The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • Page 3

Pantagraph A-3 Bloomington-Normal, III. Aug. 21, 1979 Link to area killings eyed in arrest A -D ttf Vrft Marty Lancaster Mark Helmig The Surber boy's body was found nine days later, near a drainage ditch about' a block south of the fairgrounds. He had been stabbed repeatedly. The Simpson boy's body was not found until Sept.

22, 1975, in a railroad hopper car that had been in the railroad yards, at Lincoln on the day of the boys" disappearance. The car had traveled to--Council Bluffs and back to Lincoln before the boy was found. He, too, had' been stabbed. Reported missing Marty Lancaster was reported miss-" ing at 2:30 p.m. June 11, 1978, after he failed to show up at a neighbor's house where he was to get fishing equipment.

His body was found July 14, 1978, along' ICG tracks, amid weeds and debris at the bottom of a ravine. An autopsy said he died of multiple skull including a broken jaw. He was bound with ropes, police said, wearing and socks. Mark Helmig was reported missing Aug. 1, 1976, after an argument with his parents.

He was seen at the 4-H fair Aug. 2-5, but was not seen after it ended until his body was found Aug. 24 in a boxcar in the yards of the Peoria Pekin Railroad in East Peoria. The car had been in Pekin Aug. 6, and -was to have been moved to East Peoria Aug.

10, but was not moved until Aug. A railroad employee found the body behind cardboard while he was cleaning' the car. Pieces of rope and backing from camera film were found in the boxcar. The boy was unclothed. On the day Marty Lancaster disappeared, the Corn Belt Horse Show was finishing a three-day run.

Guatney frequently comes to the Illinois State Fair, Sadler said, "and we had all the state police at the state fair looking for him. He was living right outside the fairgrounds." Police kept Guatney under surveillance from Aug. when he was found, until his arrest, Sadler said. He waived extradition to Nebraska. Guatney has been charged in Topeka with aggravated kidnapping, murder and aggravated sodomy.

The Hanrahan boy disappeared May 20, and was last seen at a bowling alley in West Topeka. He was found May 30, about 25 miles southwest of Topeka, in a creek where authorities think he had been for 10 days. The body was badly decomposed, and an autopsy came to no conclusion on the cause of death, according to the Topeka State Journal. The boy had a wound behind his right ear, chest injuries and strangulation injury to his neck, all of which could have caused death. He was unclothed when he was found.

Familiar with city Police said Guatney was in Topeka at the time of the boy's disappearance. He has been a patient at the Veterans Administration hospital in Topeka, police said, and is familiar with the city. In the Lincoln, case, Guatney is charged with killing Jacob Surber, 12, and Jon Simpson, 13. The boys were friends, and were going to the state fair together when they disappeared Aug. 30, 1975.

89 'i -63 ..60 By Kathy McKinney A 57-year-old Kansas man known to follow fairs and livestock shows has been implicated in the 1976 killing of Mark Helmig, 9, of Pekin and the 1978 slaying of Marty Lancaster, 14, of 1503 N. Roosevelt Ave. The man, William F. Guatney, Neosha Falls, was arrested Saturday at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield in connection with the slayings of three young boys, one in Kansas, and two in Nebraska. Authorities said Guatney is implicated in "12 or 13" killings of boys between the ages of 8 and 14 years in four states.

McLean County State's Attorney Ronald Dozier said Monday that Guatney "admits being with each of the five victims at the time and place they were killed. He doesn't necessarily admit he killed them." Dozier was referring to the two boys in Nebraska and one in Kansas, in addition to the Pekin and Bloomington boys. Guatney was being taken back Monday night to Lincoln, via Topeka, where Kansas police will question him. He is accused of murdering two Lincoln boys, ages 12 and 13, in 1975. Warrants have been issued for his arrest in connection with the Topeka, killing of John Hanrahan, 12, on May 20.

