Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-27
Woman Killed
In Alexandria
By Young Son

numbering MS moCner as she Sab
watching television and slipping
a glass Of milk, will undergo q
mental examination today, Alex
andria (Va.) police said.
Inman, the son Of Benjamin
Earl Inman, owner and opera
tor of Inman's Cleaners at 80S
King street, Alexandria. called
police about 4 pm. yesterday
and said he had killed his
mother because God told me to
do it so she wouldn't suffer"
He told them he had shot her
three or four times"
The way three marked slips Of
paper held by the youth fell to
the floor determined the mothers
fate, members Of the family said
today. Young Inman told them
that after receiving Gods word"
he decided to make sure" by
using the slips Of paper.
All Came Up Yes
One one side of them he marked
Eyes" and on the other mo"
He let them fall, and all came
to rest with the Eyes" side up,
reporters we're told. He then de-
cided that the gamble confirmed
the word" he had received. and
proceeded to shoot his mother.
family members said.
Sergt. Claude Nixon and Pvt.
Cecil Kessler found the body
Iof Mrs. Almeda Grey Inman. AZ.
sitting lin leather chair in a
sitting room at IL Russell road.
The television set was in front
Iof her, still tuned in. She had
been shot in the right temple,
right cheek and behind the right
lear.
II don't think she knew it was
coming or even what happened"
Detective Sergt. Robert L. Jones.
lof the Alexandria Detective Bu-
lreau, said. ANY one of the shots
could have killed her."
The big two-story frame
house is located at the foot Of
the George Washington Masonic
Temple and across King street
from Alexandria's Union sta
tion.
Under Treatment
4 Inman, under treatment for q
mental disorder and epilepsy for
"several years." unlocked the
front door to let police In and
then ran upstairs.
A .22-caliber rifle was leaning
against the den wall. A partially
emptied glass of milk was on q
small table next to the leather
chair.
Police found the young man
Towering in an upstairs bedroom.
He did not resist arrest.
HE was extremely nervous
and very. very upset." Sergt.
Jones said. "All he wanted to do
was see his minister" the Rev.
Ernest Campbell. Of First Baptist
Church in Alexandria.
Mr.. Inman, returning home
from work, asked police why they
were there. whats the matter?"
he asked. They told him his wife
was dead.
Both Quite Religious
4 Neighbors said young Inman
and his mother always went to
church when they could.
| The Inman's only other child,
Mrs. Joyce Carter Of Willston
Apartments, Falls Church, told
reporters her mother had geen in
poor health for at least 20 years.
I"She and my brother" she said,
I'would have done anything in
1.-THE world for each other. They
were particularly close"
Police said they were told he
spent most Of his spare time in
1.-THE house $50 he could be with
her"
Detective Sergt. Jones and
detective William Gosney said
lone spent shell was found in the
Ichamber Of the gun and IL
LOADED ones in the magazine.
Three more shells, apparently
.ljust fred from the pump rife,
were found in the hallway.
Short Range Shots
I'VE figure he stood slightly
behind her and about IS to 20
feet away TO her right" the
detective sergeant said.
On the way to the station, In
man told police TT wasn't an
accident. did 1t because God
told me to do 1t 50 she wouldn't
'lsuffer."
i DR.. William j. Perry, q gen.
eral practitioner, whose Offices
are in the Alexandria National
Bank Building, Northwest
Branch, told reporters a fall
Inman suffered three years ago
i''may have produced q mental
block"
Seizures for Years
Both the physician and In
mans sister said the young man
suffered seizures years before
THE fall.
The fall occurred on Eeptern-
Iber II, 1858. Then 20 years old,
lInman fell two stories from the
.Eroof Of the cleaning establish
lment and struck the sidewalk.
He was hospitalized for q short
time.
/ Police said that when young
Inman fell, he had been UP there
tossing Sycamore balls at EN-
lployes Of the cleaning plant as
they passed By below.