The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-11-06

Police this morning resumed ques- tioning Francis Zukauskas, 34, con- fessed slayer of Mrs. Stephanie Plungis, 25, in an effort "to tie up some lose endos in the case"
 Chief unsolved question is the motive which led the former Super numerary Patrolman to pump seven bullets into Mrs. Plungis as they rode in her husbands car Wednes- day night. Police have not dis closed the nature of the argument which led to the shooting.
 Zukauskas is reported to have said that he had been trying to end his association with Mrs. Plungis, while friend of the woman was quoted as saying that Mrs Plungis had told her she wanted to get back sum of money which zukauskas owed her.
 zukauskas confessed to the crime and led police to the body which he had buried of an isolated Middle bury bridle path Saturday noon after 48 hours of intermittent ques- tioning.
 The confession came after Chief Inspector Joseph R. Bendler located the shovel which zukauskas is al- legged to have used to dig the grave Thursday morning.
 Inspector Bendler quoted Zukaus- kas as saying that he shot Mrs Plungis outside his home after the two had quarreled Wednesday even- ing after Mrs. Plungis picked him up to drive him to work. This first shot wounded Mrs. Plungis slightly and zukauskas took her into his home where Mrs. zukauskas gave her first aid.
 Zukauskas and Mrs. PlungiS then left the house, and Zukauskas offer ed to drive her to the hospital for treatment, Inspector Bender said, but she asked him to drive her to her mothers house.
 AS they drove along Bradley ave- nue, sthe inspector said, they began to quarrel again, and Zukauskas emptied his pistol at the woman's head.
 Then, Bendler said, Zukauskas drove the car to Middlebury, where he threw Mrs. Plungis' body out near the bridle path before driving the machine back to a parking lot on Cherry street, where it was found by her husband Thursday at ' a. m.
 On Thursday morning, Bendler continued, Zukauskas drove back to the scene in his mothers car, and after removing the woman's clothes and mutilating her face with a shovel in an effort to make her unidentif1able, he buried her under cover of dense fog.
 The clothes were discovered by police Saturday afternoon buried in a two-foot hole in woods off Lake side boulevard, between Park road and Middlebury road, after Zukaus- kas guided them to the spot.
 The bridle path, where police dug up the body, is of the Whittemore road, in Middlebury, and parallel to Shattuck road, separating that town and Naugatuck.
 Dr. Edward H. Kirschbaum, the medical examiner, said that seven bullet wounds were found in the woman's head. Death was caused, he said, by bullet that went through the base of the skull and continued into the brain. Several of the bullets had apparently just grazed her neck and head, he said.
 Police are continuing a search for zukauskas' two guns, his .38 service pistol, and another .32, which he said he threw in the Naugatuck river at Beacon Falls after the shooting.
 After the confession Saturday, zukauskas. who appeared haggard. and on the verge of collapse, was taken out of his cell to lead police to the grave.
 zukauskas got into a car with Inspector Bendler, Coroner Stephen A. Homick, Detective Sgt. Joseph Mccarthy, and Detective George McElhgott.
 In a machine behind rode It. William Foley, Detective Raymond Grady, States Atty. William Fitz- gerald, County Detective Thomas Laden, and Asst. States Atty. Wal ter s. Smith.
 Zudauskas, who is being held as a coroners prisoner without bond was visited yesterday, by his wife. sister, and brother-in-law, and two Catholic priests.
 Funeral services for Mrs. Plungis, wife of Anthony Plungis, will be held from the Mazaika funeral home, 10 Porter street, time and other arrangements to be announc- ed. Friends may call at the funeral home tomorrow iron. to 1c p. m.