VAFB Ammunition Traced in Murder

Tracing of .22 caliber ammunition sold at Vandenberg AFB was under way today, as a 20-year-old youth in custody in Hollywood was under investigation in the murders of three Lompoc residents.

Sheriff James W. Webster sent two detectives to question the youth, who reportedly answers the description of “Sandy,” a missing suspect. Sheriff Webster said the boy in Hollywood also fell under suspicion because he has used many alias names.

ONLY AREA SITE

The Vandenberg Air Force Base post exchange is the only place in the area yet found where .22 caliber ammunition of the lot number linked to the beach murders is in stock.

Four boxes of Winchester brand long rifle bullets were found at the shack where bodies of two Lompoc teens were discovered. The lot number TL21 was stamped inside. A check of all ammunition dealers in the area continues but so far only boxes in stock at VAFB have this number.

The PX usually puts price stickers on its boxes. No stickers were on the murder-scene boxes but PX officials say that stickers often are not used in large-lot orders of ammunition.

Base authorities are co-operating in the problem of tracing recent sales of the ammunition.

TWO CLEARED

“Sandy” is the only known name of a boy two pals say fatally stabbed Vern C. Smith, 63, near his Miguelito Canyon trailer home June 3. “Sandy” is also wanted for quizzing in the double shooting of Linda Edwards, 17, and Robert Domingos, 18, two high school sweethearts.

Detectives last night cleared a 16-year-old runaway from Chicago who hitchhiked to Ventura to join the service. He resembled circulated sketches of “Sandy.” He’s in

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