Evening star., 1963-05-14
Billy Bodmer Given
48-Year Sentence
WiIIfuI' Staying
Of Stepfother
Cited by Court

AN Alexanurlh judge JOuay
sentenced william B. Billy
Bodmer, to 48 years in the
State penitentiary for the slay-
ing of his stepfather Donald
@. Cooley, SO, last July 2.
Corporation Court Judge
Franklin P. Backus said he was
not suspending any part Of the
sentence because the murder
was "willful, deliberate, and
premeditated." The Bodmer
youth. II, had pleaded guilty
to killing Mr.. Cooley in an
attack with an ice pick and q
butcher knife.
A second youth accused Of
murder in the same assault,
Malcolm L. (Skip) Ward, jr.,
10. faces a retrial June II.
Alexandria authorities charged
he shot Mr.. Cooley with a 90
caliber rifle, but Ward contends
the firing was an accident.
Wards first trial ended in a
hung jury.
In today's sentencing, Bod
mer's attorney. William Woolls,
jr., asked Judge Backus if he
would suspend part of the 48-
year prison term.
Judge Backus said he realized
the probation report on the
Bodmer youth was very favor
able" But the judge then noted
the "premeditated" nature of
the killing.
Stabbed While Sleeping
Bodmer had testified at an
earlier hearing that he stabbed
Mr.. Cooley while the Fairfax
County school teacher was
sleeping on a chair in the living
room of the Cooley home at
3055 East Taylor Run parkway.
Mr.. Cooley died from one
bullet wound and IL stab
wounds from an ice pick and
butcher knife, Alexandria
authorities said.
Bodmer also had pleaded
guilty March to attacking
his mother, Mrs. Catherine
Cooley, AZ, with the same in
strument on the night Of the
murder. Mrs. Cooley recovered.
Judge Backus today SEN
fenced Bodmer to four years IN
prison on the felonious assau,
charge arising from the attack
on Mrs. Cooley. But the Judgr
said the four-year term woua1
be served concurrently with tn
longer sentence.
Judge Backus pointed out
Mr.. WoollS and his client tina.
presumably Bodmer would b.
eligible for parole. Virginia
law allows prisoners to apply
for parole after serving ONE
quarter of a penitentiary term.
Bodmer, who had told the
judge minutes before that he
had nothing to say, received
his sentence with no show of
emotion. Afterward, however,
court officials led the youth
to a room down the hall for a
reunion with his mother, who
appeared to be shaken by the
sentencing.
Undecided on Appeal
Mr.. Woolls said he had not.
decided whether to appeal the
sentence. but noted he had q
days in which to act.
An Episcopal minister, a
seminary student, and several
friends had initiated an effort
to have the youth placed in a
church boys home in Kansas
rather than see him go to
prison.
Judge Backus had deferred
sentencing Bodmer April 8 with
a request for more information
about the rehabilitation facil-
ity. At the time, the Rev.
Herbert A. Willke testified he
had offers Of financial help for
Bodmer If he could be placed
in the home.
At the same court session,
Probation Officer Hubert A.
Hardy and DR.. Elmer r. Lowry.
tr., a psychiatrist, predicted
Bodmer would not again pose
a danger TO society. although,
they said. he evidently reached
an eAploulnB point the night
OF the Staying.
No mention was made today
OF the effort to send Bodmer
to the church home, but after
the sentencing session Mr.. d.
Hardy confirmed rumors that
the church home refused to
take the youth.
The Cooleys both were teach
ers at Mt. Vernon High School
and Billy was a student there.
At the Ward youths trial.
both youths testified that they
had discussed attacking the
Cooleys, but Ward maintained
he never thought Bodmer was
serious about II, The Bodmer
youth contended he was eRged
on by Ward.