Evening star., 1955-06-24
Police Probinu
|2NeWLeads
in 7 Sayings
4 Detectives Begin
New Study Of Scene;
Time Angle Stressed

| Time Angle Stressed
Two new leads in the Staying
of two teen-age girls in North
west Branch Park June Is are
under investigation, police said
today.
Mai. George Panagoulis. chief
of Prince Georges County police,
said the leads were Important"
and came through information
given to him by telephone.
He Immediately dispatched
Prince Georges Detective Sergt.
donald Fersht and Washington
detective Sergt. David Gould to
check the leads, indicating that
lit was more than routine infor-
nation that could await later
Investigation.
A short time later, four detec-
tives appeared at the Staying
scene in Northwest Branch Park
land began new survey, point
ling toward various points and
making notes.
Time Fixed at 8:15
The new activity followed
closely the disclosure that
1915 am. appears to have been
the time that Nancy Marie
Shomette, .16, and Michael Ann
Ryan. IA, were fatally shot with
22-caliber bullets as they
walked through the park near
their homes.
Police were concentrating
their efforts on the time element,
and planned to re-enact the
crime, probably at the 18th
precinct firing range here or att
a firing range in Prince Georges
County. to see how long it would
take the killer t6 move the bodies
and try to hide them.
Maj. Panagoulis said the ex-
perimenters will use dummies
and fire IA shots in their re-
enactment.
Time is very important now,"
Maj. Panagoulis said. He added
however, that the re-enactment
would not be today.
Nancy Marie Shomette, 16, one
of the victims, was shot IL times
and the other victim, Michael
Ann Ryan, IA, was shot three
times. In addition, two bullets
were found imbedded in the
ground, but the chief said only
IA shots would be fired in the
experiment.
May End Police Conflict
Then, he said, the expert
menter will rush to the dummies,
each weighing about 110 pounds,
and drag them from where po-
lice theorize the girls were shot
to where the bodies were found.
It also appeared that the re-
enactment was planned in an at
tempt to resolve conflicting po-I
lice views about where the killer
stood as he fired the .22-caliber
rifle.
One view is that the girls were
shot from their right as they
walked toward a rustic foot
bridge across Northwest Branch.
Several shell castings found be-
side a tree on the right support
that theory.
The other equally strong po-
lice view is that the killer fired
Through screen of bushes from |
the creek branch to the left of
the girls, with the elected car
ltridges falling into the stream
and being washed away. The
fact that the shot fatal to
Michael Ann entered her left
side supports that theory.
3 Persons Heard Shots
The time of 8:15 am. has
been given by at least three
persons who said they heard
shots in the park that morning.
Mrs. Doris Stadler, who lives
nearby at 1925 Twenty fifth ave-
niue, Lane Manor, Md, gave the
first public indication of the
time when she said she heard |
shots as she washed dishes in
her kitchen that morning.
Later it was disclosed that a
42-year-old man and his wife,
3S, questioned by police Wednes-
day night. also had fixed 8:15
am. as the time they heard
shots. The couple approached
police after -four days of hesi-
tation" over whether they ought
to tell their story. |
A police spokesman said both
told of hearing shots fired in
rapid succession at that time.
He said the woman described
them as sounding like Chinese
f1recrackers exploding. Mrs.
Stadler said they sounded like
someone rapidly firing a cap
pistol.
Police also have a fourth wit
ness-a man who was standing
on University lane at the time
who said he heard shots, but the
police have not disclosed the
time he mentioned, If he fixed
it definitely.
In view of the people who have
since come forward with stories
of hearing shots, police yester-
day began new canvass Of
neighborhood homes, looking for
additional witnesses. Detective
teams called on about 800 per-
sons yesterday, and were to con-
tinue their door knocking today.
Sewers Checked for Gum