Ranee Gregor, missing 21 October 1977 from Robinson twp, PA

[Richard]

RANEE GREGOR
DOB: Oct 30, 1961
Missing: Oct 21, 1977
Age at time: 15
Age Now: 42
Sex: Female
Race: White
Hair: Blonde
Eyes: Green
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
Weight: 120 lbs (54 kg)
Missing From: ROBINSON TOWNSHIP, PA, United States
Endangered Missing

On the evening of October 21, 1977 Ranee and her boyfriend left her residence to go get something to eat. They were last seen around 10 p.m. at a gas station. The next morning Ranee's boyfriend was found murdered in his vehicle and Ranee was discovered missing. She has not been seen or heard from since. She has a scar on her right cheek.

Robinson Township Police Department (Pennsylvania) 1-412-788-8111

Link
http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=viewPoster&caseNum=972250&orgPrefix=NCMC&searchLang=en_US

[Jenn]

Richard,

Do you think that Edna, Cheryl and Ranee's disappearances could be related? They are the same age, weight, etc..and all from PA. That is a lot of similarities.

[Richard]

Jenn,
It is a good possibility that the three are connected. Check out also the posting on Tracy Anne King (missing 1975) and the Unidentified Girl found December 1976. The problem with linking them is that there is very little physical evidence available, and the girls were from widely separated towns, although all in PA.
All of these girls were about the same age, all disappeared without a trace. There are in excess of 40 girls missing from PA over the past thirty years. Certainly not all are linked to the same perpetrator, but the chances of a serial killer or killers being involved is highly likely.
In regard to the five 1970's girls, circumstances would indicate a highly mobile perpetrator in each case.
What do you see in them?

[rozzanna bonesso]

A man named Edward Surratt was always suspected in the disappearance of Renee, but he was never formally charged. Are you familiar with him? Do you think that he abducted(and most likely murdered) Renee? I'm just curious to get other's thoughts because this didn't get a ton of press attention in the years since her disappearance.

[Richard]

A man named Edward Surratt was always suspected in the disappearance of Renee, but he was never formally charged. Are you familiar with him? Do you think that he abducted(and most likely murdered) Renee? I'm just curious to get other's thoughts because this didn't get a ton of press attention in the years since her disappearance.
I have never heard of Surratt. What information do you have on him?

[Mullins]

Here's a link to a Pittsburg Post Gazette news article that mentions his name....

http://www.post-gazette.com/neigh_washington/20030928wacover0928p1.asp

[mere]

Here's a link to a Pittsburg Post Gazette news article that mentions his name....

http://www.post-gazette.com/neigh_washington/20030928wacover0928p1.asp
It is odd, that is the only mention of him I could find.

[Mullins]

If it's the one I'm thinking about, it seems like I read a blurb about him on the Charley Project as being a suspect for child abductions. But I scrolled through that website and can't remember which case it was...I'll keep trying. I believe at the time I saw it I was looking chronologically at missing females from 1975 to 1982 on The Charley Project. Some details I remember were----he was tried and convicted for murder, is currently in prison, during his prison term was converted from Christianity to Judaism, and was recently appealing the mandatory shaving of his beard or something to that effect. And to top it off---I can't remember what state either.

[meggilyweggily]

Some details I remember were----he was tried and convicted for murder, is currently in prison, during his prison term was converted from Christianity to Judaism, and was recently appealing the mandatory shaving of his beard or something to that effect.
That wasn't Edward Suratt, that was Brandon Lee Flagner aka Chico Virgilio Tenorio. He was convicted of Tiffany Papesh's murder. http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/p/papesh_tiffany.html

[Usher737]

Richard,

Do you think that Edna, Cheryl and Ranee's disappearances could be related? They are the same age, weight, etc..and all from PA. That is a lot of similarities.
Jenn, what is Edna's last name? I can't seem to find information about her case. Also, is Cheryl Iacovone the one that you are referring to?

I am trying to put together a complete list of possible vicitims from this area from the lates 70s.

[mere]

It is Thorne

[pghlady]

I have never heard of Surratt. What information do you have on him?Surratt is believed to be the one who did it . He was a garbage man and stocked woman girls. He is in jail in florida for same kinds of things. he is suspected of killing 15 to 40 woman. I'm Ranee Gregors mother. If you can find anything out for me i would really apreciate it. I know alot but cant get the police to help. won't even help missing persons.
thank you

[pghlady]

There are alot of victims from pa. beaver co and ohio this man is involved in. one lived in moon twp.her name was donna she had a husband and 2 kids.

[Ella]

I am so sorry for your loss.

[pghlady]

Ella
Thank you

[pghlady]

would very much to make him tell where she is so i and her sisters can have closer.

[Paradise]

http://www.dc.state.fl.us/ActiveInmates/detail.asp?Bookmark=1&From=list&SessionID=532228845

Is this the Edward Surratt you're talking about?

