Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 114

Al Th Arizona Republic Thursday. July 10, 1997 Tim Willy head back to Valley A ij U.IIJJ.JJJ.J .11 lllll, IJII, j.l I.1.1U I. HI! i 1 re TIM, mm Page A I The highly successful KEZ, lead by Beth McDonald and Bill Austin in the morning, is not expected to change. Tim and Willy, who were wildly popular on Camel Country 108, KMLE-FM (107.9), have been on the air in Chicago during the past year. "We're excited! We're pumped!" Hattrick said from Chicago.

"We've missed each and every listener," he added, with the unpretentious humor his Valley fans came to love. "We have a big wall with all their pictures on it and we look at it daily." Asked about changing the format on KOAZ from contemporary jazz to country, Hattrick said, "What Willy and I have done has always been diametrically opposed to Kenny When Oasis changes formats, the that regularly listen to Camel Country 108 and Young Buck Country, Owens Broadcasting chief executive officer Michael Owens called the station's new format "a truly new and unique country package." "When you're starting with Tim and Willy, you have a lot of room for creative thinking," he said. "We wouldn't be doing this deal if we didn't have Tim and Willy to lead oT the new station. Talent is very hard to find in this business. Tim and Willy are unique and they are proven." Both Owens Broadcasting and MAC America will own 50 percent of OwensMAC.

Financial details were not released, but KEZ and KOAZ are estimated to be worth $55 million to $60 million. The deal is expected to formally close by late fall, pending FCC approval. Tim Hattrick (left) and Willy D. Loon will team up again on new KOAZ-FM. Valley will have four FM country stations.

Owens already owns the country stations KNIX-FM (1 02.5) and KCWW-AM (1580), as well as and KTVK (Channel 3). KNIX will remain in its current format, which features recent hits as well as songs at the top of the charts. The sound on 103.5 FM is expected to be younger and looser. The station will go after audiences 'J the fence, she bolted out of that Photos by Tim KoorVThe Arizona Republic witness Wilma Cowan said. "When the one prisoner ran up to 71097 Shootout at prison kills woman, inmate husband precedented security summit with 25 other countries.

Al 8 TYSON BANNED: Just hours alter Mike Tyson boards a plane to New York City, the Nevada State Athletic Commission sentences him in absentia to the stillest possible penalty for biting Evan-der Holyfield's ears: the loss of his license to box and a S3 million fine. D1 ALMANAC Today is the 191st day of the year. In 1890, Wyoming becomes the 44th state. In 1919, President Wilson delivers the Treaty of Versailles to the Senate and urges its ratification. In 1940, during World War II, the 114-day Battle of Britain begins as Nazi forces attack southern England by air.

In late October, the Luftwaffe ends the assault after suffering heavy losses. In 1943, during World War II, U.S. and British troops start Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. In 1951, armistice talks aimed at ending the Korean conflict begin at Kaesong. In 1962, the Telstar communications satellite is launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla.

In 1973, the Bahamas becomes independent after three centuries of British rule. In 1991, Boris Yeltsin takes the oath of office as the first elected president of the Russian republic. I. y. 'V '1 -V'-i 1 rrj 4 I 1 I JSty- 1 42fr r- a'VJ A car belonging to Rebecca Thornton is parked outside the prison.

On the ground next to it, marked with a number 3, is the rifle she used. CPS FIGHTS BACK: In an unusual move, child-welfare officials ask Maricopa County Juvenile Court to throw open the confidential file on 4-year-old Corinda Autrey. The girl is at center of a struggle between Child SHOOTOUT, mm Page Al Late Wednesday, prison officials were piecing together what happened, and investigators were evaluating several theories, said Camilla Strongin, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Corrections. In particular, they are trying to resolve who shot Floyd Thornton: his wife or the officers. "Definitely shots were fired toward Mrs.

Thornton. He was running in that direction as well," Strongin said. Some in Florence even speculated that Floyd Thornton asked his wife to kill him after the escape attempt went awry. The incident started about 8 a.m. and ended less than a minute later, officials said.

