childhood.
17. His marriage lasted four months and produced a son. His family has always kept his son's name secret. His son's name is Justin Lance Collingwood Switzer.
18. In addition to acting, he worked as a bartender, dog trainer and fishing and hunting guide.
19. Many people believed that the dog on his grave referred to "Petey" of Little Rascals fame, because someone had painted a ring around the dogs eye. The dog was a reference to his abilities as a breeder of hunting dogs.
20. Things didn't go well for the other Our Gang members. Darla Hood contracted hepatitis in hospital and died aged 47, William 'Buckwheat' Thomas died of a heart attack age 49, Robert 'Bobby' Blake was tried and acquitted of his wife's murder, Tommy Bond and his wife were severely injured in a car crash in 1996 and Pete the Dog was fatally poisoned."

Mysteries and Scandals - Alfalfa and the Little Rascals
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXej6sSCaPc

FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Wayne Brandon LTC Bill Koski Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown MSG Andrew White SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SPC Margaret Higgins MSgt Jason McClish AN Christopher Crayne SPC Tom DeSmet SGT Charles H. Hawes SGT (Join to see) SSG David Andrews

Murdered?

So much I didn't know.