[Hollow]

I posted a link for missing in Pennsylvania on the " Barbara Rowan" thread, there are indeed a lot of girls of the same age missing in the years right before and following the disappearance of Ranee. Also I found these four girls all shooting victims. Debra Jean Delozier (found in the Tinicum Marsh), Denise Seaman 17 (found in the Tinicum Marsh), Mary Ann Lees 15 (found in the Schuykill river) and Layne Dorothy Spicer 16 (found in the Schuykill river). These girls were all found around 1975 I believe and also there was another girl that was never found Elizibeth Landie. Her boyfriend Robert T. Nauss was actually convicted of her murder but they never found her body. Police back then seemed to be connecting all of these deaths as well as some of the missing girl cases (Wendy Eaton, Edna Christine Thorne) to the Warlock Motorcycle gang, although I'm not really buying into that theory. Nauss, at the time he was convicted was the ex-president of the gang. There was mention of a few other members in connection also, but no one was ever convicted for these murders that I have found.

[Hollow]

There are alot of victims from pa. beaver co and ohio this man is involved in. one lived in moon twp.her name was donna she had a husband and 2 kids.PGHLADY, Please post any information that you have about these cases, such as names, dates, locations... I am interested.

[Hollow]

I posted a link for missing in Pennsylvania on the " Barbara Rowan" thread, there are indeed a lot of girls of the same age missing in the years right before and following the disappearance of Ranee. Also I found these four girls all shooting victims. Debra Jean Delozier (found in the Tinicum Marsh), Denise Seaman 17 (found in the Tinicum Marsh), Mary Ann Lees 15 (found in the Schuykill river) and Layne Dorothy Spicer 16 (found in the Schuykill river). These girls were all found around 1975 I believe and also there was another girl that was never found Elizibeth Landie. Her boyfriend Robert T. Nauss was actually convicted of her murder but they never found her body. Police back then seemed to be connecting all of these deaths as well as some of the missing girl cases (Wendy Eaton, Edna Christine Thorne) to the Warlock Motorcycle gang, although I'm not really buying into that theory. Nauss, at the time he was convicted was the ex-president of the gang. There was mention of a few other members in connection also, but no one was ever convicted for these murders that I have found.
I also found an article saying that police had connected 4 of the deaths debra, Dorothy, Denise and Mary as being done by the same weapon. They were all shot in the head.

[southerngirl]

Here is a related article on Edward Surratt:

http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19991024serial4.asp

[Usher737]

There were actually several murders that occured in the area that started around 1976. One common theory was that a police officer was involved. Women would be taken from their car or home and found nearby. I have meant to fully investigate these cases to look for a connection. I strongly believe that a serial killer was operating in Western Pa but eventually moved away. Some cases that I feel could be connected with Ranees are Susan Rush, Brenda Lee Ritter, Barbara Jean Lewis, Roberta Ann Elam, Edna Thorne, and Cheryl Iacovone.

I would also like more information on Edward Surrat. This guy is an obvious dangerous predator to women and LE should be working hard to discover his victims.


Pghlady, I am so sorry for your loss and want you to know that people on this board are here to help you!

[Yaya]

Hi Pghlady,

I looked at Ranee's picture and she sure was a beautiful girl. I am glad you are here but terribly sorry we have to meet under these circumstances. I have tried to put together some info on Edward Surratt for you... it may all be something you already know but here it is... just incase.

Edward Surratt: was an ex-Marine and Army soldier who served 4 terms in Vietnam, at one time worked for a trucking firm in Charlotte, N.C. but was from Aliquippa, PA. He was finally caught in St. Augustine, Fla., and charged with raping a teenager and her mother.

Killings that Surratt has been charged with but not tried in are:
The murder of John Shelkons 46 and the aggravated assault of his wife. Kathern in their Baden, Pa. home. The charges were filed by the state police, Surratt confessed to the murder on tape.

The beating death of Katherine Flicky a 80-year-old widow whose nude body was found in the bathroom of her home near Youngstown, Ohio.

The slaying of Luther Langford 66 and the baseball bat beating of his 58-year old wife Nell in West Columbia. S.C.

The murder of William E. Adams 31 shot to death in his trailer home. His wife Nancy 29 is still missing.

Police have also question Surratt in connection with the following murders:

The shotgun slayings of Guy Mills 64 his wife Laura 65 Breezewood Pa.
Joel M. Drueger 36 in Breezewood. Pa.

The beating deaths of paraplegic Joseph Weinman 30 and his 30-year-old wife Katherine in Marshall Township.

The shotgun killing of Richard Hyde of Moon Township. Hyde's wife Donna, was bludgeoned to death and her body was found two miles awav.

The shooting death of Frank Ziegler 23 of Kittanning who was gunned down in his tanker truck in Marshall Towhship.

The Oct. 22, 1977, slaying of John Feeny, 17, who was shot to death on a lover's lane in Findlay Township, near the Greater Pittsburgh airport. His girlfriend, Ranee Gregor, 16, was apparently abducted and presumed killed but her body has never found.

Surratt has also been questioned concerning other murders in the Pittsburgh area but no evidence could be linked to him in the cases but he is still the prime suspect.

The best evidence against Edward Surratt is in the June lst, 1977 baseball bat murder of Luther Langford of West Columbia, S.C. This will be the best hope of conviction. But it is unlikely he will ever be released from the Florida Prison.

