Police confirm sniper link in Va. slaying - Investigator is sure info will "lead us to an arrest"

Associated Press ^ | October 15, 2002 | Associated Press Staff

[MeekOneGOP]

Slightest slip-up by sniper could reveal identity

10/15/2002

By MARY ANN RAZZUK / WFAA-TV

With every new shooting incident, authorities expect to collect shreds of evidence or information that might bring them closer to identifying the sniper terrorizing the Washington, D.C. area.

However, the suspect could bring about a quicker resolution with just one small mistake.

Veteran Mansfield police detective Mark Malcom said authorities are likely looking for small errors as they narrow their list of possible suspects.

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"We had a homicide here in Mansfield one time where the suspect was caught with a single thumbprint at the scene," Malcom said. "A lot of times they are caught because they make mistakes, and a lot of times they're caught because they start talking about the crime."

Naval Academy cadet Diane Zamora confided to roommates, who later went to police, that she and her Air Force Academy boyfriend killed a girl in Tarrant County who she thought was trying to come between them. Prior to her dorm-room confession, the case went unsolved for nearly a year.

No matter how skilled a criminal, authorities said there are almost always some behavioral changes that give them away.

"They become in an increased state of paranoia," Malcom said. "They will act strange around their family because they're always trying to hide something. Anytime you go out and do something like that, you're always living with a lie."

Texas prison escapee Larry Harper lied about his identity, alleged involvement with six convicts, and the murder of an Irving police officer. However, the emotional comfort he sought with a Colorado bible study group gave members enough opportunity to detect an unusual facial skin mole and religious personality profile, which police said helped them identify the suspect.

"Those two factors in combination led us to believe immediately we had the right individual," said fugitive hunter John Moriarty.

Moriarty led the more than month-long nationwide investigation that generated more than 4,000 leads from the public.

"Some of them seem so insignificant, but could be the one that turns the case," Moriarty said.

One such clue could be the white box truck that a witness in the Washington area recalled speeding away from one of the sniper shooting sites. The vehicle description and a bullet fragment recovered will be traced back to manufacturers and dealers, who might help authorities attach a name or face to the suspect.

Despite the evidence and hundreds of tips, however, the sniper's identity apparently remains a mystery - for now.

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Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dallas/nation/stories/wfaa021014_am_sniperinvestigation.bda3b1f0.html

[summer]

Some witnesses were able to give police license plate numbers of vehicles seen leaving the scene, he said.

"There was some additional information that we were able to get from last night's case and I am confident that that information is going to lead us to an arrest in the case," he said.

Thank goodness.

[MeekOneGOP]

I hope they nab him quick. On a gurney or body bag would be fine.

[bankwalker]

On a gurney or body bag would be fine

Only it is a loner. If part of a group, as I suspect, we need him alive so we can teach him how to SING. (chirp, chirp, chirp...)

[TBall]

I find it hard to believe that this guy would keep good plate on the van when doing the deed.

[summer]

Well, we'll see.

[A. Morgan]

The problem will then be the liberal left lawyers will save him, 'cause his a victim... had poor childhood... comes from a broken home.... whine-whine-whine.

This guy is a terrorist.
Notice there isn't one lawyer, not a single one among his list of victims. /sarcasm

[Coop]

I find it hard to believe that this guy would keep good plate on the van when doing the deed.

I find it hard to believe that the murderous coward would keep using the same vehicle or two. He's screaming to get caught. I just pray to God the authorities accommodate him sooner rather than later.

God bless Mrs. Franklin and her family.

[TBall]

I agree, I think this guy has been lucky and I pray he is caught very soon.

[VOA]

"This is not bold, this is brazen," he said. "It's a much more highly congested area,
even under the cover of darkness."

I'm kind of suprised that the perp got to drive away without being followed or having
his/her vehicle rammed by some citizen-witness.
(Of course, such might have happened and the cops are being mum.)

I know these are unsettling incidents, but I suspect that if this had happened in a
parking garage in Texas or Oklahoma, the perp would have gathered a convoy of
armed citizens while trying to flee.
At the least someone would follow the perp and phone in info. to the police...and
it wouldn't be suprising if the perp ended up meeting superior firepower from the citizens...
and might end up praying for the cops to get there and save him.

[aristeides]

It's being reported on another thread that victim Linda Franklin is an FBI agent.

[blam]

"I know these are unsettling incidents, but I suspect that if this had happened in a parking garage in Texas or Oklahoma, the perp would have gathered a convoy of armed citizens while trying to flee."

I agree. We have had 'citizen arrests' around here like you describe.

[aristeides]

If the van is booby-trapped with explosives, such a citizens' arrest would kill fewer law enforcement people, but it might kill more civilians.

[Revelation 911]

Texas prison escapee Larry Harper lied about his identity, alleged involvement with six convicts, and the murder of an Irving police officer. However, the emotional comfort he sought with a Colorado bible study group gave members enough opportunity to detect an unusual facial skin mole and religious personality profile, which police said helped them identify the suspect.

religious profiling ---- hey wait a minute!

[Aquinasfan]

Authorities in Baltimore, meanwhile, seized a white van and found an assault rifle, sniper manual and ammunition similar to the .223 bullets used in attacks that have killed eight people and wounded two others, WBAL-TV reported.

MSNBC reported that a tarot card was found in the van and a sign on the dashboard read "Gihad in America." A tarot card was also found at one of the shootings.

The van's owner was questioned Monday night by police and released with no charges filed.

WTF?!

[American Soldier]

Authorities in Baltimore, meanwhile, seized a white van and found an assault rifle, sniper manual and ammunition similar to the .223 bullets used in attacks that have killed eight people and wounded two others, WBAL-TV reported. MSNBC reported that a tarot card was found in the van and a sign on the dashboard read "Gihad in America." A tarot card was also found at one of the shootings. The van's owner was questioned Monday night by police and released with no charges filed.

Uhhh...what? Am I missing something here? This sounds like a "person of interest" to me.

[js1138]

WTF?!

Yesterday's news. Had FR going for a while, though. Couple thousand posts.

[LouD]

"People this deep into aberrant behavior aren't just going to hang it up and call it quits."

I hope they are not as committed to the "lone whacko" theory as this quote might indicate, and are giving equal consideration to the idea that a terrorist cell is responsible. If it is terrorists behind this, then the behavior is not aberrant at all - It is a perfectly rational, albeit illegal and immoral, military operation against civilians, intended to sow terror in the nation's capitol.

[RipSawyer]

"Notice there isn't one lawyer, not a single one among his list of victims. /sarcasm"

He probably never read Shakespeare.