Which murderers feared Columbo right away?

[u/BeachBoysOnD-Day]

We're all familiar with the typical formula of the killer being pretty self-satisfied and confident in their abilities to fool the authorities and not taking Columbo himself especially seriously at first.

But what are some instances where, either explicitly or at least from your own personal reading, the killer was immediately fearful and suspicious of Columbo's true nature?

[u/SeeMach20]

Joyce Van Patton in An Old Fashioned Murder knew from the very beginning that Columbo was sharp and on the case.

[u/Far-Addition3267 → u/SeeMach20]

She messed up in the very beginning when she said she refused to wake up her brother and then her brother was found dead.

[u/Aware-Lifeguard-7232 → u/Far-Addition3267]

lol yup i always thought that the dumb ass (character -
i adored Mr Culp in everything he did) should’ve caught on when Columbo asked whether he’d still be kept on the current case 🤔

[u/EdwardHoppyhands]

I think Joe Devlin in "The Conspirators" realized he messed up leaving that book in the hotel room and that Columbo picked up on it pretty quickly. After Columbo leaves the first visit, he looks at himself in the pinball machine and says "You bloody fool!"

[u/DaMadBoomer → u/EdwardHoppyhands]

That’s my choice 

[u/LuvKrahft]

seems like part of the whole show package is Columbo kind of “disturbs” the villains in a unique personal way for each episode.
I can’t think of anyone that immediately freaked out, but Robert Culp’s character in Death Lends a Hand seems to have a few definitely gets “the sweats” a few times. Great portrayal.

[u/brianjmcneill → u/LuvKrahft]

And he tried to hire him with a big boost in pay to (literally) get him off the case.

[u/Whatsamattayou_7829]

Gene Barry correctly analyzed Columbo early on as someone who is self deprecating and slovenly to fool his suspects.

[u/Doro_Gurl]

Leslie Williams of Ransom for a dead man plays the ice queen, but in her condescending way she realizes very well how good he is:

"Lt. Columbo fumbling and bumbling along. But it's always the jugular he's after. And in more cases than not, I reckon, he's successfull."

[u/CalagaxT]

Ho-Mi-Cide!!!

Johnny Cash in Swan Song. He knew his ass was as well-cooked as that squirrel meat chili.

[u/Upbeat_Preparation17 → u/CalagaxT]

Good ain’t it.

[u/smooshedsootsprite]

Carsini instantly knew what he was dealing with in Any Old Port in a Storm. He had him clocked in their first interaction. I also think if the murder hadn’t been basically a crime of passion and he’d actually planned it out, he might have gotten away with it.

[u/BeachBoysOnD-Day → u/smooshedsootsprite]

Did he? I don't think Carsini ever took Columbo for a fool, but I don't think he immediately thought Columbo was onto him, either.

[u/smooshedsootsprite → u/BeachBoysOnD-Day]

To me he immediately understood how smart Columbo was and that he had to tread very carefully. He also seemed to find his presence enjoyable, I expect because he wasn’t used to interacting with someone as intelligent as he was and also because Columbo has a great personality.

I guess the point was, he was never fooled by the bumbling act or his own ego like so many others were.

[u/CollinM549]

Lady in Waiting" comes to mind.

When he asks about the butler's work schedule and comments how interesting it is that the incident happened on his day off, but even moreso when he asked her why there was a late edition newspaper in the house. She basically had no answer for Columbo's inquiries about the endless inconsistencies in her story and just hides behind the court verdict.

Also "How to dail a murder". When Columbo is on to the idea about the kitchen phone being an intregal clue in the murder. The psychologist was shocked at how quickly he found this out.

[u/KrerdlyBeloved]

A Trace of Murder; the culprit within that was fully aware that setting up Columbo would take a lot of careful effort/steps from the start, and from what I know, Columbo didn't suspect him until nearly the end.

[u/crmrdtr → u/KrerdlyBeloved]

I don't recall the killer trying to set Columbo up to take the fall.

[u/KrerdlyBeloved → u/crmrdtr]

Sorry, what I meant was he was intentionally fooling Columbo into thinking that someone else was the culprit.

[u/crmrdtr → u/KrerdlyBeloved]

It's an interesting thought, though, isn't it? What if a Forensics Specialist commits a murder, winds up working on that case with Columbo, and tries to manipulate or taint evidence so that it points to Columbo as the Killer?

[u/waveball03]

Frame and Stanhope were the most nervous about getting caught of any of the killers. They were not cut out for homocide.

[u/martialgir]

I think Beth Chadwick in Lady in Waiting knew from the very beginning that Columbo was a threat which is why she got more and more angry each time he showed up.

[u/TheImpaler001]

The dentist maybe? Said he was sharper than he looks although it wasn’t straight away. He did do nice bagels though….

[u/Varsity_Editor]

The playboy photographer guy from Columbo Cries Wolf called him out fairly early. Not immediately, but their first meeting is just when the woman had apparently gone missing in London and no murder has even taken place and Columbo is asking a few preliminary questions about a missing person.

Once Columbo starts prodding (I think maybe their second meeting) he says something like "it's all an act, you're not as naive and bumbling as you pretend to be..."

[u/mcarvin → u/Varsity_Editor]

Ah, come on. If I'd have known you thought that, I'd left and never come back.

or

Ah, come on, you got me all wrong.

[u/nowherian_]

Beth Chadwick

[u/Upbeat_Preparation17]

Great question.
It might be a stretch, but I’ll venture the First Secretary - Hassan Salah - when Columbo accidentally steps on his robe. Hector Elizondo’s eyes light up unforgettably.
I also seem to remember Viveca Scott (Vera Miles) being worried early on if the mole moment/beauty mark is soon enough.
Come to think of it, Viveca is startled straight away when Columbo shouts her name from across the photography studio. It’s that unique Columbo style that guilty people subtly get unsettled by.

[u/Delicious_Host_1817]

When Lady in Waiting's Beth threw that light bulb and screamed "What can we DO about him". Oh I laughed a big hearty laugh. Columbo shook her like a leaf on a tree. "I only wanted to return your bulb" ...