Edward Surratt’s DNA was taken to compare with DNA evidence in numerous cases. As of June 1, 1979 I can find no other information concerning the outcome of the DNA testing.

[Yaya]

Another possible suspect in Ranee’s death is: Kenneth G. Taylor, 37 of Beaver Township PA. he was charged with the murder, armed robbery, auto theft and two traffic violations in connection with the fatal shooting of David Willie, 36, of Nashville. He led LE to David Willie's body after he was stopped for traffic violations. This man claims to have killed numerous people, 12 in PA, 2 in Ohio on the way to Nashville and 3 in the Nashville area. He also claimed to have killed a man at the Tennessee Welcome center on Interstate 65 in Robertson County. I could find no other info on this man. He was interviewed by LE from several states but only gave general answers to their questions… he was not taken too seriously. I don’t think he is a likely suspect but worth mentioning… I think he was known to have mental problems.

[Richard]

... Killings that Surratt has been charged with but not tried in are:
The murder of John Shelkons 46 ...

The beating death of Katherine Flicky ...

The slaying of Luther Langford 66 and the baseball bat beating of his 58-year old wife Nell in West Columbia. S.C.

The murder of William E. Adams 31 shot to death in his trailer home. His wife Nancy 29 is still missing.

Police have also question Surratt in connection with the following murders:

The shotgun slayings of Guy Mills 64 his wife Laura 65 Breezewood Pa.
Joel M. Drueger 36 in Breezewood. Pa.

The beating deaths of paraplegic Joseph Weinman 30 and his 30-year-old wife Katherine in Marshall Township.

The shotgun killing of Richard Hyde of Moon Township. Hyde's wife Donna, was bludgeoned to death and her body was found two miles awav.

The shooting death of Frank Ziegler 23 of Kittanning who was gunned down in his tanker truck in Marshall Towhship. ...
What are the dates of these mentioned murders? I notice that murders of couples seem to often involve the quick murder of the man and the more drawn out murder of the woman.

There is also a 1976 case of the double murder of two hitchhikers (possibly brother and sister), believed by some to have been killed by an unknown trucker in South Carolina. Both of the victims are unknown and there is a thread on them here in cold cases.

I wonder if there might be a connection between that murder and some of these. Although there wasn't much forensic evidence, there were bullets obtained that might be compared with any bullets found in these PA murders.

[Hollow]

I read an old article last night that police had stated they had also found by John Feeny's (Ranee's boyfriend) van a copy of the book "The Green Eyed Monster". It said it was a book dealing with the subject of jealosy as a mental illness. They fail to tell who the author of this book was and when it was published. PGHLADY, do you know anything about this or if Ranee was likely the owner of this book?
Also I read that Feeny was killed by a single shotgun blast to the neck. Police, at the time were connecting it to others at the time, some already mentioned above.

December 8th 1977, Moon Township, Pittsburgh PA
Richard and Donna Hyde
Richard killed by single shotgun blast to abdomen
Donna abducted and beat to death by a blunt instrument, body found along Flaugherty run rd.

November 20th, 1977 Fallston, PA
William E. and Nancy Adams
William killed by shotgun blast to the chest
Nancy still missing

September 30th 1977, Marshall Township, Allegheny County
Joseph and Kathy Weinman
Joseph, a parapalegic, and his wife Kathy were beaten to death in their home. Coroner Cyril H. Wecht said Kathy was raped and subjected to sadism, threats, and torture.

September 20th 1977, Lima, Ohio
David and Linda Hamilton
David Hamilton shot 3 times in the head
wife Linda still missing
killer used 38 caliber revolver

September 27th, 1977 Kittaning, armstrong County
Frank Zeigler
found in his tanker truck shot 3 times in the head with a 38 caliber revolver.

Police also mention in the articles I found that three women, ranging in age, from 17-21 had been abducted, sexually assaulted and strangled with their own clothing within a fifty mile radius of Washington, PA from November 1976 on. A fourth woman had been found beaten, she had also been raped. I will try to get more information on these. Has anyone looked at PA maps to see how close all of these events mentioned on this thread took place? I did, and it's all in the same portion of PA.

[Hollow]

I wonder if Frank Zeigler had a lady with him in his truck, just out of curiosity. All these other cases had women abducted from the scenes.

[Yaya]

I wonder if Frank Zeigler had a lady with him in his truck, just out of curiosity. All these other cases had women abducted from the scenes.Hollow,
I think this is an excellent point. It would not be unusual for a trucker to have picked up a lady of the evening (not that all do). She could have been in the truck with him and no one would have known. His family or his employer would not have reported anyone should have been with him.

[Hollow]

Hollow,
I think this is an excellent point. It would not be unusual for a trucker to have picked up a lady of the evening (not that all do). She could have been in the truck with him and no one would have known. His family or his employer would not have reported anyone should have been with him.
That's excactly what I was thinkin, YaYa

[Yaya]

What are the dates of these mentioned murders?Richard I will post these dates ASAP. I am not feeling so good, think maybe I should lie down.

Or maybe if Hollow doesn't mind he/she will post those for you.

[Hollow]

Richard I will post these dates ASAP. I am not feeling so good.

