News Scrapbook 1985

Son Diego, CA (San Diego Co.I Eve ning Tribune {Cir. D. 127,-45-41 B2 'l, 1985 Jlllin'• P. c. a

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Son Diego, CA (Son Diego Co.) Evening Tribune (Cir. D. 127,454) EB Jlllm'•

F.st. 1888

est1mony links chain to Lucas dog By a-s- TribU11•' Slaff nter A sheriffs detective has testifi d hat the wife of David Allen Lucas reacted in a startled manner when shown a dog chain found around the neck of a slnin University of San son told Municipal Court Judge Wayne L. Peterson that Shannon Lucas acted surprised when shown the dog chain and remarked: 'That's Duke's " Duke is the name of the Lucas dog. Henderson was one of the witness- es yesterday m the preliminary bear- ing for Lucas on charges of murdPr, attempted murder and kidnapping. Lucas is charged with the laying of Umversity of San Diego student Anne Catherine Swanke, 22, who was last seen alive Nov. 20 carrying a gaso- line can toward her disabled vehicle on Parkway Drive in La Mesa. The chain shown by Henderson to Mrs. Lucas was found around Swanke's neck when her body, her throat slashed, was found Nov. 24. Lucas also is charged with the Oct. 23 slayings of Amber Fisher, 3, and her baby-sitter, Rhonda Strang, 24, in Strang's Lakeside home, and at- tempted murder and kidnapping of Jody Santiago, 30, of Seattle, who survived a slashed throat and frac- tured skull in a June 9 incident. In other testimony yesterday, sheriffs deputy Richard 0. Richard- son said that Lucas appeared at the Descanso Detention Facility on Oct. 22 to "work service" on a drunken driving charge, but asked to be excused on Oct. 23, the day of the Strang and Fisher slayings, because "he had a big carpet cleaning job to do that day." Previous testimony by co-workers at Lucas' Carpet Maintenance Co. in- dicated that Lucas did not work on Oct. 23. D1e_go s~dent. ---...: hen s detective Craig Hender•

Lucas hearing: c ain on victim i

By Mil

In other testimony yesterday, Michael George said be bought a sports car formerly owned by Lucas. Authorities said the car is believed to have been used m the kidnapping of Santiago, who survived a throat slashing and a skull fracture. George said he was contacted by the Sher- iffs Department last year and agreed to have the car photographed and examined. Shortly after the examination, he said, Gil- ham called and asked about possible damage to the vehicle. -----~~_...--d

links.

toward her disabled ehicle on Parkway Drive m La Mesa T ey te tified before Municipal Judge Wayn<: L et rson in Lucas' preliminary hear- in on ch.ilr11ies of murdering Swanke; murder- ! Amber Fisher, 3, and her baby-sitter, Rhon- da Strang, 24, on Oct 23 in Strang's Lakeside ome; and with kidnapping and attempting to murder Jody Santiago of Seattle on June,_9. Fulmer said the cham was below a wide ga h m the throat when Swanke's body was found Nov. 24. Limback said he recognized the chain be- cause of a clasp at one end and grooves on the

onon

Under questioning by Deputy District Attor- ney Daniel Williams, Limback said a loose ring on the 28-inch-long choke chain also was dis- tinctive. Under cross-examination by defense attor- ney G. Anthony Gilham, Limback said be had asked sheriffs officials about collecting a reward for information leading to the convic- tion ()f S anke's killer. "I asked about the re ard money," he said, "but they said they were not sure what would happen but I was in the running because I was a key witness."

Son Diego, CA (San D,ego Co.) Evening Tribune (Cir. D 127,-45-4) f"EB 2

Jlllni '•

P. C. 8

F.st. 1888

( Chokin1'-described Ann atl!erine Swanke probably was choked shortly before her throat was slashed and she bled to death a ~at~ologist has testified at the p;e- hmmary hearing of the man accused of murdering her. Pathologist David Katsuyama tes- tified yesterday that he found evi- dence that Swanke, 22, bit her tongue shortly before she died. That indi- cates choking, along with reddish discoloration found the back of her neck, Katsuyam d The pathologist fled at the Mumcipal C rt hea ng for David '."-llen Luca 29, a cosed of murder- mg the Um\ersity San Diego coed. Katsuyanfa said the ed marks could have been caus d -by a dog choke chain found aro nd wanke's neck when her body ·· · msco rerro Swanke was last seen alive, ·ov. 20 c~rrying a gasoline ca toward her ~sabled vehicle on Parkway Drive mLa Mesa. Lucas is also ccused of the Oct. 23 murders of Amber Fis11er 3, and her baby- itter Rhond~ Strang, 24 in Strang · Lakeside home. He also is charged ?.1th the kidnap- pmg and attempted murder of Seat- Ue resident Jody Santiago, who sur- vived a slashed throat and fractured skul_l. in a June 9 incident. Santiago testified earlier at the hearing and identified Lucas as her attacker. Prosecutors rested their presenta- tion of evidence yesterday before Judge Wayne L. Peterson. Lucas' at- torney, G. Anthony Gilham, said he will recall Santiago Monday and call two of Santiago's psychotherapists and a Seattle sheriffs deputy who did a composite drawing of Santiago's attacker.