Rebecca Thornton parked her car near a prison fence along Arizona 79 and Fired the AK-47 through her passenger window, possibly as a diversion, acting Warden William Gaspar said. With the engine still running, she then ran toward the fence. "When she' saw him coming, she got out and she ran up to that fence," said Cowan, the witness. "But I can't figure where was he going? There's no way you can climb over that without cutting' yourself to shreds." She began to talk with her husband as he ran toward the fence, his legs shackled together, but officials "can not confirm what the dialogue was between them," Gaspar said. At the time, four corrections officers, some on foot and some on horseback, were supervising more than a dozen inmates on the chain gang.

They first fired bean bag rounds from a shotgun at Thornton, followed by more lethal rubber balls. Thornton was hit and fell to the ground. But he got back up and continued walking toward his wife. She dropped the AK-47, reached for her revolver and began firing. Corrections officers returned fire and killed her.

It was a violent end to an unusual relationship. It was not known when Thornton and Withem began corresponding or how they became pen pals. But it's not uncommon for male inmates to seek out support and companionship from women. Thornton had been sentenced to death for killing Dale Duke, an elderly man in Bisbee, in 1993. Two years earlier, he had killed another elderly man, William J.

Prince, in the town of Portal. The killings were almost identical and capped a lifetime of crime for Thornton, court records show. "Thornton seemed like a cold Protective Service officials who want to her up for adoption, and her grandmother, Nancy Comanse, who wants to her. B1 RESORT ON HOLD: The contro versial Spur Cross Ranch development on hold. Developer John Lang formally withdraws his plans from the of Cave Creek, but he insists that upscale housing and resort complex still be built.

B1 AUCTION FIZZLES: For the second time in less than two weeks, an auction to sell 1 42 acres of prime desert South Mountain draws no bidders. Land Department officials say believe Phoenix Mayor Skip Rimsza is to blame. B2 APPLE OUSTS CHIEF: Gil Amelio, the beleaguered chief executive of Apple Computer is ousted in a boardroom shake-up that expands the role of co-founder Steve Jobs in running the company. El SOYBEAN BONANZA: A new soybean-based hydraulic fluid that will soon go on sale could provide a market for more than 100 million bushels of the crop each year, officials say. E2 1 BILL GOODYKOONTZ: I volunteer.

That's right, I'm first. The line forms here, bub. No cuts. I am offering my services here and now as the first non-astronaut to go to Mars. CI 111 itti 3 NAFTA AND BEYOND: The benefits of the North American Free Trade Agreement can't be measured by assigning a letter grade or counting the jobs gained or lost.

NAFTA wins an honest assessment of the numbers. But the less easily measured benefits come from forging a strong trade partnership within our hemisphere. That relationship will serve us well in a global economy. It should be expanded. B4 is if "I ft fli it ft ft nl TEST RESULTS ONLINE Interested in reading Stanford test results in and beyond your neighborhood? Just want to check out some schools as part of summer house hunting? Go online to Arizona Central at www.azcentral.com and search the test results database for any school in Arizona.

Also, you can go to www.azcentral.comnews and click on the Community buttons to read what's happening all around the Valley. PRESSLIfJE If you would like to receive a free faxed copy of the test results for your area, call PressLine at 271-5656 and enter one of the codes below. Central Valley 8078 West Valley 8079 Northeast Valley 8081 Southeast Valley 8082 Northwest Valley 8083 Charter schools 8084 republic (Payable in advance) Daily Sunday $72.80 (quarterly Daily only $42.90 quarterly Sunday only $29.90 (quarterly; for mail rates outside Arizona, AC. h''ijf PRAYER Lord, thank you for letting us come to you freely with the spoken or silent word of prayer. Amen.

