Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, July 22, 1995 TAG: 9507240033
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium
``Every time you hear there's a body found, it causes you to live it all over again,'' Gloria Bostic said moments after police held a news conference to ask the public for information that might help solve the killings. ``I have prayed for them to solve these cases.''
Bostic's son, Ray, was found dead June 6, 1993. The 27-year-old unemployed truck driver from Norfolk is believed to be the killer's seventh victim. The latest victim, Samuel E. Aliff, 31, whose last known address was Richmond, was found May 14.
Police believe the serial killings started in July 1987 with the murder of Charles F. Smith, an 18-year-old Norfolk man.
All of the victims were found in Chesapeake, Suffolk or Isle of Wight County. All had been strangled, and all but one were found nude.
M.J. Fischetti, a Chesapeake detective, said all of the victims also had ties to the gay community, although they weren't necessarily homosexuals. He said all of them were known to hitchhike frequently.
After Aliff's body was found, local authorities acknowledged publicly for the first time they believed the murders were the work of the same person and formed a task force to investigate the crimes.
They have received assistance from the state police and the FBI in the investigation, including an FBI psychological profile of what the killer might be like. Still, ``we've got a lot more work to do,'' said John K. Cooke, a Suffolk detective.
Fischetti and Cooke said authorities have developed a list of potential suspects but have not interrogated them. ``At this time, we don't have enough probable cause to make an arrest,'' Cooke said.
Instead, detectives set up a post office box and telephone hot line to seek tips from anyone who, for example, accepted a ride from someone who subsequently made them feel uncomfortable.
``We're looking for someone who frequents this area a lot,'' Fischetti said of the likely killer. ``We need a little more information, and we're hoping that someone with that information will call us.''
The detectives said they're not certain whether the victims were acquainted with the killer, but they all apparently felt comfortable with him. Until someone is arrested, they urged caution.
``If you leave a bar with someone you don't know, you're putting yourself in a heck of a situation,'' Fischetti said.
The other victims were:
Joseph Ray, in his 30s or 40s, found in Chesapeake on July 19, 1988.
Stacy Reneau, 21, found in Chesapeake on Jan. 7, 1989.
John W. Ross Jr., 37, found in Chesapeake on Jan. 21, 1992.
Billy Lee Dixon, 32, found in Isle of Wight County on July 2, 1992.
Reginald Joyner, in his 30s or 40s, found in Suffolk on March 7, 1993.
Robert A. Neal, 24, found in Chesapeake on Sept. 8, 1993.
Garland L. Taylor Jr., 24, found in Suffolk on Sept. 17, 1994.
The address for sending information is: Chesapeake Police Dept., P.O. Box 16291, Chesapeake 23328. The hot line number is (804) 436-8900.
by CNB