MD MD - Anne Furst, 83, & Helen Larkin, 56, Aberdeen, 17 Oct 1989

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If this were a movie of the week, the killer would have been trying to stop a secret that he (or she) believed would be revealed at (or shortly after) the wake. Something that the grandfather promised not to reveal during his life, or that the grandmother wouldn't reveal until her husband passed. The theory is about as far fetched as they come, but without information about the family's associations or anyone close to the family, there can only be wild theories or speculation about if there is any evidence that this was a random, crazed, act or if there may have been some intent.
 
I agree with this...Right after the service, I would think the thiefs would be after the money put in memorial envelopes.

Since nothing else was stolen, I am leaning toward somebody they know. Maxa's mom let them in. She knew him (or her). I still can't shake the feeling this was about money (or the grandparent's will). Somebody who felt cheated out of his or her birthright.

The problem I have with this is that all the property and money generally stays with the wife until she dies. In otherwords, other family members won't get anything from the grandfather's estate, because the estate also belonged to the grandmother, who was still alive.
 
If this were a movie of the week, the killer would have been trying to stop a secret that he (or she) believed would be revealed at (or shortly after) the wake. Something that the grandfather promised not to reveal during his life, or that the grandmother wouldn't reveal until her husband passed. The theory is about as far fetched as they come, but without information about the family's associations or anyone close to the family, there can only be wild theories or speculation about if there is any evidence that this was a random, crazed, act or if there may have been some intent.

Good points. I'd like to know how many children the grandparents had. . . also, I'd like to know about the sons-in-laws, nephews, etc. and what the grandfather did for a living. LE determined that the family was cleared (probably their alibis checked out), but maybe they missed a person or the perp was not related.
 
They lived behind them

If you go to google, you can see the residence (I think it was shot in 2008, for google earth. but there is a more updated satellite image.) Go to ground view and zoom.

Do you mind me asking which neighbors? the ones north, or south- or across the street?
 
I couldn't agree more!

I agree with this...Right after the service, I would think the thiefs would be after the money put in memorial envelopes.

Since nothing else was stolen, I am leaning toward somebody they know. Maxa's mom let them in. She knew him (or her). I still can't shake the feeling this was about money (or the grandparent's will). Somebody who felt cheated out of his or her birthright.
 
I am here!! I didn't realize the house was on the market now. Perhaps they didn't know of the murders until now? Is this site somehow putting some pressure on the detectives??

I am 14 hours apart but reconnected and willing to answer anything.

Quick question - is there a forum that isn't so public?? I have some thoughts I would rather not post for everyone to see.

TT, my question to you is if these were druggies there for cash, why would they not go through the women's purses? I tend to believe that being on drugs lends itself to a bit of disorganization when it comes to committing crime, if only from a sense of desperation to obtain drugs. Natch, someone could have made off with some prescription medications with a good street value here, but I'm not so sure cash is THE motive. I get that the older woman was seen as more vulnerable if the intruder was aware of the husband's passing.

Why leave without obtaining what it is you seek, and instead subject yourself to homicide charges if caught? It could be attributable to someone not thinking clearly, but it seems we would then also find the place ransacked to some degree or the content of purses dumped at the very least. Also obvious is that the two women could identify their attacker or attackers.

I notice the house is up for sale or at least it is still listed for sale on Trulia. Not sure how vigilant those kinds of services are on keeping up-to-date. I would want to know when the house went up for sale, and how long the owner's lived there. I'd also like to know if the house sold below value after the murders took place, who bought it. Is that same person the one now selling the property? Did the ABC interviews and story raise the level of heat?

OTOH, this could have been the act of a disgruntled, and fed up neighbor. Maybe that person's beef was originally with the grandfather, but perhaps the grandmother was a big part of it too. A disgruntled neighbor certainly isn't going to announce it, and have LE breathing down their necks.

Another thing, one person could have done this. Someone can bring a gun to a crime, but elect to not use it due to the noise so one or both women could have been threatened with a gun first. Much could depend on the personalities of the victims. I wonder exactly when Maxa's mother arrived at her mother's house. Maybe the intruder was unaware of the grandfather's passing. Perhaps lived on Matthews Rd., behind the house, and was unaware the daughter was also present in the house.

Aberdeen is a military proving ground. Maybe this was done by some whacko in the military who decided to substite military infiltration tactics in a controlled setting for those in real life. May have thought he was doing the elder lady a favor so she wouldn't be left alone without her husband or perhaps thought women her age had outlived their useless, and so thought she would not be missed all that much. Far-fetched, I know, but then psychopaths don't think like we do.

Right now I feel like we've all been dropped into one of those old serial shows. Maxa has headed to Japan, and we're left here in suspense until she gets back with more answers to our questions.
 
To my knowledge it was my mom, grandmom, aunt, uncle and cousin. Maybe their neighbors were there too but I would think that is it.

Maxa, the newspaper article said your mother and grandmother spent time that evening at a relative's house. Would you happen to know who was present. Was anyone there other than family members?
 
They were not both in their bedrooms. My mom was in the front living room. My mother was moved fromt the front room to her bedroom, which was the first one. My grandmother was in the second one and came out and that is when she was killed. I can give the layout of the house.

We don't know the layout of the house but we do know that both women were in their bedrooms. A burglar might kill whichever woman confronted him but would he then seek out the other woman and kill her when, if she were in her bedroon, wouldn't be able to identify him. Murder does happen where a burgler does bump into a resident they didn't expect to find(but is actually quite rare) , but has it ever happened that a burglar would then go through the house and find and kill other residents who would not be witnesses?