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Son Diego, CA {Son Diego Co.) Son Diego Union {Cir. D. 217,324) {Cir. S. 339,7881

Jlll~n'• P. c e

Fu 1888

Hair strands like Swanke's in pickup A sfe'1-?r? criminalist testified consistent with ~he ~o~n s~ndard yesterday that strands of hair con- of Anne Swanke s hair m thickness, sistent with those of the slain Anne color and length." Catherine Swanke were found on the "Th,~ bai~ de~in!tely was_ not console of a pickup belonging to her bl~nd, Mer;1t~ said 10 compa1;10g ~t accused slayer, David Allen Lucas, with Lucas. Shannon Lucas_ ~air 29. was different. The hair was s1m1lar The testimony was heard at Lucas' to Cath ri~e ~wanke's. I put that un- preliminary hearing in Municipal known hair mto the range of the Court. known hair of Catherine S"".an~e." The Casa de Oro carpet mainte- Questioned by deputy district ~t- nance man IS charged m the Nov. 20 torney Daniel T. Williams. Merritt slaymg of Swanke, a 22-ye -old U told the court he als? recove a student, and in the Oct. 23 slaymgs of sample of bloodstam taken from Rhonda Stang, 24, and Amber Fisher, the sheepsk_m seat cov~r _from the 3, a child she was babysitting at her passenger side of Lucas pickup. _He Lakeside home. said the sample currently was be1~g Lucas also is charged with at- anaylzed by a serology laboratory m tempted murder and rape of a Seat- Emeryville, Calif. tie woman, who survived a throat Defense attorney G. Anthony Gil- slashing and helped law enforcement ham objected to introduction of the officers make a composite drawing hair and blood samples. contending of a suspect that led to Lucas' arrest. they may have been seized illegally, Sheriff's cnminalist Charles H. but Peterson overruled the objection. Merritt Jr. explained to Municipal The prelimmary hearing resumes Court Judge Wayne L. Peterson that Monday, with Merritt facing cross hair evidence can only be used to examination. exclude individuals, not to match them.

Son Diego, CA (Son Diego Co.) Evening Tribune (Cir. D. 127,-45-4) EB r

o

Jlllvi's

P. C. 8

F.st. 1888

;$cr~~es on Lucas described by 2 By ~onon fight in a bar."' Tribune Staff Writer Earlier, Lucas' former partner, Frank William Clark, Two witnesses have testified that David Allen Lucas testified that Lucas did not appear for work Nov. 20 and had deep scratches on bis face Nov. 23, three days after 21 and that when he did show up Nov. 23, the day after the disappearance of slain University of San Diego stu- Thanksgiving, he had deep scratches on bis face. dent Anne Catherine Swanke. Lucas, 29, also is charged with murdering Amber The witnesses, John Storms, an executive of an adver- l isher, 3, and her baby-sitter, Rhonda Strang, 24, on Oct. tising publication, and Bill McCarthy, a salesman, testi- 23 in Strang's Lakeside home; and with kidnapping and fied yesterday in a Municipal Court preliminary hearing attempting to murder Seattle resident Jody Santi~go, for Lucas. who survived a throat slashing and a fractured skull ma He is charged with murdering three females, includ- June 9 attack. ing Swanke, who was last seen Nov. 20 carrying a gaso- Santiago testified earlier. Peterson ordered yesterday line can toward her disabled vehicle on Parkway Drive that she return to San Diego to be questioned by defense in La Mesa. Her body was found Nov. 24. attorney G. Anthony Gilham about her contact.s with McCarthy and Storms told Judge Wayne L. Peterson San Diego and her treatment by a Seattle psychiatrist. that they went to Lucas' Carpet Maintenance Co., to In other testimony yesterday, serologist Bryan Wrax- check on advertising and noticed the scratches. all testified that a bloodstain found on a seat cover in Said McCarthy: "There were seven or eight scratches. Lucas' truck was of the same type as Swanke's blood They weren't fresh, bleeding, but they were not brown. I and of a type different from the blood of Lucas or his asked him what had happened, and be said: 'I got in a wife.

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Meanwhile, authorities were con- tinurng to investigate whether _Lu_cas was mvolved in three other s1m1Jar killings. "We just hav~n't sati~fied ouselves yet," said shenffs bom1c1de S2t. Dennis Hartman. ...-

Merritt said that in comparing the strands of hair found on Lucas' truck console with the known hair samples taken from Lucas, his wife, Shannon, and Swanke he concluded ''it was