Police Beat by Tom GeyerMurder case update
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009 8:25 pmMy Times colleague Dustin Lemmon has been following the unsolved murder of Harriet Crandall, 96 of Milan. Here’s the latest from Dustin:
This is an update on the murder investigation of 96-year-old Harriet Crandall, who was found dead in her Milan home August 30 after the house was set on fire. An autopsy of the womean who lived at 325 W. 4th Ave., determined she had been strangled.
The author of an unsigned letter, that contained details that investigators though legitimate and that Milan police received in November, has now spoken with detectives.
Milan Police Chief Mark Beckwith said it’s too soon to tell if new information they’ve received in the unsolved homicide of Crandall will help lead to an arrest.
In November police received an unsigned letter from someone with information about Crandall’s death. Two weeks ago police released a picture of the envelope the letter came in to the media in hopes of getting the author to come forward.
Beckwith said Tuesday that they made contact with the author shortly after the photo was distributed, but he wouldn’t say how. He said their information provided a new lead in the case that will be checked out.
“I’m not going to say it’s going to lead us to those responsible,” Beckwith said. “The detective will determine whether we’ll be able to go down this path.”
Tags: Harriet Crandall, Milan, murder
April 14th, 2009 at 5:19 am
Murder, is much more common then most would suspect. I moved away from Seventh Street in Davenport, after my father died at the Khaul Home. I moved because in the five years I lived near him, 15 suspect deaths happen within six blocks of my residence. Only three of them made the news. The news worthy ones were three men from out of town. They were chased from Marquett Street to a church parking lot and beat to death.
I say deaths to be suspected: neighbor found hanging in his home, no suicide note, front door broaken open, valuables gone, ruled suicide. ;Neighbor’s home burglerized, service revolver missing. Following week shot to death while being robbed on the street by 14 male with the revolver. Kidd, was out in four years.; Neighbor, throat slit ear to ear, 12 year old male fleeing the sceane, laughing hysterically, arms and hands covered in blood and threatening, “You’ll be next!” to witnesses.; Several homes of elderly, broaken into both owners dead, ‘rumors’ of suspect cause.
I relize we have laws to protect minors when it come to police reports and news. But, when a minor commits a violent crime, I feel the neighbors and public as a whole should be imformed. I beleave there is way to much murder going unreported in the news.
When asking a city official of the neglect of putting these in the paper, “We don’t want to hurt tourism!”