12 or 13 slayings Dozier said that although both the Lancaster and Helmig investigations are considered closed, "as of this time, neither McLean County nor Tazewell County will be filing (charges)" until officials have "evaluated the last few days' activities and put all the reports together." He also said the outcome of the Lincoln and Topeka cases will have some bearing on local charges. Authorities also said the Douglas County sheriff's office in Nebraska wants to talk to Guatney about the May 1976 death of Jay Durnil of Omaha. Normal Detective Dan Sadler, who has worked on the Lancaster case since the boy's badly decomposed body was discovered July 14, 1978, near Illinois Central Gulf Railroad tracks at Division Street in Normal, said Monday there is not enough evidence to bring the man to trial. "But our confidence that this is the right man can be summed up by saying we're no longer looking for any suspects in the Lancaster case." A spokesman for the Pekin police, Capt. Donald McAtee, said, "We have no doubt this is the person we want, but we have no admission from him." It was the similarity between the Lancaster and Helmig killings and a May 10 killing in Topeka that alerted Pekin Detective James Connover, Sadler said.

"Most of the credit goes to Detective Connover for putting it together," he said. After the May 10 killing, Connover "called and said I think you ought to take a look at Sadler recalled. "Things developed from there into a meeting about a month ago in Topeka" involving Illinois, Kansas and Nebraska police. Arizona police also were to have taken part in the meeting. Sadler said police have "had the man's name from the very beginning." He was arrested in Topeka in 1976 and voluntarily returned to Lincoln for questioning in the killings there.

He was released after questioning. The Kansas man, nicknamed "Freight Train," is known to follow fairs and other livestock shows, hopping freight trains to get from place to place, police said. He works odds jobs at the fairs and shows. Disappeared at fair The Helmig boy disappeared during the 4-H Fair at Mineral Springs Park, south of railroad tracks near the federal housing project in which he lived. He last was seen Aug.

5, 1976, at the fair on its last day. Library campaign yields $1,650 nc? William F. Guatney, 57, of Neosha Falls, an itinerant fair worker, was arrested Saturday in Springfield as a result of an investigation involving police agencies in four states that implicated him in numerous killings of young boys, including the 1978 death of Marty Lancaster, 14, in Normal, and the 1976 killing of Mark Helmig, 9, of Pekin. He has been charged with Kansas and Nebraska slayings. (AP Laserphoto) Bloomington Public Library has collected nearly $1,650 in fines for overdue books and restitution for lost books since launching a campaign in June to collect fines dating back to 1972.

James Whitehead, library director, said Tuesday that notices have been sent Normal OKs 3 developers' plans said, an apartment building planned near the residential area was eliminated. The council approved a waiver to increase the height of the remaining four buildings from 2' 2 to 3 stories to compensate for that building. Miles said the buildings would be 34 feet high one foot less than permitted by city codes. The revised plan also will increase the number of units from 112 to 120. City codes allow 143 units.

subsidized housing developments in Rockford and Aurora have been successful with one half space per unit for the elderly. The council also approved waivers to permit a 7-foot, rather than 25-foot, setback at Adelaide Street, and delayed submission of landscaping and lighting plans Development plans also were approved for Omni Sports Center Subdivision, proposed by Eugene and Oren Schaab. Off-street parking also would increase from 224 to 240 spaces. The council also approved five waivers for Armstrong's Northbrook Estates, which will include eight buildings. A waiver to allow 40, rather than 64, parking spaces at a 32-unit building for the elderly and handicapped was ap-prooved by the council.

Miles, representing Armstrong, said the reduction was based on a ratio of rather than 2 spaces, per unit. City Manager David Anderson said only those people with overdue fines amounting to more than $25. He estimated that there are 600 library" patrons who owe fines of less than $25 each. Efforts to collect those overdue fines and get back those books will be initiated shortly. Thirty-one persons paid $1,649 in fines or restitutions for lost books in response to warning letters sent through Slavens Collection Service, 420 N.

