"Possible Serial Killer in Columbus, Mississippi" (3-5) Senior citizens in Columbus, Mississippi, have been arming themselves at an alarming rate following Police Chief Donald Freshour warning that a killer was targeting elderly citizens in their community. There have been five unsolved murders of senior citizens since 1996 in this peaceful community of 24,000 people. Police believe at least three of the killings may be the work of the same person. All of the victims lived in the northern part of the city and died in a similar way, but Freshour was reluctant to use the term "serial killer."
On Nov. 21, the body of 80-year-old Louise Randall was found in her home. The woman, who was a retired waitress and needed a walker to get around, had been strangled. About three weeks later, 67-year-old Betty Everett, a beautician at a retirement home, was found strangled in her home. Both women had been bound and gagged.
Those two deaths made police take a closer look at the killing of Robert Hannah, who was strangled and beaten over the head. His body was found Oct. 13 in his home after a fire. They believe the fire was started to cover up his murder. The body of Mack Fowler, 78, was found in his kitchen July 8, 1996, and the corpse of George Wilbanks, 75, was found Nov. 2, 1997 in his home.
On April 17, 2000, authorities announced they were close to solving at least two of five unsolved slayings of local senior citizens. Police said they no longer considered the five murders the work of a serial killer and believe that only two of the deaths were linked. In fact they said they have evidence linking an unnamed suspect to the murders of Betty Everett and Louise Randall.
"I would like to bring some closure to this for several reasons," Chief Billy Pickens said. "One is for the families of the victims, and the other is for the community. I think the community has accepted that there wasn't a wild serial killer running around." Columbus City Councilman Chuck Weldon said people don't talk much these days about the unsolved killings and that widespread anxiety seems to have diminished. "Everybody is just anxious to get them solved," he added.
Does anyone know if this was ever solved? Creepy, I read this earlier today before I even heard about the SC women...