DNA Links Bethesda Killing, 2 Other Home Invasions
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Tuesday, October 7, 2008; 12:41 PM
The 63-year-old woman tied up and killed inside her Bethesda home last month was probably dead for at least 24 hours before she was found, and her slaying has been linked to two other home-invasion robberies through DNA evidence, Montgomery County police said last night.
Police said in a statement that they continue to investigate the death of Mary Havenstein "with the belief" her assailant broke into a total of six homes over the past year -- five in Montgomery, from Potomac to Chevy Chase, and one in the Foxhall area of Northwest Washington. Victims ranged in age from 63 to 92 and were found tied up inside their homes. Other than Havenstein, none received life-threatening injuries.
Havenstein's body was found by a family member Sept. 4. Investigators are concerned the assailant "may hit again before we can catch him," said Lt. Paul Starks, a police spokesman.
Authorities have held a series of community meetings about the cases and have encouraged older residents to lock their doors and windows and take other steps to lessen the chances of being targeted.
Last night, at a meeting at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, police released new information about the crimes, including that a backpack found at one of the homes and linked to the assailant was stolen five years ago from the 3700 block of Harrison Street in Northwest Washington.
The assailant breaks into homes, asks for a variety of items, including cash and gold, and "takes his time and looks wherever he wants throughout a home," police said in the statement.
The statement said two unusual items were taken in the break-ins: an "old European cut" diamond ring with dark blue enamel on either side of an 18-karat yellow gold setting, and a voice-activated watch for the visually impaired that was manufactured by "LS&S."
Police described the suspect, who wore a mask in all but one of the incidents, as someone in his early 20s who spoke with a Hispanic accent. According to the statement, surviving victims said the assailant was "a white or Latino male who spoke with a slight Hispanic accent, but spoke English very well, in his 20s, 5'5" to 5'8" tall, with a medium build."
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