| |
WASHINGTON, D.C.—JUDICIARY Square
Was the D.C. Killer caught? Or not?
That was the chief concern in the Henry J. Daly Building, Metropolitan Police Headquarters, located on Indiana Avenue in Judiciary Square. The building’s name was a tribute to devoted homicide sergeant, Henry J. Daly, a twenty-eight your veteran of the Metro PD who was killed November 22 1994, by an armed intruder in the building.
Detective McGee had scheduled an anticipated conference call with the day’s Field Intelligence Group. On the line, she had her MPD team and the FBI, ATF, Capitol Police, Supreme Court Police—just about the whole alphabet soup.
Reporting in on the call was Shai Brown, mouthpiece for the AUSO, and Ray Pitcairn, from the Forensic Analysis Branch at the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia.
After quickly identifying who was on the line, Detective McGee handed the call over to FBI Agent Pitcairn.
“Based on shell casing at the scene and fragments in the two vic’s skull, I can conclusively affirm that one weapon was used,” Agent Pitcairn told the group. Detective McGee had been told this fact hours earlier, but it was news to the other law enforcement on the call. “An unknown gun brand 9mm was used, and as we know military men used these pieces. I’m thinking our guy is or was in the military. I’d start looking at SC rulings affecting the military.”
“While we have Thurman in custody, I’m betting he has a serious cache of weapons somewhere. That is, if, he’s the killer and this ATM video proves such,” said Raquel E. Gur, representing the cautious ATF’s voice.
Detective Bald Eagle chimed in, “We have a team searching the apartment that he’s been living in. Landlord says he moved-in on August first. His vehicle is being combed as we speak. We will be briefing you all before the four o’clock hour, as we’re sure how thirsty the media hounds will be looking for a sound bite and we need you prepared. We’re encouraging you all to respond, ‘no comment.’ At the bottom, we may not have the actual killer in custody or he may have accomplices, so we need to keep things very close to the chest.”
“Detective McGee, Captain Finnerty, here, Capitol Police. Your reports indicate that we have a killer on the loose that’s advanced, methodical, and practical. I’ve had direct contact with Thurman, and he doesn’t come off as demonstrating any of those qualities. Perhaps he’s the guinea pig. In fact, I’d venture to describe him as weak. Maybe even paranoid schizophrenic. Gravely disabled and incapable of such a high degree of precision.”
“Which is why he was caught on a bank video using a victim’s card,” AUSA Brown said sarcastically. “Anyone can murder. Getting away is entirely different. Especially in the district. It’s not all that all that easy to escape and this guy knew that; hence, the local digs avoiding checkpoint traps. Let’s leave the diagnosis to doctors and possible trial strategies to defense counsel with respect to whether or not he has mental defects.”
“I’m armed with a psychology degree and consult with and diagnose patients part-time at George Washington University Hospital. I am over qualified to make that supposition.” Boom!
Detective Bald Eagle stepped in. “Captain Finnerty, please forward a summation of your observations regarding Thurman to me and AUSA Brown.”
“Done,” he replied.
“Perfect,” Detective McGee said. “Our team is or should be, finishing up with the apartment and car. I will bring you up to speed with their findings in a special report forthwith. Included will be a recording and notes of our interrogation intelligence.”