Main St. "We're getting a good response from people still living in town," said Whitehead. "Thirty -one of the other 43 sent notices by Slavens have moved out of town." The library board decided to use a collection agency to spur response if patrons with overdue books and fines failed to respond to notices sent by the library staff. Letters sentby the Bloomington collection agency have cost the library $148, Whitehead said. Response to letters sent by the library staff has reduced the number of names sent to the collection agency.

No tabulation on collections from those letters was available Tuesday. The campaign, however, has resulted in some people paying fines of less than $25 even though no notices have been sent them, Whitehead said. Fraternity house window broken A vandal threw a rock through a window and storm window at Sigma Chi fraternity, 301 N. Linden Normal, at 11:56 p.m. Monday, Normal police said.

Damage was estimated at $20. Dwb9 ffiaoirs Plans approved by the council include a waiver to permit 147 parking spaces instead of 154 required by city codes. E. William Rolley, an attorney representing the Schaabs, said the owners are negotiating with several firms to lease space in one of the three buildings planned at the site. Several small businesses are planned, Rolley said, including retail sales of camping gear, sporting goods and a rifle-pistol shooting range in the basement.

However, flooding problems delayed plans for the 12-building Lakeview Condominiums, which would be constructed in six phases by 1984. The development is planned by Cliff Anderson and Hugh Wycoff. Paul Young, an architect representing the developers, requested approval of plans so construction of two buildings could begin this year. However, neighborhood complaints about the development's impact on flooding in the area sidetracked council action. Juergen Schroeer, 1015 N.

Linden Normal, told the council that the complex could aggravate flooding in the area and engineers have been unable to develop plans to prevent that problem. City Engineer F. Sam Wylie said the developer has not submitted sufficient information concerning the flooding situation. Young said Farnsworth Wylie, a Bloomington engineering in which Wylie is a partner, has been hired to develop flooding information. But, he said, construction of two buildings not affected by flooding could begin while the report is being prepared.

However, the council postponed action at least two weeks By Jan Dennis Two subsidized housing complexes and a retail sports development were approved by the Normal City Council Monday night, but a plan for condominiums received a setback. The council amended preliminary plans for Amanda Brook Apartments, planned at College Avenue and Orr Drive by former Chicago Bear quarterback Bobby Douglass. Plans for the $3 million 120-unit complex were amended in response to objections by neighbors, who opposed the development when it was endorsed by the council last month. A preliminary plan also was approved for a 116-unit subsidized housing complex planned by Victor Armstrong on 7 acres at Adelaide Street and Orlando Avenue. Rent subsidies have been reserved for Douglass' development by the Illinois Housing Development Authority.

The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development will provide rent subsidies for the Armstrong complex. The council also approved preliminary and final development plans for Omni Sports Center Subdivision, planned on 2.6 acres on Fort Jesse Road, west of Belt Line Road. But absence of a plan to eliminate flooding delayed council action on final development plans for Lakeview Condominiums, planned on 8 acres on Linden Street, south of Lincoln Street. Douglass' plan was amended after a meeting last month between Frank Miles, an attorney representing Douglass, and a group of Hanson Drive residents who opposed the development. Because of neighborhood concern about the impact of the complex.

Miles Ga'iley Eye Clinic parking, lot vacation hearings set Raccoon is being developed by Vernon Prenzler, Philip E. Baumgart and Richard Hundman. Vacation of 340 feet of the old IAA Drive, south of where One Step Beyond Disco used to be, is proposed in the other petition. Two previous petitions to vacate portions of old IAA Drive closer to Vernon Avenue, were either tabled or denied by Bloomington City Council. The regional planning staff has recommended vacation of that portion of the old drive east of Lot 14 in the Land to the north, west and south of that block is zoned for residential use.

The McLean County Regional Planning Commission staff has recommended that the petition be amended to exclude off-street parking on the west side of the block, and that off-street parking for Gailey's be sought for the east half of the block under a public lands and institutional zoning classification. The city's zoning ordinance prohibits off-street parking for business within a residential district. The 14-lot Prairie Travler Subdivision Off-street parking for employees at Gailey Eye Clinic and vacation of a portion of old IAA Drive in Prairie Travler Subdivision will be considered at 3 p.m. Wednesday by Bloomington Planning Commission. Public hearings on both cases will be conducted in the council chambers at Bloomington City Hall.

