THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, September 20, 1994            TAG: 9409200299
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY LYNN WALTZ, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                     LENGTH: Medium:   52 lines

HUSBAND'S DEATH RULED ACCIDENT MEDICAL EXAMINER SAYS HE CAN'T FIND ANY SIGN OF MURDER.

Pauline Mathews' last hope for justice was dashed Monday when a Baltimore medical examiner ruled her husband's death accidental.

Stanley Mathews, 63, was burned to death in his Chincoteague home on Dec. 6, 1992. Second- and third-degree burns covered 90 percent of his body.

Pauline, 59, has believed ever since that he was murdered. She finally persuaded authorities to exhume the body. On Aug. 25, they transported the body to the medical examiner, who examined the remains for fractures, knife wounds or any other signs of foul play.

On Monday, the medical examiner reported that he did not find any signs of murder. The widow was devastated.

``I'm feeling so confused,'' Mathews said from her job Monday afternoon, her voice breaking. ``I'm really upset that they didn't find anything.''

The medical examiner took more than three weeks to complete his report, leading Mathews to believe he had found some indication of foul play. Now, she said, the report has left her feeling hopeless.

``Where else is there to go?'' she asked. ``I thought the answer would be in Stan's body. Now there's no place else to go.''

The report concluded that Stanley Mathews died of ``extensive body burns'' after ``flammable liquid on his clothing and body had ignited.''

The medical examiner's report concluded that no sign of injury was found to Mathews' head, chest ``or the remainder of the body. . . . The manner of death is considered (an) accident.''

But Pauline Mathews said Monday that the report does little to change her opinion that someone killed her husband. She can only speculate about who might have thrown flammable liquid on Stanley and why.

``I guess that's it,'' she said. ``Another mystery. The story of my life.''

Now, Mathews said, there's nothing more she can do. It's up to God, she said.

``If somebody did do this to him, one of these days they're going to die and they'll pay for what they did,'' she said. ``I will eventually pick up the pieces, but they'll pay one of these days. In the end they'll pay.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photos

Pauline Mathews

Stanley Mathews

KEYWORDS: ACCIDENTAL DEATH FIRE by CNB