NY NY- Ernest Chaney, 63, clubbed to death while working at gas station, Madison County, 22 Sept.1958

[dotr]

Jan 14 2021
Murder of man in gas station has been cold for 62 years; Can you help solve it?

18 hours agoSyracuse.com
Ernest Chaney, 63, was beaten to death while working at the Gulf Service gas station on Route 20 in Eaton, Madison County on Sept. 22, 1958. This crime scene photo shows the can Chaney was using to put oil in a car when he was attacked from behind outside the gas station where he worked and lived. Over 60 years later, his murder remains unsolved.New York State Police

''The 63-year-old man was ambushed in September 1958 in his Eaton, Madison County gas station — walloped in the head, robbed and left grievously wounded in the middle of the night inside his store, troopers said. He died 10 days later in a Syracuse hospital.''

''Chaney went outside to help a customer around 1 a.m. He was adding oil to the engine of an east-facing car parked on the north side of the gas pumps when he was attacked from behind, troopers said.

Chaney was clubbed nine times in the back of the head with a blunt object, troopers said. His attacker then took his wallet — which held about $80 — and fled, troopers said. Nothing else was stolen from the Gulf station after the assault.''

''Troopers have asked anyone with information about the case to call (315) 366-6000.''

 

[dotr]

Jan 16 2021
CRIME HUNTER: Cold case notebooks closer to closure | Toronto Sun
''ERNEST CHANEY – 1958

On Sept. 22, 1958, gas jockey Ernest Chaney was working the late shift at the Gulf station in the town of Eaton, NY, near Syracuse. He also lived at the garage.

Around 1 a.m., someone stopped for gas. The lights were still on, after all. But there was no sign of the attendant, so the driver looked inside where he found Chaney unresponsive with a brutal wound in the back of his head and the floor covered in blood.

He died in hospital 10 days later.''

 

[Fede]

The question is: why club him 9 times (as the article says) to rob him, instead of just hitting him once to render him unconscious? Maybe he recognized the thieve/s so he/they wanted him dead?

 

[dotr]

The question is: why club him 9 times (as the article says) to rob him, instead of just hitting him once to render him unconscious? Maybe he recognized the thieve/s so he/they wanted him dead?

It seems more like a personal thing to me, clubbed from behind, more blows than necessary and especially that they stole the victim's wallet, but nothing else.
Who would think of stealing the wallet of a gas station attendant, especially while they were still at work?
imo, speculation.

 

[Fede]

Do LE have any suspect?