Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-27
Investigators Unable to Find
Skull of Farmer in Ruins
of Destroyed Home.
ROBBERY SEEN MOTIVE
FOR POSSIBLE CRIME
Goodwin Miller, Veteran, His Wife
and Young Son Found Dead
After Blaze.

Faced with possible triple murder
mystery, Virginia authorities last night
were probing the f1re-swept ruins Of the
home of Goodwin Miller. miles
from the town Of Joplin, in an effort to
learn whether he, his wife and their
infant son had been slain before their
bodies were cremated in blaze which
destroyed their house Thursday night.
Miller's skull could not be found
among the ruins and this fact led to the
theory that he had been slain and be-
headed by some one bent on robbine
him of veterans bonus money he had
drawn Tuesday. Some teeth believed to
have been his were found beside his
skeleton, however.
The wife's head had also been severed
from the body, but the skull was intact
and authorities were of the opinion her
neck may have been burned through
by the fire.
Investigation Ordered.
Miller, farmer, was 80 years old, and
his wife, Virginia, was 20. The baby,
Melvin, was six months old. Their home
was located seven miles west of the
Richmond Washington Highway, near
Triangle, Va.
After preliminary investigation OF
the tragedy, Coroner e. H. Marsteller
Of Manassas expressed the belief the
three may have been murdered, and or
dered Sheriff John T. Kerlin Of Prince
william County to make an investiga-
ton.
Miller was seen driving toward his
home about midnight Thursday. His
watch had stopped at $3.50 O'Clock, and
Justice of the Peace William Crow OF
Joplin expressed the belief that the fire
was at its height at that time.
The dead man was q veteran OF the
World War and drew $l22 in bonus
money Tuesday.
He was overheard telling friends
Wednesday night, however, that he hac
drawn $500. At that time he is said tx
have been drinking heavily.
Authorities investigating the case were
considering the possibility that SONS
one, oyerhearing his exaggerated state
ment of the size Of the bonus. may have
entered his home and slain him and his
wife, with robbery as a motive Miller
was known to have had $50 in his pos
session Wednesday night. This money
was in pocketbook which could not be
found in the ashes, but authorities at
tached little Importance to this fact,
pointing out that the pocketbook and
money would have burned readily.
The nearest neighbor of the Millers is
Elmer De Witt. who lives half mile
away.
81 saw smoke Friday morning." he
told Justice of the Peace Grow, "and
went to Goodwin,s house before milk
ing. The house was burned, but ]
didn't think much of his not being
around supposed he had taken his
wife and baby down to Joplin until
they could get some place to stay.
went on back home and MIXED my
cows"
Found by Sister-in-Law.
At S o'clock that afternoon, how
ever, Mrs Virgie Miller, a sister-in-
law of the dead man, went to the De-
Witt home TO get some corn husks for
a mattress. She was told of the fire
her 15-year-old son, Wilson.
when I saw Goodwin's car stand
ing there I knew mighty we'll he
hadn't gone anywhere" she declared.
HE wasn't fond of walking and would
have gone in the car Right away I
felt sure they had all been burned, and
told Wilson so. We looked in the ashes
and found the bodies"
The body Of the man and wife were
lying side by side in the twisted re-
mains of steel bed. A 1ashlight was
between them. The baby's body was
in its crib, few feet away.
The positions of the skeletons of the
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