LOTTERY POWERDALL Wednesday's drawing 04 32 33 36 39 Powerball: 22 Jackpot: $15 million LOTTO Wednesday's drawing 0617 20 25 32 41 Jackpot: S2.8 million Amounts in other prize pools were not available Wednesday night. FANTASY 5 Tuesday's results 0519 21 30 31 Winner 1350,000 (5 numbers) Second-place pool: 18S500 (4 numbers) Third-place pool: 665S5 (3 numbers) BINGO Here are the numbers drawn in Wednesday's Bingo lottery. 01 02 03 08 09 19 21 27 28 32 39 40 46 48 54 56 61 64 65 66 68 71 73 74 Results for the latest Bingo drawing can be obtained by calling PressLine at 271-5656 and entering 7425. CHUCKLE Everybody gets car sickness occasionally. For adults, it usually occurs when they check out the price of a new one.

READER ADVOCATE Do you have questions or concerns about stories you read in the paper? Call Reader Advocate Richard de Uriarte at 271-8912 or reach him by e-mail at either rdeuriarteaol.com or pnireaderaol.com. Watch for his column every Sunday in the Republic. CORRECTIONS POLICY The Arizona Republic will correct errors fully and promptly. To report an error in the news columns, phone Managing Editors Steve Knickmeyer, 271-8087, or Don Henninger, 271-8608. To report an error on the Editorial pages, phone Paul J.

Schatt, editorial page editor, 271-8475. To report an error on the Opinion pages, phone James Mill, opinion page editor, 271 -8477. HOW TO REACH US Circulation 257-8300 Newsroom 271-8235 Editorial Page 271-8499 Reader Advocate 271-8912 Metro 271-8222 Business news 271-8142 Features 271-8152 Sports 271-8641 Photo 271-8282 Photo Reprints 271-8298 Back Issues 271-8537 Library Services 271-8017 (9-11 a.m., Mon-Fri) JobLine 271-5656 code 9300 Speakers Bureau 271-8846 Tours 780-7090 All other departments 271-8000 Mesa office: News 497-7931 Advertising 497-7917 Scottsdale office: News 675-7474 Advertising 675-7400 Deer Valley office: News 780-7111 Advertising 780-7100 PRESSLINE Vol. 271-5656 Call anytime for news and sports updates Sports scores 901 0 Weather updates 1010 Dining tips 3463 Movie times 3456 Complete listing, B3 the put keep is town the will near State they powers deny border. it can help the club campaign elections.

NATO ers of (ISSN 200 E. P.O. MEMBER: ADVERTISING Merchandise Republic described advertised advertising Complaints directed Advertising Bureau, SUGGESTED Daily: Daily and Weekender Thanksgiving 1 BORDER REJECTIONS: New given immigration agents to entry to foreigners arriving without proper travel documents are snaring travelers mainly along the Southwest A4 MARS PEAKS SHOWN: Proving see for miles and miles, the Pathfinder lander's camera sends back pictures of distant Martian peaks that could reconstruct the geologic history of planet. A8 from the prison. Richard Lake and Carol Salazar rented her the apartment and knew of her relationship with Thornton.

"She just corresponded with him and wanted to brighten his future," Lake said. "But what future? He's on death row." Still, the couple married on Jan. 17 in a prison ceremony, records show. Betty Jermeay, a clerk in the Pinal County clerk of the courts office, was one of two witnesses to the union. "I think she really was in love with him.

She was holding his hand and looking at him adoringly," she said. Salazar could see that, too. "She didn't have anybody except that guy in prison," she said. While Rebecca Thornton lived at the apartments, she did not work but was again helpful when needed, the landlords said. She finally moved out in May leaving in the middle of the night with rent due.

She moved to another apartment, this time with a roommate. Her new home was just across Arizona 79 from the prison field. On Sunday, Lake saw Rebecca Thornton pacing along a road near her old apartment. He knew something was wrong. "She was like a caged animal, walking up and down Main Street," he said.

"This went on for two or three hours." Lake waived and said hello, but she didn't explain her behavior. "I just knew something was wrong," Lake said. "I didn't know what." Contributing to this article was William Hermann of The Arizona Republic. the couple's belongings into their pickup truck. He was arrested hours later near Douglas; he was convicted of murder and sentenced to death.