Or maybe if Hollow doesn't mind he/she will post those for you.
I thought I already did. LOL!!!:waitasec:

[Hollow]

Surrat Crime Dates

January 7th 1977
Baden, PA
John shelkons and wife
John killed from single shotgun blast to chest
wife severely beaten

March 27th, 1978
Boardman, OH
Katherine Filicky, 70 year-old widow beaten

June 1st, 1978
West Columbia, South Carolina
Luther and Nell Langford
both severely beaten with baseball bat, Nell survived

[Hollow]

Surrat was also charged in Florida with holding a St. Augustine family hostage and raping a woman and her 17-year old daughter on July 1st, 1978 and with holding a Vilano Beach family hostage and raping a woman and her 18-year old daughter on July 5th 1978.

[Hollow]

Also, the murdered young women ages 17-21 that police had thought to connect to Surrat that I had mentioned in an earlier post, was only because another killer was at work in that area, at the time. His name was David Robert Kennedy and he was convicted for the murder of deborah Jeanette Capiola, 17 of Findlay, PA in 2000 by DNA. She had been on her way to the school bus stop on St Patricks Day, 1977, her body was found 10 days later in an abandoned strip mine. She'd been raped and strangled with her jeans. Her body was found in Imperial, PA , Allegheny County. The only reason police were connecting this to Surrat was because one of the surviving wives of Surrat crimes said the composite drawing they had released of a man seen in the area of one of the abductions/clothes stranglings looked just like the man who killed her husband. I have newspaper photos of Kennedy and Surrat and they could pass for twins. No lie. Here are two more clothes/stranglinging victims that were never connected to Kennedy yet or solved:

May 18th 1977, North Sebane, PA
Brenda Ritter
18 year old secretary
Dropped off boyfriend, he made sure her car doors were locked.Body found deep in the woods, her clothes 50 feet away, her car 3 quarters of a mile away from the murder site. She was strangled by her panties wrapped around her neck and twisted with a stick.

Nov 1976, Charleroi, PA
Susan Rush, 21 year old cashier
Found in the trunk of her parents car that she was driving.
She'd left work from G.C. Murphy Store in the Washington Mall Shopping Center. She was raped and strangled with her shoestring.

Another murder was thought to be connected at the time was Mary Irene Gency, Fallowfield Township, North Charleroi. she was said to have been last seen getting in a car with a suspect who was later charged and then charges were dropped due to no evidence. Her body was found a week after she was last seen in desolate woods raped and clubbed to death. Personally, I don't think Kennedy did this one. Mary was last seen Feb. 13th, 1977.
One other case the police had thought possibly tied into all of these was the murder of Barbara Jean Lewis in November 1976 from Penn Hills PA. Her body was found in Churchill PA, Allegheny County. Raped and strangled.

[pghlady]

1977 -78 Boardman Ohio and other towns trying to solve recent murders attributed to a serial killer.march 27 1978 corporal Harry Husk made a traffic stop on a green buick crusing us rt 224. Husk cited the man. Edward Surratt, for a small traffic violation. Surratt was on his way, but his business in boardman was anything but routine. he was on a killing mission, the tenth one so far as authorities can piece together.The article goes on about how he prowled hitchcock rd and glenwood ave began breaking into houses beat a 70 year old widow catherine Ficky to death with a frying pan and drove back to his home in Aliquippa,Pa. When police vacuumed the crime scene, they found a few hairs from a black man. Never found anything until the Pa authorities asked if boardman had any unsolved murders. the evidence that linked Surratt to the crime was the traffic ticket Surratts wife turned over to the FBI.By that time he was already in jail in Florida so they didn't think it was worth it trying a man who was sentenced to life. the closed the case in 1991. The thing is so many familys don't have answers.
The Florida prison web site. Yes that is the man. If you read he escaped from there and was found in S.C. Polk co. This man is very, very evil.
Ther was a girl named Debbie Capiola of Findlay Twp. who dissappeared 10 days befor Ranee. Recently the cold case dept of Washington Co. solved her case. There is a story in the Allegheny Times paper. Beaver County Times. Monday,March 22, 1999 read it an it will tell you alot about the case . Ranees case i know they found pop can, paper cups,bullet caseing, alot of cig butts outside the van.They said at the time they had something they would not tell anyone because only the person who did it would know. They won't even give missing and exploted persons any information. I'm trying to to get help to have her files released. I tried to get alleghney co to let wasington co police review Ranees case and they wouldnot give it to them.

[pghlady]

there are other papers that tell some of Surratts victims in Pa. march 21,1999 and march 23, 1999. Beaver county times

[Hollow]

there are other papers that tell some of Surratts victims in Pa. march 21,1999 and march 23, 1999PGHLADY, did you read my question about the book found at John Feeny's murder site?? Do you think it was likely that it belonged to John or Ranee?

