DATE: Wednesday, May 7, 1997                TAG: 9705070444

SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: By JUNE ARNEY, STAFF WRITER

DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE                        LENGTH:   92 lines

PORTSMOUTH MAN INDICTED IN MOST RECENT DEATH TIED TO SERIAL KILLER

A Portsmouth man has been indicted in a July slaying that might be the most recent of 12 homicides committed by a serial killer who has stalked Hampton Roads for a decade, dumping the nude bodies of his male victims along deserted roads.

On Tuesday, a grand jury indicted Elton M. Jackson, 41, in the slaying of Andrew ``Andre'' D. Smith, 38, whose body was found on the shoulder of a dead-end road in Deep Creek July 22.

Chesapeake police on Tuesday declined to comment on the indictment or to provide any information about whether Jackson is believed to be connected with other killings. Some information will be released today, according to Dave Hughes, a spokesman for Chesapeake police.

It was unclear Tuesday night whether Jackson had been arrested and, if so, where he was being held.

Although Smith's death has never officially been linked to the other killings, Chesapeake police have said his slaying ``bears many similarities'' to the others.

Shortly after a Virginia Power worker found Smith's body, members of the multi-agency Serial Killer Task Force were summoned to the crime scene at Yadkin Road near Interstate 64 and George Washington Highway.

They were joined by other Chesapeake detectives and at least one agent from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, whose members have been assisting the task force.

These are among other similarities between the Smith slaying and the known serial cases:

Smith was found dead and nude on a roadside in a rural section of Chesapeake. Nearly all the victims were found in Chesapeake. Only one victim, the first, was found clothed. Police have not located clothes or property belonging to the other victims. Most were dumped within miles of where Smith's body was found.

Smith's body was found near an interstate, which would give the killer quick access to an escape route, police say.

None of the victims, including Smith, showed any signs of overt trauma. Of the known victims, nine were strangled. Two others may have been strangled, but the bodies were too badly decomposed when found for investigators to be sure. Police would not divulge how Smith died.

The last several victims were dumped in conspicuous places, where the bodies would be quickly found and reported. One body was left in a cul-de-sac, where a police cruiser had patroled just minutes earlier.

Little information about Jackson was available Tuesday. A check of court records in South Hampton Roads and Richmond showed that an Elton M. Jackson was found guilty of failing to have a state inspection sticker and disregarding a traffic sign in Portsmouth in August 1993.

Detectives investigating the serial killings believe the killer has taunted them, growing more brazen with each slaying.

Smith's body was clearly visible alongside Yadkin Road. It had been there no more than 48 hours, and probably fewer than 24 hours, Chesapeake police have said. Although the road isn't heavily traveled, local residents and business employees use the street frequently, especially during the work week.

Nearly all the serial killer's victims were last seen in Norfolk's Ocean View, downtown Norfolk or the Truxtun section of Portsmouth, where police said Smith lived with members of his family. Many frequented late-night hangouts, and several had stayed in Norfolk's Union Mission.

While most victims were gay or had ties to the gay community, some were not gay. One was married; another was living with a woman. All, however, were known to keep late hours and unpredictable schedules. Many were transients. It was the victims' lifestyles that first linked the cases.

In mid-1993, investigators from several jurisdictions began comparing cases and determined that the deaths of seven men were probably linked to a common killer. By the end of 1994, police formed the Serial Killer Task Force. The group has spent thousands of hours tracking the cases.

The longest time between killings has been three years, the shortest three months. But the killer has tended to strike in six-month intervals.

Authorities, in developing a profile of the killer, believe he is intelligent and chooses low-risk victims. He plans the crime and uses a ruse and verbal skills to gain control of his victims.

He controls the victims so well that they die without struggling. And he ``gets better'' with each killing, meaning successive crimes show more efficiency.

He has taken an active interest in the investigation and reads about the cases in newspapers, police believe. He is probably outgoing and social. When he was young, he was frequently disruptive in school.

He probably drives irresponsibly or aggressively and may be a trouble maker. He has had many romantic partners, but probably hasn't sustained a serious, long-term relationship.

He is what profilers call an ``organized'' killer. ``Organized murderers'' have included Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy and Charles Manson. MEMO: Staff writer Marc Davis contributed to this report. ILLUSTRATION: Andrew ``Andre'' D. Smith, 38, above, was found dead

in Chesapeake in July. Elton M. Jackson, 41, has been indicted in

the slaying. KEYWORDS: SERIAL KILLER INDICTMENT <

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