Murphy, who was born in Los Angeles, California, was involved in the notorious burglary, on October 29, 1964, of the Star of India along with several other precious gems, including the Eagle Diamond and the de Long Ruby.
The heist was the subject of the film Murph the Surf (1975), directed by Marvin Chomsky, and starring Robert Conrad, Burt Young, and Don Stroud (as Murphy) [REF].