[pghlady]

Names of unsolved murders linked to Surratt.
sept,20 1977 david a. Hamilton,28 and his wife Linda,28. David was shot in his house in beaver township, Ohio home with a .38-caliber handgun. Linda was never found
Sept. 27,1977 Frank Ziegler,28 of kittanning. Ziegler a driver for taylor milk co. in ambridge, was shot along warrendale-bayne rd. in marshall twp. with the same caliber handgun that killed David Hamilton
Sept.30,1977 joesph Weinman 30, and his wife,Katherine 28. Joseph was a paraplegic and was beaten to death in his secluded single story marshall twp. home.Katherine wasbeaten raped and stabbed to death.
Oct.21,1977 John Feeny 17 of coraopolis and Ranee Gregor,15 of robinson twp. Feeny was shot with a 12 gauge shotgun in his van parked near the airport in findlay twp. Ranee was never found.
Nov.10 1977 john j. Davis 64, and his wife, Mary,61 Both were shot with a 12 gaude shotgun and set afire in ther secluded single-story home. Mary was left in a position that indicated sexual assault, but her condition left police unable to make a determination
Nov.20,1977 William Adams,31 and his wife Nancy,29. Willeam was shot with a 12 gauge shotgun in fallston mobil home. Nancy's remains were found in bradys run park in 1985
Dec.3,1977 richard Hyde,34 and his wife Donna,34. richard was shot with a 12 gauge shotgun in there home in moon twp. police found Donna two days later in a nearby wooded area, partially nude and beaten to death.
Dec.31,1977 Guy Mills,64 and his wife, Laura,65 and Joel M Drueger,36. the millses were shot with a 12 gauge shotgun in there home in Brezewood in bedford co. and Druegar was found shot to death in his vehicle with the same weapon at a nearby rest stop.
Jan. 7, 1978 John J. Shelkons, 56 and his wife Catherine,48 John was shot with a12 gauge shotgun in his Baden home Kay was severely beaten, but survived. Her attacker likely fled when he heard her daughter returning home.
he escaped an on his way south june 1 1978 south carolina Luther Langford 66, and his wife Neil, 58 were attacked in there home in columbia, s.c. Luther was beaten to death Neil was beaten, raped and left for dead, but she surived
July 1 1978 in St. John's co. Florida wife and teen daughter were repeatedly raped by Surratt in front of bound husband. when Surratt drunk and on drugs fell asleep, the husband escaped, and police caught him in the house.
Sept20,1978 in Florida Surratt was convicted by a jury on three charges of sexual battery and one charge of burglary. he was sentenced to two life sentences and 100 year sentences to run consecutively. he escaped once from the prison he is in and went to south carolina and was caught there in polk county.

[pghlady]

About the book, I remember the police asking me about that and i wasn't sure if it was hers or not. At the time I was having problems with her dad and thought maybe she was reading it, but never looked into what the book was really about. I was very confused then.Had alot to deal with but am going to see if i can find out anything.As i talk about things I remember more. Like a few weeks befor that happened a man in a green car had followed Ranee home from school and i called the police and reproted it. They did a stake out to see if they could see the car again but nothing came of it. They only did it one time.Looking back i wonder if it was him. We lived very close to the school. One block to the entrance so she sometimes walked.

[pghlady]

Paradise
Yes that is his picture.

[Yaya]

I thought I already did. LOL!!!:waitasec:
Sorry about that Hollow... I said I wasn't feeling good :D I don't know how I missed those dates... yes I do... a fever and coughing my head off. If I wasn't so addicted to this site I would be in bed right now. :eek:

[Hollow]

Sorry about that Hollow... I said I wasn't feeling good :D I don't know how I missed those dates... yes I do... a fever and coughing my head off. If I wasn't so addicted to this site I would be in bed right now. :eek:
I'm addicted too Ya Ya , Hope you feel better soon!!!

[docwho3]

I did not yet do a thorough search.
You may already have these links but here they are just in case they help:
Edward Surratt

Stalking the Strangler
http://www.post-gazette.com/neigh_washington/20030928wacover0928p1.asp

Opinions and PCAs Released the Week of August 2, 2004
PCAS (6th from the bottom of page)
5D04-2290 Edward Surratt v. State
http://www.5dca.org/Opinions/Opin2004/080204/filings080204.htm

Darkside article
http://www.planethuff.com/darkside/archives/001147.html

Looking for links in a dozen deaths
Police need more than just similarities to determine if a serial killer has been targeting city prostitutes since the '80s
Sunday, October 24, 1999 . . . http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19991024serial4.asp

Edited to add:I added the bold below:
. . .If 1977 seemed mundane, 1978 was an intense year for police investigation as Boardman was linked with countless other towns trying to solve recent murders attributed to a serial killer. On 27 March, 1978, Corporal Harry Husk made a routine traffic stop on a green Buick cruising US Route 224. Husk cited the man, Edward Surratt, for a small traffic violation. Surratt was soon on his way, but his business in Boardman was anything but routine. He was on a killing mission, the tenth one as far as authorities can now piece together

Surratt was looking for a quiet area to prowl, finding Hitchcock Road the perfect area. He parked his car at a church on Glenwood Avenue, walked through the woods between the two roads, and began breaking into houses on Hitchcock Road. Finding no one home in the first three, he broke into the last house in the row of four. Then he beat to death 70-year-old widow, Catherine Flicky, with a frying pan, and drove back to his home in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania (DeLauter 1999, n.p.). . . http://www.boardmantwp.com/police/police_abad_history.asp

[Hollow]

I found a book published in 1968 called " The Green Eyed Monster" by Arthur H. Stockwell. I'd sure like to know if this book was left at this scene as sort of a clue as to why this murder/abduction happened or if it belonged to one of the teens and just got inadvertantly knocked out of the van. I read an article last night about the search for Ranee afterwards and the police said if she was in the area around where the van was found that they would have found her, I guess it was quite an extensive search. Weren't most of the women that Surrat abducted found pretty close to where they were taken??? I'll have to read back.

