State Hunt Pressed For Slayer Suspect

A state-wide search continued today for a youth known only as “Sandy,” who is wanted for questioning about the slaying of three Lompoc residents last week.

“Sandy” has been named as the killer of Vern Charles Smith, 63, of Miguelito Canyon June 3, and Sheriff James W. Webster wants to quiz him about the deaths of two teen-age sweethearts gunned down on a lonely beach the next day.

A fusillade from a .22 caliber gun killed Linda Edwards, 17, and Robert Domingos, 18.

A sketch of “Sandy” is being circulated by the sheriff’s office, made from descriptions given by two youths in custody here for the Smith murder, and by persons in Santa Cruz who saw the boy.

ACCUSE SANDY

The two Santa Cruz youths held for the Smith murder say Sandy stabbed the man in the back after he obligingly went for gas and was pouring it in their car. They had faked being stalled to lure Smith out of his trailer near Lompoc after hearing he had a large sum of money, according to detectives.

The boys, J. C. Reed, 17, and James Coleman, 16, say they took $360 from Smith’s body, gave Sandy $20 and split the rest after the killing early June 3.

Deciding to ditch Sandy, because his eccentricities bothered them, the other two boys drove him to an Arroyo Grande motel Monday, telling him to get a room and they would sneak in later to save money. Instead, they drove back to Santa Cruz where they were arrested.

Sandy reportedly had a small knife with him and only the balance of the $20 left after paying the motel bill and buying a new pair of shoes.

He claimed to be from the San Francisco area. The boys said they met him in Santa Cruz. He registered under a false name, William Carr, and phony address at the motel. His jacket, located by sheriff’s men, had the name Robert Coffman sewed in, but this is not believed to be his true name.

His age is about 17 or 18. He is 5 feet 8, weighs about 150 pounds and wears his pants low on his hips. His blond, unbleached hair is combed forward “like the surfers,” according to descriptions.

FRAME GLASSES

Sandy wears black frame glasses and was wearing a black slip-over shirt with a button-down collar when last seen. His mannerisms include holding a cigaret close to the base of the fingers.

Los Gatos police today were investigating a youth they say resembles sketches of “Sandy.”

The boy’s grandmother lives in Santa Cruz, where Sandy has been known to frequent the beaches. An attempt is being made to learn if the boy was in school last week. He is not in custody and is apparently unaware of the investigation.

Other possible suspects are being checked out and cleared. A teen-age runaway girl from Oregon was taken to Juvenile Hall after being spotted living on the beach at Gaviota. She and her boy friend from Los Angeles were cleared of suspicion in the beach murders. She will be returned home.

Several Santa Maria boys involved in an offense against a girl in the Guadalupe area were also questioned in the murder case and cleared.

IMAGE CAPTION

SKETCH OF “SANDY,” who is wanted for questioning in three local murders, was drawn by Lt. Harold Clark of the sheriff’s office.