Evening star., 1962-09-01
Mystery Shots SIoy Youth, II
Falls Church
Star Gazer Hif
; Bullets
Police Stort Hunt;
Snipines at Houses
In Areo Recalled

A 17-year-old Falls Church
High School student was killed
by several shots early today
after he had gone to his yard
to study the stars through a
highpowered telescope.
The dead youth is Lewis
Marshall Goldfein. son of Mr..
and Mrs. Solomon Goldfein. He
was shot mysteriously three
times shortly after midnight in
his back yard at 1917 Jeffer-
son avenue, Falls Church. The
telescope was in the front yard.
Mai. William Durrer, chief of
Fairfax County Police, said that
it was a definite possibility"
that young Goldfein was chas-
ing a peeping tom when he was
shot. This possibility was
strengthened by the fact that a
badminton net on the front
lawn was broken.
Police reasoned that Lewis
crashed through the net as he
pursued the peeping tom. Lewis
sister was preparing for bed in
her lighted second-story bed
room when he went into the
yard to set up his telescope.
Other Snipings Earlier
This is the same neighbor-
hood where a series of sniping
incidents occurred last March.
Police revealed also that the
bullets which killed young
Goldfein we're Of a make and
caliber similar to those dis
charged from the revolver car
ried by a man who attempted
to assault a mother on July 9
in home about a quarter-mile
from the Goldfein residence.
Police recovered the bullet when
they were investigating this
incident and it was compared
with the three which killed the
youngster.
t 1t was learned that the four
5 bullets we're .38-caliber spe-
r cials of Remington or Peters
r manufacture and could have
been fired from a Smith g.
WeSSon or any revolver of
Spanish make. The bullets were
similar, the riflings were SINH
lar but the laboratory test was
not able to definitely establish
that they were fired from the
same revolver because they
were very mutilated.
Major Durrer said the youth
had been star-gazing about five
minutes when his family and
neighbors heard the gunfire.
Father Saw Son Dying
Mr.. Goldfein rushed to the
front lawn and heard his son
call from the rear yard: Dad,
help me-" He ran to the back
yard and knelt by his son.
II saw he was dying" Mr..
Goldfein said. There was blood
running from his mouth and
all over. I tried to pick him
up and part of a bullet fell into
my hand"
Fairfax Hospital said the
youth was pronounced dead on
arrival at 12:45 am, but then
nurses in the emergency room
discovered that he still was
alive. Doctors worked fran
tically over him, but he died
a minute later.
Maj. Durrer said Lewis was
shot in the middle of his back,
the back Of shoulder and in
the front Of his left leg.
Maj. Durrer said from all
accounts Lewis was IAN out
standing boy. Just a good all
around youngster. well liked in
the neighborhood." He said
the initial police investigation
indicated Lewis never had had
ANY trouble with anyone"
Mr.. and Mrs. Goldfein and
guests had been playing cards
in the two-Story home until
about midnight, according to
police. When the guests left
Mr.. Goldfein and Lewis ushered
them to their car parked out
side.
AS the father and son re-
turned to the home, Mai. Dur
rer said, Lewis remarked that
1t was a good night for obsery-
See SHOOTING pa,.Aa