[Hollow]

Jenn, what is Edna's last name? I can't seem to find information about her case. Also, is Cheryl Iacovone the one that you are referring to?

I am trying to put together a complete list of possible vicitims from this area from the lates 70s.
Hey, how's that list going usher????

[Hollow]

There were actually several murders that occured in the area that started around 1976. One common theory was that a police officer was involved. Women would be taken from their car or home and found nearby. I have meant to fully investigate these cases to look for a connection. I strongly believe that a serial killer was operating in Western Pa but eventually moved away. Some cases that I feel could be connected with Ranees are Susan Rush, Brenda Lee Ritter, Barbara Jean Lewis, Roberta Ann Elam, Edna Thorne, and Cheryl Iacovone.

I would also like more information on Edward Surrat. This guy is an obvious dangerous predator to women and LE should be working hard to discover his victims.


Pghlady, I am so sorry for your loss and want you to know that people on this board are here to help you!
I have read in several articles that the police were tying Roberta Ann Elam into this areas little problem with disappearances and deaths. I haven't made the connection myself though I have read about the case. Does anyone know why???

[Hollow]

The Gettysburg Times
Thursday July 6th, 1978
Gettysburg, PA

PITTSBURGH (AP) Allegheny County Sheriff Eugene Coon says he and several other law enforcement officials from Western Pennsylvania will travel to question Edward A. Surratt, 36, in connection with a series of local killings.
Surrat, an unemployed truck driver from Aliquippa, was taken into custody Sunday in St. Augustine, FLA charged with 10 counts of sexual battery in an attack on a family.
...........

Surrat also has been charged with the March 28 murder of Katherine Filicky, 70, of Boardman Township near Youngstown Ohio.
In addition, Columbia S.C. authorities say they'll try to extradite Surratt to prosecute him for the slaying of Luther Langford, 62, of West Columbia. Langford was killed and his wife was seriously injured when they were beaten with a baseball bat.
"What's important right now is that all the jurisdictions understand what direction the prosecution plans to take. Plus who wants to be responsible for handling evidence in future cases." said Coon.
............

Nearly 40 violent deaths in Southwestern Pennsylvania over the last two years remain unsolved, but authorities say they want to question Surratt on only a few of them.
"The Adams case and the Shelkons case" said Beaver County Detective Townsend Smith, referring to two shotgun slayings in that area.
Steelworker John Shelkons, 54, was shot to death in his Baden home early this year and his wife Kathryn, 48, was beaten and left for dead.
Less than a mile away, William Adams, 31, was killed with a shotgun Nov. 20 at his Fallston Borough mobile home, his wife Nancy is still missing.
.............

Pennsylvania police almost apprehended Surratt a few days after the West Columbia killing when they staked out Langford's car in an Aliquippa parking lot, but Surratt jumped down a steep embankment and escaped, police said.
Williams said Surratt was arrested after he allegedly tied up a suburban St. Augustine man and then raped his wife and daughter.
The arrest was made after the man broke his bonds and phoned authorities while his family's attacker slept.
Surratt was charged with 10 counts of sexual battery, a count of burglary and a gun law violation in last weekends attack.

[Hollow]

I know the above article I posted was an old one, but I thought it was a good one. I hope they hailed that Suburban Husband and father as a hero for taking this idiot off the radar.

[Hollow]

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/newssummary/s_397337.html

[Usher737]

Hi Hollow, I am still working on the list. It seems you are finding the same good articles as me. So far it looks like sloppy police work. Some of these suspects should have been investigated more. I just know there is a connection here.

[Hollow]

The only thing I think is a problem with Surratt being a suspect in this case is it almost seemed like he preyed upon older folks, entering homes in almost all of the crimes he comitted. I'm not saying it couldn't have been him, but John and Ranee were in a vehicle in a remote spot, so I don't know. And that book being left outside the van bugs me. Makes me think it was someone who wanted Ranee, that knew her or had been following her.

[Hollow]

There were also 3 very similar cases to these couple murder/abductions in Ohio from 1979 (after Surratt was incarcerated) to, I think 1983. Maybe a real similar serial killer was operating in this area.

[Hollow]

I read an old article last night that police had stated they had also found by John Feeny's (Ranee's boyfriend) van a copy of the book "The Green Eyed Monster". It said it was a book dealing with the subject of jealosy as a mental illness. They fail to tell who the author of this book was and when it was published. PGHLADY, do you know anything about this or if Ranee was likely the owner of this book?
Also I read that Feeny was killed by a single shotgun blast to the neck. Police, at the time were connecting it to others at the time, some already mentioned above.

