The nephew of a football team owner plans to kill his uncle by rigging his car to explode, only the uncle dies from a hit-and-run, while the car bomb kills the gardener instead. Lt. Columbo investigates.

Harold likes to gamble, but as a rule he loses and he is heavily in debt. His uncle is the famous Big Fred who is the owner of a football team and he is a millionaire. But Harold can't get a dime from him. So Harold decides to kill his uncle by a pipe bomb under his car. He is not surprised when he is told Big Fred is dead. He is surprised however that the death is due to a road accident. He rushes to his uncle's house and he finds Lt. Columbo getting excited about the car with the bomb...—Baldinotto da Pistoia

Lt. Columbo investigates the death of pro football team owner 'Big' Fred McCain who was struck by a hit and run driver early in the morning while out jogging. There's no evidence it was a murder, but the police investigate all high profile deaths as a matter of routine. It's soon determined that the gardener's truck was used to hit McCain, and when the gardener offers to move Big Fred's car, it explodes. Bid Fred's nephew, Harold McCain, is a compulsive gambler and is in serious debt. He's the one who placed the pipe bomb in his uncle's car, though obviously someone wanted Big Fred dead as much as he did. The dead man's widow, Dolores, is having a good time as the new team owner, but when Harold puts the squeeze on her and he is found dead, it's obvious who is responsible. A haircut offers him the evidence he needs.—garykmcd

Columbo investigates a hit and run, that is probably nothing more than an accident. However, a car explosion then shows that more is happening than one would suspect. The only problem he has with his suspicions is that there isn't sufficient evidence.—Maarten Hofman <[email protected]>