Highway business zoning is being sought for residentially zoned property bounded by Center, Graham, Madison and Scott streets to provide space for the employee parking area, west of the eye clinic. A brown and gray raccoon was stolen Sunday or Monday from an, outside cage of the children's area at Miller Park Zoo, Bloomington police said. Police said a padlock on the cage had been cut off. Val Anderson, a zookeeper, said, she was uncertain when the theft occurred. Asphalt dispute leads to zoning review crossing at the intersection.

Amended the city code to permit auctions on Sunday. -Approved a $1,974,805 1979-80 tax levy. The levy is based on a rate of $1.58 per $100 assessed valuation. Authorized the staff to negotiate for a vacant house at 301 S. Linden Normal.

The property could be used for storage or future expansion of City Hall. Awarded a contract for replacement of lights at Ash Park athletic field to Oberlander Electric Co. for $42,680. Denied a rezoning request from First Assembly of God Church, 800 E. Vernon Normal.

The church sought a change from single-family zoning to multiple-family zoning for 21,125 square feet at 1003 Franklin Ave. The tract contains a large single-family house that the church wanted to convert into an apartment building. Belt Line Road. Jones' proposed Commercial Bank and Trust Co. is expected to open by fall 1980.

The council rejected the request because the new bank has no financial statements to review and because only $1 million is needed for the project. Tabled a request to rezone 19.4 acres north of Hanson Drive, south of Courtland Avenue, west of Cornell Drive and east of Towanda Avenue from low-density to medium-density single-family- Vernon Prenzler, developer of the subdivision, requested the change to permit larger lots. Action was postponed until September to allow neighbors to review the request. Tabled a proposal that would permit motorists to make right turns at red lights at College and Towanda avenues. Members of the council requested the delay because of concern about children storage and wood products mills.

Under the mayor's proposal, those industries could be prohibited and allowed only with a special-use permit, which requires a public hearing. Although a new zoning code was adopted earlier this year, Godfrey said, establishing areas for industries is difficult "when we're looking at theory and not potentials." "You always picture them (industries) out in the middle of nowhere and they're not," he said. Councilman Paul Harmon also suggested that the commission consider elimination of the city's M-2 zoning, which permits industries that could create a neighborhood nuisance. In other action, the council: Denied a request by J. Robert Jones for $1 million in industrial revenue bonds to finance a bank proposed at the northwest corner of College Avenue and would schedule a public hearing if changes are proposed.

Godfrey said industries could be prohibited because of Normal's commercial and manufacturing growth within three years. "A lot of things have happened to Normal in the last three years," the mayor said. "Developments that we took on for years when we were in financial straits we don't need anymore." Because of that growth, Godfrey said, the city can be more selective about industries allowed to develop in Normal. "We're not talking about survival of the city anymore, we're talking about survival of its character," he said. Industries that Godfrey said were "questionable" include asphalt and cement manufacturing, distilleries, power plants, industrial chemical manufacturing, freight terminals, railway A dispute about plans for an asphalt plant earlier this month prompted a move by the Normal City Council Monday night to restrict manufacturing developments.

Mayor Richard Godfrey said a need to consider a reduction of industries allowed in Normal was brought to his attention by plans for the George Hoffman and Sons asphalt plant north of Interstate 55, west of Linden Street and south of Northtown Road. About 60 neighbors objected to the plant, but the council was required to approve the development because it is allowed under city zoning regulations. The council Monday night asked the Normal Planning Commission to review zoning codes and recommend industries that should be prohibited or allowed only under a special-use permit. Those recommendations could be considered next month by the council, which jttssumjjssssti uitttttttftsssttssssst tt tttttttttt tttttttttttt rrrr 1.