December 8th 1977, Moon Township, Pittsburgh PA
Richard and Donna Hyde
Richard killed by single shotgun blast to abdomen
Donna abducted and beat to death by a blunt instrument, body found along Flaugherty run rd.

November 20th, 1977 Fallston, PA
William E. and Nancy Adams
William killed by shotgun blast to the chest
Nancy still missing

September 30th 1977, Marshall Township, Allegheny County
Joseph and Kathy Weinman
Joseph, a parapalegic, and his wife Kathy were beaten to death in their home. Coroner Cyril H. Wecht said Kathy was raped and subjected to sadism, threats, and torture.

September 20th 1977, Lima, Ohio
David and Linda Hamilton
David Hamilton shot 3 times in the head
wife Linda still missing
killer used 38 caliber revolver

September 27th, 1977 Kittaning, armstrong County
Frank Zeigler
found in his tanker truck shot 3 times in the head with a 38 caliber revolver.

Police also mention in the articles I found that three women, ranging in age, from 17-21 had been abducted, sexually assaulted and strangled with their own clothing within a fifty mile radius of Washington, PA from November 1976 on. A fourth woman had been found beaten, she had also been raped. I will try to get more information on these. Has anyone looked at PA maps to see how close all of these events mentioned on this thread took place? I did, and it's all in the same portion of PA.
Bumping this thread to go along with the Barbara Rowan thread. Has anyone noticed that Nancy Adams is not listed on doe network ?? She was never found that I've read.

[Rle7]

BODIES 'UNRECOVERABLE'
Surratt was certified as a legal clerk by the Florida Department of Corrections, assisting fellow inmates with their legal matters. He lost the certification, however, when he had a conflict with a law library staff member.
He's considered a loner, who spends his time reading, exercising and lifting weights.

In 28 years, he's had only one visitor, an unidentified woman three years ago. An inmate friend felt sorry for him and asked his girlfriend to have one of her girlfriends visit Surratt. He said he enjoyed it. She never came back.

He receives and sends no mail.

He said he is still a practicing Hindu, which teaches that life on earth is hell from a previous life. He believes that the people you meet in this life are the only people you have had contact with in previous lives.

So, he said, he and Matthews must have known each other in a previous life.

As Matthews asked him about the various crimes, Surratt offered up small details.

The Hamiltons had a gold car, Surratt said. When pressed on the location of Linda Hamilton's body, he said, "It's unrecoverable."

Later, when Matthews mentioned missing Ranee Gregor, 15, of Robinson Township, who disappeared from another murder scene in Findlay Township on Oct. 21, 1977, Surratt repeated, "unrecoverable."

He told Matthews that a gas can used to set the Davises on fire came "from out back."

He blamed his behavior on his Vietnam experience and the United States not providing him counseling upon his return. Death and time had no relevance to him, he said.

Matthews told Surratt he was a sociopath, and he would have to give him more information if he wanted to go to South Carolina. He mentioned a few young girls who were killed during the same time period. "I'll give you a (expletive) carrot," Surratt said. "You can mark off your list all the young kids that I am accused of killing. ... You look back at all the murders and you will see the ones I committed: There were no kids hurt. If a kid was there, I protected them. There's your (expletive) carrot."

http://www.timesonline.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17894827&BRD=2305&PAG=461&dept_id=478569&rfi=6

[Rle7]

THE DREADED NEWS
Darlene Rudolph was baby-sitting her 4-year-old granddaughter Thursday afternoon when her phone rang with news she'd dreaded for nearly 30 years.

But even though she'd imagined it every day, come up with every possible horrific scenario, it still struck her hard in the gut.

She called her daughter and told her to come immediately to get the child. She couldn't hold it together much longer.

When her daughter arrived, Rudolph told her: Her oldest sister, Ranee Gregor, missing for nearly 30 years, was dead. Police said Edward Surratt had killed her and told investigators Ranee's body was unrecoverable.

Mother and daughter broke down in tears for the 15-year-old girl who disappeared on Oct. 21, 1977, days short of her 16th birthday.

Ranee had been with her boyfriend, John Feeny, 17, of Coraopolis that night. Police found Feeny's body the next day, shot with a 12-gauge shotgun in his van parked on a secluded road near the airport in Findlay Township. Ranee never was found.

A short while after talking to Frost, Rudolph, 62, sat alone in her Robinson Township home, still in shock, and worried about how to tell Ranee's two other sisters.
"I think in my heart, I knew she was dead," she said. "But as hard as it is to hear, it's better to get closure."
Worse was the news that her killer said Ranee's remains are "unrecoverable."

"Everybody's meaning of unrecoverable is different, even if we could get something," Rudolph said. "That really upsets me. It hurts a lot. If we at least had something to bury in a place, if there was something ... Not to have something of her is hard."

Rudolph does have Ranee's scarf, her mittens, books from her room, her baby dolls and favorite records, a copy of the yearbook that should have contained her senior picture. She keeps it all in a box she sifts through.

There was some small measure of relief, she said, because she was always afraid she would die and her three remaining daughters would someday have to deal with this news alone. The family kept Ranee alive, she said. "We talk about her all the time, all the time," she said. "You can't help it. She was a part of our lives. I thought about her every day."

http://www.timesonline.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17894878&BRD=2305&PAG=461&dept_id=478569&rfi=6

[Richard]

... Later, when Matthews mentioned missing Ranee Gregor, 15, of Robinson Township, who disappeared from another murder scene in Findlay Township on Oct. 21, 1977, Surratt repeated, "unrecoverable." ...

