THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 12, 1995 TAG: 9501120382
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JON FRANK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
A third woman in less than 24 hours was found slain at home on the Peninsula Wednesday afternoon.
Although all were found in their homes, and cars belonging to each were apparently stolen, police said they do not think the killings are related.
The body of the latest victim was found when a Newport News police officer answered a burglary call in the 700 block of Balthrope Road in the Denbigh section shortly after noon.
The officer found that the front door had been forced open. The body of Madeline Barker, 75, was inside.
Police believe that Barker's 1984 brown Chrysler New Yorker was stolen. The car had Virginia tags BOW- 775.
Police did not report how she was killed.
People who see the vehicle, or who observed activity around the house late Wednesday morning, are asked to call Newport News police at 247-2500.
The other victims were found in their Hampton homes in residential neighborhoods near Langley Air Force Base Tuesday afternoon.
They were identified as 55-year-old Sarah F. Smith of the 100 block of W. Gilbert St. and Alecia J. Rutland, 42, of 18 Gibson Road, according to Hampton police spokesman Donnie Moore.
Smith's body was found shortly after noon Tuesday in her living room when a neighbor checked on her. Her car, a 1990 tan and brown Daihatsu with Virginia tags FRAN 90, was reported stolen.
A murder warrant was issued Tuesday for Frank J. Lee, 32. Neighbors said Lee had recently been released from jail and had been living with Smith.
Rutland's body was found less than an hour after Smith's on Tuesday when a co-worker checked on her home. Rutland, who had failed to report to her job at Langley Air Force Base, was found in the kitchen. Police originally ruled her death as suspicious, but upgraded the case to murder on Wednesday.
Rutland's car, a white, 1989 four-door Hyundai with license tags VRR-387, was reported stolen. Neighbors said the car was seen at her home Monday afternoon but was gone early Tuesday morning.
Hampton police did not report how Smith and Rutland were killed.
Anyone with information about the missing cars or the murders of Rutland and Smith is asked to call Hampton police at 727-6111.
The three killings are dissimilar in more ways than they are alike, said police in Newport News.
``At this point we are leaning to this not being the same individual or individuals,'' said Patricia L. Mahaffy, spokeswoman for the police, on Wednesday.
KEYWORDS: MURDER by CNB