The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida • 114

10-Citrus The Tampa Tribune, Monday, May 25, 1992 Obituaries boat, love affair '80s murder trial member of Lake Panasoffkee Meth-j odlst Church. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy of Lake Panasoffkee; a son, Mahlon G. Jr. of two daughters, Deborah Luttersch--midt of Tulsa, and Corrine of Lake Panasoffkee; six sisters, Patricia and Sheryl Martin of Crafts- bury, Karlene Lyden of Waterbury, Janet Nelson of Albany, Marlon of Burlington, and Helen Jacquish of Bradenton; six. grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Purcell Funeral Home, Bushnell. rus Memorial Hospital. A native of Burlington, N.J., she came to this area five years ago from there. She was a retired switchboard operator with Rancocas Valley Hospital in Willingboro, N.J. She was Catholic.

She Is survived by her husband, John of Homosassa Springs; a son, John Jr. of Delmar, a daughter, Dawn Birmingham of Burlington; her mother, Mary Onori of Burlington; three sisters, Elizabeth Zerbey and Marie Matthews, both of Burlington, and Joyce Onori of Santa Cruz, five grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Strickland Funeral Home, Crystal River. JOHN HODGDON WITHAM, 83, of Lecanto died Saturday. A native of Portsmouth, N.H., he lived in the area six years, coming from Reading, Mass.

He was a retired office manager for the Adwell Business Machine Co. and a member and past president of the Rushlight Club in Reading. He was also member and past deacon of the Reading Congregational Church. He is survived by his wife, Annie Betty Johnson; and one daughter, Diane Ingalls of San Francisco. Beverly Hills Chapel, Hooper Funeral Homes.

Fishing focus of From Page 1 tioned by police, may have killed Lawson. The man's name Is not being published because no criminal charges have been filed. According to testimony at the trial, he did yard work for Lawson. His wife testified that as investigators swarmed around Lawson's home the morning her body was 'found, the man told her of the killing, including a mention that Law-son had been stabbed repeatedly. That detail had not been released by investigators.

One person told police the same man had talked about robbing Law-son a few days before she was stabbed. A third, who testified that he once shared an apartment with the man, also said his roommate had about SO knives stashed under his couch, rugs and pillows. He even had a few favorite knives. "He had three knives he called his babies," the former roommate said. At the trial, the man testified that he knew Lawson and mowed her lawn a couple of times.

He said he heard she carried a lot of mon Investigators said Cote changed his clothes before calling authorities and he scrubbed his hands, save for a brownish spot on the back of his right hand, Police believed the spot was Lawson's blood. In his narrative report, Investigator Marvin Padgett called attention to Cote's clean hands. "He was otherwise dirty, disheveled, except for his very clean hands." Cote was Jailed on a weapons charge that night. Investigators found a shotgun in his van and charged him with possession of a firearm by a felon. He previously had served prison time on a 1967 manslaughter charge.

Two months after Lawson's slaying, Cote was indicted on a first-degree-murder charge in her death. During those months, Cote remained jailed while Investigators probed the Lawson case and Crawford's slaying two years earlier. Investigators closely examined the relationships among Lawson, Crawford, Cote and Crawford's girlfriend, but they could not make a case against anyone in Crawford's slaying. Crawford's body was found in the woods off Ozello Trail in 1986, with two gunshot wounds to his chest. Funeral Notice WITHAM The Service of Remembrance for Mr.

John Hodgdon! Wltham, age 83 years, of Lecanto will be held 11:00 A.M. Wedne; day, May 27, 1992 at the Beverly Hills Chapel of Hooper Funeral! Homes with Rev. John Clark Cremation will follow -at the Hooper Crematory, Inverness. Mr. Witham was a retired.

Office Manager for Adwell Business Machine Co. Mr. Witham-was a member and Past President of the Rushlight Club, MA; Member and Past Deacon of the Reading Congregational Church, Reading MA. Surviving Is his wife, Mrs. Annie Betty Johnson.

Witham, Lecanto; Daughter, Mrs. Diane Ingalls, San Francisco, CA. -BEVERLY HILLS CHAPEL I HOOPER FUNERAL HOMES Citrus CARL JOHNSON, 84, of Crystal River died Friday. A native of Finland, he lived in the area seven years, moving from Tampa. He was a retired sheriffs deputy with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Department and a member of the Community Masonic Lodge 292 and Scottish Rite Bodies.

He is survived by his sister, Rachel Bennett of Tampa. Inverness Chapel, Hooper Funeral Homes. CATHERINE L. MAYO, 84, of Hernando, died Saturday at Citrus Memorial Hospital. A native of Franklin, she lived in the area 30 years, moving from Miami.