If the layout of the house and positions of the bodies suggest that both women may have seen the intruder, it would be different.
 
I am here!! I didn't realize the house was on the market now. Perhaps they didn't know of the murders until now? Is this site somehow putting some pressure on the detectives??

I am 14 hours apart but reconnected and willing to answer anything.

Quick question - is there a forum that isn't so public?? I have some thoughts I would rather not post for everyone to see.

BBM:
I *think* Maryland has a stigmatized property disclosure law- but not 100% positive. Perhaps a realtor could weigh in here?

And you could open a thread in the Parking Lot, I believe? That way only registered WS members would be able to read (and not the whole wide world.) But there are a LOT of registered WS members. Maybe PM a moderator and ask?

ETA: I am pulling up that the home is NOT on the market.
If it is one in the same as. Built in 1969- 1 1/2 baths, etc. So it may not be a good idea to publically post the layout of the home without the current owners approval? Just a thought.
 
Maxa, was your grandparents members of a church?
 
Yes. The church the funerals were held at. I don't recall the name off the top of my head but I attended a service there about a year ago and the priest took a moment to recognize the murders.


Maxa, was your grandparents members of a church?
 
Maxa you spoke of the "druggie brothers". Do you feel that the police adequately explored them and their friends? Do you have access to websites that list arrests/convictions of individuals--which provides information that is public record? Have you checked out their activities over the years? How close did they live? Same block? I'd also want to check out their "drug of choice". Meth tends to lead to paranoia and has certainly been linked to extreme acts of violence. If one or both of the brothers believed that your grandmother had witnessed something or had called the police on them, could be motive. I'd be interested in knowing if anyone close to your grandmother remembered any conversation about the brothers she or your grandfather may have had. Or if there was information that the neighborhood considered "common knowledge" about the brothers? If the neighborhood knows something, the brothers may have been looking for a source of the information.
 
Maxa you spoke of the "druggie brothers". Do you feel that the police adequately explored them and their friends? Do you have access to websites that list arrests/convictions of individuals--which provides information that is public record? Have you checked out their activities over the years? How close did they live? Same block? I'd also want to check out their "drug of choice". Meth tends to lead to paranoia and has certainly been linked to extreme acts of violence. If one or both of the brothers believed that your grandmother had witnessed something or had called the police on them, could be motive. I'd be interested in knowing if anyone close to your grandmother remembered any conversation about the brothers she or your grandfather may have had. Or if there was information that the neighborhood considered "common knowledge" about the brothers? If the neighborhood knows something, the brothers may have been looking for a source of the information.

I don't think meth was not big back then. I could be wrong, but I'm thinking cocaine. Coke was big on the east coast during the 80s. Although, I bet these guys did everything they could get their hands on. Just my opinion.
 
Meth was around in the 80's. In fact it was around in the late 70's. Possibly earlier, not sure. It was a bikers drug back then. It was not as well known then as it is now.
 
Meth was around in the 80's. In fact it was around in the late 70's. Possibly earlier, not sure. It was a bikers drug back then. It was not as well known then as it is now.

You are correct, I knew about it in CA, but it was not as popular in the east as coke and crack cocaine. Coke can make users paranoid like meth.
 
Someone in Aberdeen may have a clue about this case. I suspect there was a lot of blood and it got on the perp's skin, hair and clothes. Unless the perp or perps lived alone, or they threw out or burned their clothes before they got home, someone in their household may have seen the stains. If there were more than one perp and they were young, I'm surprised mouths were kept shut. Usually, one of the perps tells someone or hints about it. I wonder if LE canvassed the neighborhood thoroughly.
 
Yes. The church the funerals were held at. I don't recall the name off the top of my head but I attended a service there about a year ago and the priest took a moment to recognize the murders.

Maxa, you may not know the answers to these questions, but were they involved in the church or their community in some way? In other words, were they volunteers on committees where they may have met up with other people. Did they belong to clubs or organizations of any kind, including golf or hobby clubs? Also, did they use handiman services or someone to maintain their lawn? I'm just trying to see if there were any scenarios in your grandparents' lives to look for possible suspects. Thanks!
 
Dont open a thread in the PL without mod approval, OK?? Sort of SOP.
 
Dont open a thread in the PL without mod approval, OK?? Sort of SOP.

I'm sorry believe09! Was just hoping to direct the poster to moderators.

Regarding the layout of the home- because I do think this is very important in any sort of home invasion case (but do not want to violate the privacy of any possible current residents) do you think it would be ok to post a reconstructed simile based on a composite used by builders and architects in the neighborhood at the time?

TIA for your thoughts. :seeya:
 
Maxa you spoke of the "druggie brothers". Do you feel that the police adequately explored them and their friends? Do you have access to websites that list arrests/convictions of individuals--which provides information that is public record? Have you checked out their activities over the years? How close did they live? Same block? I'd also want to check out their "drug of choice". Meth tends to lead to paranoia and has certainly been linked to extreme acts of violence. If one or both of the brothers believed that your grandmother had witnessed something or had called the police on them, could be motive. I'd be interested in knowing if anyone close to your grandmother remembered any conversation about the brothers she or your grandfather may have had. Or if there was information that the neighborhood considered "common knowledge" about the brothers? If the neighborhood knows something, the brothers may have been looking for a source of the information.

Quote...Do you feel that the police adequately explored them and their friends?...End of quote.

That is an avenue I would travel down or at least revisit.

If they have-not already over all this time.
 

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