News Scrapbook 1984

I Swanke

(Contin ued from ~.ef The similar manner in which each of the victims were attacked helped police connect the three incidences. Police said other murder cases are under investigation in which Lucas may have been involved, though they would not elaborate. Police said all had occurred within the county. Lucas was a self-employed carpet cleaner. He owned and lived in a house in Spring Valley, which he also shared with roommates. "He (Lucas) was arrested as a result of our investiga- tion and the facts that gave us reasonable cause," Hartman said. "But the investigation is far from over." Hartman said in- vestigators will now remain busy gathering further evidence which will be turned over to an appointed judge in the case. "A search warrant was ex- ecuted and we did find items of evidentary nature in the house," Hartman said. Asked what those items might be, Hartman said, "I can't comment on that." Hartman would not say if a murder weapon was found. Hartman said in- vestigators are confident they have a solid case against Lucas. "I have reasonable cause to believe that he is the per- son that committed the murders," Hartman said. Police would not elaborate on how they had originally been led to Lucas, but said the artist's sketch distributed to the media, and more than 400 phone tips from the public aided the investigation. Investigators also reveal- ed that Lucas had a prior record. In 1973, at age 18, he was convicted of rape and assault. At that time he was labeled as a danger to the community, according to police. Police said Lucas had threatened the suspect with a knife during the rape, but she received only minor cuts in the struggle. She later step- ped forward to identify him. University of San Diego spokeswoman Sara Finn spoke for the Swanke family. "People should pray for them at Christmas time," Finn

La Mesa, CA (San Diego Co.) La Mesa Courier (Cir. W. 5,500)

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Suspe rested; Work Goes On nAnne Swanke Murder Case

By J~~stopherWeil Couri,r. ta«Writer San Diego County h riff's homicide detectives aid the arre t of 29-year-old David A. Lucas of Spring V Hey in connection with the laying of Anne Catherine Swanke marks only the hegmning of their work. "We will come up with ad- ditional evidence to upport our case against Lucas," said D nni Hartman, officer in charge of the Swanke m- ve. tigation. ··Our work really begtns now " Lu a. , of th Cn a d Oro r f Spnn • V 1 y, al o booked in the inveshga tion of the Octob r murder of a three year-old girl and her babysitter and the attempted murder in June near La Mesa of the 30 year-old Jody San- tiago of Seattle. S ntiago was abducted outside an E 1 Cajon restaurant and was left on a ro dside near Casa de Oro on Mt. Hehx with her throat la hed, but he survived. San Diego County sheriff's homicide detectives suid Santiago's testimony and descnpt10n of her attacker helped invc tigators make the arrest. She was flown to San Diego, following her return to Seattle, to help an

"University of San Diego spokeswoman Sara Finn spoke for the Swanke fa ily. 'People should pray for them at Christmas time,' Finn said." artist construct a composite sketch of her attacker aturday, Santiago view- ed a police photograph of Lucas, whom Sheriff John Duffy said had been under su picion for some time. San tiago identified Lucas as her tta ·ker. uffy said that 1den 1 r d,nce and circum tances" gathered in the case led detectives to connect Lucas with the string of attacks. Swanke, 22, and a music student at the--Uni:r:frsity of San Diego. had been abducted from the Parkway and Juck on Drive area in La Mesa following car trouble Nov. 20. She was found dead in Sprtng Valley Nov. 24, her throat slashed. Thre year-old Amber Fisher of Santee and her 24-year-old baby sitter, Rhon- da Strang, were found with their throats slashed at Strang's Lakeside home Oct. 23 (Continued on Page 9) \

Anne Swanke said She sai

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

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--'- ~Mj!.§WIDANCE - ' ; Sariitf{fJJ s,gphony - San Diego Master Chorale. with soloists form Berhoz's "L'Enlance du Christ .. David Atherton 8 p m Dec 21 the 1 ' mmacula- ta, Alcala Park, USO. Tickets: $10 and $15 asarlable at T~ormat1on: 239-971/ Symphony and 1:t Y ' · · · •

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