She was a homemaker and Catholic. She is survived by her husband, Michael W. Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home, Inverness.

JOSEPH L. PALMINTERI, 66, of Homosassa died Friday at HCA Oak Hill Hospital in Spring Hill. A native of New York City, he moved to this area five years ago from Long Island, N.Y. He was a retired cabinet maker and a veteran of World War II and the Korean War, serving In the U.S. Navy.

He was a member of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Homosassa. He is survived by his wife, Rose of Homosassa; a son, Charles of West Babylon, N.Y.; a daughter, Josephine Castillo of Shirley, N.Y.; and a brother, Leonard of Homosassa. Wilder-Fountains Funeral Home, Homosassa Springs. ANNA PIESCIENSKI, 59, of Homosassa Springs died Friday at Cit CRYSTAL RIVER MORTGAGE 1105 SR 4R I if I r904) 795-0201 Fixed 1st Mtgs.

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It was Still around her neck. She had borne children twice in her 18 or 19 years and she had surgery on her right ankle, the autopsy revealed. She also had extensive dental work, including a porcelain cap on a front tooth, the autopsy report said. "Little Miss Panasoffkee" was 5 feet, 1 inch tall and weighed 110 to 120 pounds. She had black or dark brown hair.

That "Little Miss Panasoffkee" remains unidentified is not because of a lack of effort on the part of local investigators. "This case is still very active," Adams said. "We are continually Mystery surrounds 3 Citrus murders ey. Since he was a defense witness, the line of questioning was limited. He was not asked about a knife collection.

From the beginning, police were convinced Cote was the killer. Authorities say he and Lawson had an ongoing argument over their business. The night of the slaying, Cote got a ride to Lawson's neighborhood from a Crystal River police officer who was going home after her shift. Ninety minutes later, Cote was pounding on her door, saying Law-son was dead. Officer Kat Liotta testified that Cote had changed his clothes.

Bloodied clothing clothing that she said looked like what he was wearing earlier was found in his van, parked about a mile from Law-son's mobile home. Cote lived in the van. Cote told investigators he went to have a beer with Lawson and found her dead in her living room, he said. Investigators didn't believe him. Police said acquaintances told them Cote had been barred from Law-son's residence months earlier because of a dispute over the fishing boat.

The acquaintances said Law-son feared Cote. stirring the pot." Twice the remains have been exhumed. The skull was sent to forensic pathologists who have international credentials and a facial reconstruction was published in 1988. Still no one stepped forward to give a name to the woman. Investigators went a step further.

With the reconstructed skull and face, they asked a noted police sketch artist to draw a likeness of what "Little Miss Panasoffkee" looked like at the time of her death as well as six or seven years earlier. More recently, Adams said, the artist drew a sketch of what the woman might have looked like when she was 6 or 7. "Maybe we will get a school or kindergarten teacher who will rec white with short brown hair. She was between 30 and 40 years old, 5 feet, 8 Inches tall and weighed about 190 pounds. She was wearing a green-and-white striped, pullover blouse, blue jeans and purple thong shoes.

"We don't think she is from around here," Padgett said. "If she was from around here, we would have had more success in identifying her. "We have had lots of leads on this one," the investigator said. "They all led to dead ends." John Bilyou When police found 36-year-old John Bilyou lying unconscious along Crede Street in Crystal River on Dec. 31, 1988, investigators thought he had been run over.

Then they changed their minds and said he was beaten. Bilyou died a week later at a Gainesville hospital and investigators proceeded under the assumption he had been beaten with a blunt instrument. Plaza. The cost for the chicken dinner or sausage sandwich dinner is $3.50. For tickets or information, call 746-1055.

DUSHNELL Visitation: The 124th Infantry Regimental Association will hold a visitation at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Florida National Cemetery. Lunch will be in Bushnell. During the afternoon, the group will visit the Dade Battlefield. For information, call 726-4488, Ext.

214 or 344-0549. The group will convene at the administration building. Citrus Springs Meeting: The British American Club of Citrus County Sumter MAHLON G. ALLEN 59, of Lake Panasoffkee died Saturday. A native of Wolcott, he moved to this area in October from Craftsbu-ry, Vt.

He was a repairman and a Dr. James C. Carter Palmer Graduate loss. MODEL TRIO Per Pka. Centers Nationwide, i J- Workers Suite Custom Good hearing Excludes STOCK CANAL TRIO In-The-Ear In-The-Canal From Page 1 Crawford was killed.

