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Killing Tigs’ May Have Been in PlanMason Suicide-Bombing Probe Detailedalong with him and consider his animosi-By Stmt DonthatPOINT PLEASANT, W. Va. (AP) — fant daughter and the subsequent murder Bruce Sisk took at least 15 pounds of dyna- charges against his wife, 18-year-old Har-mite to the Mason County jail the night of riet.March 2 and might have planned to kill a few pigs” aiong with his wife and himself, authorities said Thursday.The young dairy farmer killed five persons when he detonated a suitcase full of explosives in his wife’s jail cell.Among the victims were Sisk, his wife, Sheriff Elvin “Pete” Wedge and two deputies, one of whom died just two days ago. A dozen other persons were injured, some seriously.Prosecutor Don Kingery told a news conference Thursday that Sisk left a suicide note in which he indicated he was extremely depressed by the death of his in-KINGERY SAID THE NOTE also re ferred to police as “the pigs” and contained other abusive and obscene references to authorities.The prosecutor said the note did not specifically state Sisk planned to kill any police officers: However, state police Sgt. M. P. Koemer, who conducted the investigation, said if was not unreasonable to conclude Sisk .may have wanted to kill some officers.“You have the facts,” he told reporters. “Look at how much, dynamite he broughtty”Koemer said there was no indication Sisk attempted to warn any of the officers or tell them of his plan.He added that Sheriff Wedge probably had begun to suspect Sisk’s intentions just before he blew up the jail, Koemer said a cellmate of Mrs. Sisk told authorities the sheriff was preparing to clear the area just before the blast.“But,” added Kingery, “Mrs, Sisk wasable, somehow, to get the sheriff back tothe door of the cell.* * •KINGERY SAID EXPLOSIVE experts had ascertained Sisk brought along at least 32 to 35 sticks of dynamite, which he had stolen from a construction company for whom he once worked. The sawed-off shotgun Sisk used to force his way into thejail had been stolen in a burglary several weeks earlier, the prosecutor said.Authorities said they believed Mrs, Sisk knew of her husband's plan to kill them both. They said they based their theory upon testimony of Alice Sue Missen, Mrs. Sisk's cellmate, who was freed just moments before the blast; from the suicide note; and a reconstruction of the events that showed Sisk visited his wife’s cell just five hours before he returned with the dynamite.The note found at the Sisk’s trailer home in nearby Letart, was dated 7:45 p.m., between Sisk’s two visits to the jail.Mrs. Missen told authorities she felt Mrs. Sisk “knew something was going to happen” but wouldn't tell her what, other than to assure her she wouldn't be hurt.”{Please Torn to Page ?A, Col. t) '
Newspaper Details
Charleston Gazette
Charleston, West Virginia, US
Fri, Mar 12, 1976
Page 17
Full Page
Clipped by
Sherri B.
USA 13 Dec 2023
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