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111th Year—No. 256at*Farmer Held For MurderIn 2 Deathsi7-Monlh-OMCase SolvedAdvocmtc Newt ffervictCUERO, Jan. 18 -A talc of two deaths seven months ago and a two-countv investigation was climaxed here Friday with the filing of a murder with malice charge against a DeWitt Countyfarmer.Thirty - seven - year - old August Styra, 243-pound six-footer described as “all man” bv Karnes County Sheriff Harper is. was held without bond after officers said he confessed j to the arson-slaying of two Gar-fteld Community people last June 21.Morris, a slight, soft-spoken veteran of 22 years as Karnes County sheriff—and the son of a formersaid he “broke the case at mid-afternoon Thursday after Home six months of patient investigation and more than three days #of “off and on questioning’’ ofthe suspectRuled AccidentalStyra is held in connection with the deaths of Miss Emma Richter, 65. and her bachelor brother Erwin. 67, at their farm home.Their deaths first were ruled accidental, but Morris said that “neighbors who were not satisfied with that verdict camlt;* to me and asked me to investigate the deaths.’Their place is four miie.s over in DeWitt County and out of my jurisdiction, but I told the neighbors I d check around and see what I could find out,” Morns said.Had Warrant“L.ist Saturday I went to Mar* kowskv i DeWitt County Sheriff Ray Mirkowsky) and told him about the suspect. I had a warrant for his arrest on a felony theft charge that we could hold him on.Styra was arrested and taken to Austin for a he detector test supervised by the Department of Public Safety, but the test proved inconclusive. Styra was returned to the Karnes County jail to be hlt; Id on the theft charge, filed ;n connection with the theft of an air compressor.lhe compressor was being used to burn pear on the Connell and Son Ranch, liillctte Community in the northeast part of the count),’ Morris explained, “and was worth more than $50”Continued QuestioningRanchers Luin the spine off prickly pear cactus to make it edible for cattle.After Styra was returned to Karnes City, Morris continued to question him about the theft and the deaths of the Richter couple.“About 3 30 p.m. Thursday he confessed to me.'* Morris said. I called Markowsky and he came over with the DeWitt County attorney (James Cra;m to take a statement from him.’'Morns related this account of the alleged killing a.s he said yra told it to him:Styra parked his car about 400 U or 500 yards from the Richter farm home June 21, 1956, about 8 30 p.m. and went to the house. He saici he entered and spoke to the couple and they seemed to become excited. Miss Richter started toward the telephone.I grabbed a broomstick, ormaybe a hoe handle used to prop up the window’,” Morris quoted Styra, “and hit her, then 1 got excited and knocked the map unconscious'’ris th« n quoted the suspect as saying that he went up to the attic “to look for the money,” and found a $20 bill anda $5 bill. He then left the house and set fire to it with some “dried grass and weeds plac ed under the |1 front porch, Morris related. |lt;Asked whether he had any cvi- j)than I the purportedconfession, Morris replied: We might have a little.Morris was then asked whether he had given any evidence he might have to Markowsky.“I’ve told him about it,” hesaid, “but I haVe some thingswhich the neighbors brought to(See FARMER. Page K)!lt;11II11]-mm
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Victoria Advocate
Victoria, Texas, US
Sat, Jan 19, 1957
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TX, USA 05 Mar 2020
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