Witnesses also said that prior to his death, Crawford rented a room from Lawson at her Elm Street mobile home. Jane Doe On a cold morning in January 1989, a hunter found the body of a woman about a quarter-mile north of Ozello Trail, two miles west of U.S. Highway 19. The woman has not been identified, though investigators were able to get good quality fingerprints off the corpse's hands. Investigators say the woman was shot with a small-caliber weapon.

No weapon was found near the body. She had been dead less than 24 hours when her body was found, Investigators said. There was no purse or wallet found, but the woman was wearing jewelry, including a watch and a di-amond-and-ruby cluster ring. She was described as being -v. i ir nameless ognize her," he said.

Without an identification, the case likely will languish in the unsolved file. Even with an identification, this long after the killing, authorities aren't hopeful of solving the crime. If the woman was a hitchhiker, finding the killer may be impossible. "It would at least give us a starting point," Adams said. "If we find out who she was, we might find out who she was last seen with.

We might be able to put her at a certain place at a certain time." The case has drawn the attention of "Unsolved Mysteries," a network television show that shows re-enactments to a nationwide audience. 'Unsolved Mysteries' may be our last shot here," Adams said. The motive was unclear. Robbery was ruled out. Although Bil-you's wallet was not found, he was still wearing jewelry.

An autopsy concluded that Bilyou died from a blow to the head. He was in a coma from the time he was struck to the time he died on Jan. 7, 1989, at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida. A relative told investigators Bilyou left this house at 5 p.m. the day of his death but didn't say where he was going.

In February 1989, Investigators again changed their minds about the death, saying they had decided Bilyou had been the victim of a hit-and-run driver. They suspected he may have been hit by a pickup truck that was seen running over mailboxes in the area the night he was hit. Padgett said Crede Street residents who reported seeing anything that night still get occasional visits from investigators hoping to jog memories. "You never know where you will generate leads," Padgett said. meets at 7 p.m.

every fourth Monday at the Citrus Springs Community Center. For information, call 726-0248, 628-0991 or 489-0646. Cholesterol screening: Citrus Memorial Hospital will hold a cholesterol screening from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday at the Citrus Springs Medical Center.

Registration is required. For an appointment, call 344-6513. Crystal river Exercise classes: Tai chi classes are held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. every Friday at the Coastal Region Library. Inverness Art classes: The City of Inverness, Department of Parks and Recreation will hold youth art classes for children 5 years and up from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

June 3 In the recreation building at Whispering Pines Park. Registration is $25 and is being taken at the administration office. For information, call 726-3913. MODEL SCA Fits up to 35 db LOW SSPl 93 Fits up to 40 db. FREE IN-HOME I TESTING SERVICE ALL MAKES MODELS 726-9545 BULLETIN BOARD OVER 50 YEARS An American Company Send us your Bulletin Board news.

The Citrus-Sumter section of The Tampa Tribune will publish, when space is available, news about activities of interest to the community. News releases must be received one week before publication date and should include the name and telephone number of a contact person. Write to Bulletin Board, The Tampa Tribune, 215 N. Apopka Inverness 32650. Better Hearing Through Professional Care INSTANT BELTONE COUPON BATTERIES SPECIAL" AIR 13, 675, 312 While Supplies Last! Limit 2 packages batteries per hearing aid user.

(One battery coupon per customer) REBATE custom pair of Beltone excluding the Trio Low. on any aids Other Discounts or Previous T.T, Coupon Jj expires 1 1.99 6392 II 3300 Beltone Hearing Sales. T.T. Expires 6392 Beverly Hills Dance club: The Beverly Hillbillies Square Dance Club meets 7 to 10 p.m. every Wednesday at the clubhouse.

The first hour is a plus level square dance workshop. The of the evening Is alternating square and round dances. The Hillbillies dance all summer. For information, call 746-1906. Book sate: The Friends of the Beverly Hills Public Library will hold a book sale from 9 a.m.

5 p.m. Thursday and Friday at Park Plaza. To donate books, leave them at the library. For information, call 746-3081. Barbecue: Boy Scout -Troop 429 of Beverly Hills will have a barbecue from 11 a.m.

to 4 p.m. June 14 at the Beverly 1 The Only Place to Get Beltone Quality Is From Your Local Beltone Hearing Aid Center! INVERNESS SPRING HILL PORT RICHEY NEW PORT RICHEYj 3804 Gulf to Lake Hwy. 7255 Forest Oak Blvd. 10806 U.S. 19 4140 Rowan Rd.

(Times Square Ptaza) (Forest Oaks Plaza) (14 mile N. of Jasmine Lakes) (Village 54 C.R. 77) 726-9545 608-1195 868-9555 372-9555.