April 26, 2000
Killer may be in our area
By Jefferson Wolfe
Staff Writer
Seneca County Sheriff's deputies were distributing a composite drawing and information about a suspect in a string of carry-out holdups in which the clerks were shot. Two clerks have been killed.
"We're afraid this guy's working his way south," Sheriff H. Weldin Neff said. The incidents happened in Ottawa County, then Sandusky County, Neff said.
Authorities believe that one gunman killed two carryout clerks and wounded a bar employee in separate robberies within the last four days. Sandusky County Sheriff David Gangwer said Tuesday that officials believe they can connect all three of the shootings, which occurred in Clyde, Fremont and Oak Harbor.
"He seems to be targeting small places that are not busy and there's no one around," Neff said. He cited places like carry-outs, convenience stores and bars as being possible targets. Employees of these types of businesses should be cautious, he said.
"I think they have to be careful with strangers that they aren't familiar with. If they're working alone, be extra careful. If they see anyone acting suspicious, report it right away," Neff said.
The suspect should be considered armed and dangerous, he said.
"Extremely dangerous," Neff said. "The only logical reason for him shooting them is he doesn't want to be identified."
Authorities on Monday night found the body of Denise Clink, owner of Gene's Carryout, on the floor of the store in Clyde. Clink, who had been working alone, had been shot in the head.
About a half-hour earlier, police investigated a robbery at a bar in nearby Fremont. An employee said a male suspect forced him to fill a bag with money and then shot him in the face, despite the employee's pleading not to shoot. The employee was treated at a hospital and released.
The first carryout killing happened Friday about 20 miles away near Oak Harbor.
Crystal Pierson was shot in the back of head during an afternoon robbery at the Two Z's Drive-Thru in the city near Lake Erie. She was shot with a handgun and the killer stole about $500, said Ottawa County Sheriff Craig Emahiser.
There have been no vehicles seen in connection with the crimes so far. Neff said.
"I don't know whether this means he has an accomplice or if he is staging the car," he said.
The suspect is described as a white male, 5-feet-9-inches tall, 146-165 pounds with a slim build. He is said to be clean shaven, although the composite drawing authorities are using depicts a mustache. Reportedly, he was wearing a white sweatshirt, blue jeans and a blue baseball cap.