He blamed his behavior on his Vietnam experience and the United States not providing him counseling upon his return. Death and time had no relevance to him, he said. ...
Typical sociopathic dirtbag, thinking at all times ONLY of himself. Any excuse is a good excuse as far as he is concerned. But as a former military member, he knows the old saying about what Excuses are like...

Maybe with a little more work on him, he will eventually give up more information. This is a good start.

[Usher737]

"When Suratt is transferred to the other Florida prison in the next several days, Matthews and Hunker plan to continue to talk with him. Surratt has promised more information. Once Surratt sees proof that he's being sent to South Carolina, Surratt is supposed to spill everything he knows.

If he doesn't, Matthews told him he will be sent back to Century."


Hopefully, he does give the details.

[Starlight]

Can anyone tell me whether most [or all] of these case occurred on week days, or week-ends? If they were week days, does anyone know approximately what time ..... I'm looking for 'evening or night kills' on week days, between 7pm and midnight or 1 am. And week-end kills would probably be between 8 pm on Friday and 8 pm on Sunday.
The ones that were shot: Does anyone know what type of gun they were shot with? I'm looking for -- .357 magnum / .22 caliber / .410 shotgun.
Are there any cases that fit into this same theme prior to 1975?
If I'm on the right track here, the murders began in August of 1975, and haven't let up since. I believe there is a serial killer operating within a 300 mile radius of Washington County, Ohio [and yes, that's where he lives.] In the early days of his career, he was attracted to young girls -- 8 to 15 or so. As he matured, so did his victims. Eventually he swung from kids over to hookers. Then he swung back a little in the mid 1980's and his fantasies involved married women between 25 and 45 years of age. By the early 1990's he was looking back at the young kids again, possibly because he was going through a mid-life crisis and had to know he could still pass for 20 something [only to an inexperienced kid.] By the end of the 90's he didn't care what he could get hold of .......kids, married women, hookers, store clerks, didn't matter, because he had a whole new game that he was acting out, and he'd found the one woman in all the world that he couldn't buffalo, couldn't bribe, and he couldn't kill because she would be his end.
http://users.1st.net/mwells/SymbolicCases.htm

[lannie]

saw him once ,he tried to grab me on a country road in taylerstown pa this is a small town off off 40 ,I have talked to the reporter of STALKING THE STRANGLER IN THE past ,,if you would like more info email me the best Elaine (lannie)

[Socks]

December 8th 1977, Moon Township, Pittsburgh PA
Richard and Donna Hyde
Richard killed by single shotgun blast to abdomen
Donna abducted and beat to death by a blunt instrument, body found along Flaugherty run rd.




I remember this as if it were yesterday. I was in second grade. Mrs. Alexander's class. I was so afraid to sleep at night because there was a bad guy out there. The news had sketch composites of him carrying a shotgun.

The principal of my elementary school left to replace Mr. Hyde at the elementary school he was principal of.

That Surrat was my first experience of the "bogeyman".

[pghorphan76]

Hello.

I am new to this but am looking for more information on the missing girls from 1976-1978, possibly one of the unidentified victims. One of the still missing/unidentifed girls is believed to have had borne a child in august of 1976 that was put up for adoption. If anyone has any information that could help it would be greatly appreciated. The girl would have lived in Washington County/or N.Strabane twp/S.Strabane twp and possibly attended Wash High at least from 1974-1976. She would have been a white female with brown eyes, light to dark brown/black hair, medium build and the child was borne to her and a fellow student of Wash High (black/Indian mixed male about 16, in the band and also played in a local band around town). If anyone knows anything or could provide more names of the missing girls please reply. The missing date would have to be at least after May or June of 1977 or later.
thanks

[Zak]

Hello.

I am new to this but am looking for more information on the missing girls from 1976-1978, possibly one of the unidentified victims. One of the still missing/unidentifed girls is believed to have had borne a child in august of 1976 that was put up for adoption. If anyone has any information that could help it would be greatly appreciated. The girl would have lived in Washington County/or N.Strabane twp/S.Strabane twp and possibly attended Wash High at least from 1974-1976. She would have been a white female with brown eyes, light to dark brown/black hair, medium build and the child was borne to her and a fellow student of Wash High (black/Indian mixed male about 16, in the band and also played in a local band around town). If anyone knows anything or could provide more names of the missing girls please reply. The missing date would have to be at least after May or June of 1977 or later.
thanks

Hi PghOrphan76. I am from Washington Pa and my hubby went to Washington High School during those years, so I have yearbooks to look thru. You can email me and tell me what info you have and I can question hubby and his sis that also went to school there. I remember vividly the murders and how frightened I was at the time. Also, Susan Rush went to Washington High School and Brenda Ritter went to McGuffey High School. Anyone living in N.Strabane/S.Strabane townships went to school with me at Trinity High School, so I have those yearbooks also. I will help you in anyway that I can.