Court documents show that the similarity in the killings both men shot, both women tied-up may have had a bizarre connection to Thornton's childhood memory of his father abusing his mother. The documents state that at age five, Thornton "had fantasies of getting a gun and shooting his father in order to protect his mother." Mary Duke's attorney, Steve Copple, had little good to say Wednesday about Thornton's life or death. "He led a violent life and he died violently," Copple said. "He caused an awful lot of tragedy and misery along the way." Thornton's former attorney, Robert Arentz, said his client was a victim of a terrible childhood. "I found him to be a someone who had a very, very sad life," he said.

"Not just the harm he caused others but his childhood as well." blooded, ruthless killer," said Alan Policy, Cochise County Attorney. "The nature of his crimes demonstrated he had no regard for human life." Details of his wifes past were not as clear. But she has been described by former neighbors and acquaintances as a caring woman who was receiving government disability payments, yet went out of her way to help others. Cathy Serpa, who lived across from Rebecca Thornton in Tacoma, was one of those she helped. "My husband was injured and we were talking about how hard it is to get wood because we didn't have money, and my husband couldn't cut wood anymore," Serpa said Wednesday.

"As soon as she heard that, she offered the wood her dad had out at his place." Rebecca Thornton also worked with neighbors and police to shut down a drug house in the neighborhood where she lived with her brother, Serpa said. When Serpa first met her about two years ago, Rebecca Thornton said she had just left an abusive relationship. "She said she wanted to make a new life," Serpa said. "It seemed that from the way she talked to us that she had had a rough life." Rebecca Thornton corresponded with Floyd Thornton while he was in prison in Yuma. She visited him there, then moved to Florence when he was transferred.

She anived in Florence in December and rented a small, run-down apartment behind a car repair shop. Her new home was just a few blocks He led a violent life and he died violently. He caused an awful lot of tragedy and misery along the way." Steve Copple attorney for one of thornton's victims federal prison in California on a weapons charge, but was returned to Arizona in August 1993 for trial on first-degree murder charges. On Sept. 12, 1993, Thornton and three other inmates escaped from the Cochise County Jail.

Thornton was captured two days later but by then he had killed again. He had broken into the Bisbee home of Dale and Mary Duke and waited for their return. When the elderly couple came home from the grocery, store, Thornton fatally shot Dale Duke, 75, in the chest with a shotgun. Thornton tied up Mary Duke, 73, then showered and loaded many of 1 Inmate's life marked by violence STUDENTS CLUBBED: Police students and shut down the University of Nairobi as part of Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi's violent to silence demands for free World News Briefs. A5 HOLDS SUMMIT: Lead the 16 NATO nations hold an un- The Arizona MAIL RATES In Arizona: 0892-871 1) (USPS 030-920) Van Buren Phoenix, A2 85004 Box 1950, Phoenix, AZ 85001 Telephone 271-8000 AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATIONS Call 602-271-8503 108, No.

53 Thursday, July 10, 1997 INMATE'S, mm Page Al brother or parents again. He lived in several foster homes and dropped out of school after the 10th grade. By age 10, Thornton was using drugs and alcohol, the records state. By age 20, he was addicted to morphine, PCP, cocaine, marijuana, psychedelic drugs, methamphetamines and alcohol. Thornton was involved in numerous crimes as a juvenile; as an adult, he was convicted of 15 felonies in 13 years.

In January 1991, Thornton moved to Douglas and did odd jobs throughout Cochise County. One of his employers was William J. Prince of Portal, a rural Cochise County town. On July 8, 1991, Thornton killed Prince outside the "73-year-old man's mobile home. Then, Thornton tied Prince's live-in companion to her wheelchair and ransacked the couple's home, taking money, jewelry and personal papers.

After being captured in Oregon while driving Prince's vehicle, Thornton was sentenced to a Periodical postage paid at Phoenix, Ariz. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Arizona Republic P.O. Box 1950 Phoenix, AZ 85001 CIRCULATION To start a subscription 257-8300 To start a mail subscription 271 -8503 If you missed your Republic 257-8300 I on-tree numDer outside Phoenix area Re-delivery available: More than 40 percent of the newsprint used by Phoenix Newspaper, Inc. contains recycled paper fiber. For your nearest recycling center and other information in the Phoenix metro area: 253-287 (CLEANIP).

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