Cross Country Sniper Trail?
W A S H I N G T O N, Nov. 10, 2002 -- From the moment John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo were arrested as suspects in the Washington, D.C.-area sniper shootings two weeks ago, the allegations against them have snowballed.
From the .223-caliber Bushmaster rifle found in the Chevrolet Caprice where they were found sleeping, and from other emerging evidence, the two have now been linked to at least 22 shootings that have killed 15 people and wounded seven.
Feb. 16: Tacoma, Wash.
It now appears police believe the crime spree started in Tacoma, Wash., on the night of Feb 16. Keenya Cook was fatally shot outside her apartment. Her aunt had helped police trace Muhammad when he abducted his three children from his ex-wife.
"The Tacoma Police Department now consider John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo as suspects in the Keenya Cook homicide," Tacoma Police Chief David Brame told the media.
March 19: Tucson, Ariz.
The next month in Tucson, a 60-year-old man was killed by a rifle shot as he chipped balls at a golf course. According to police, Muhammad and Malvo were in Tucson visiting Muhammad's sister at the time.
In April, the two men were apparently back in Washington state. At a YMCA they befriended Harjit Singh, who says they showed him a diagram for a silencer and bragged of a sinister plan.
"They said, here's our plan," Singh recalled, "to shoot [a] fuel tanker on the freeway passing by, … to hide in the wood and shoot on the fuel tanker to cause maximum damage or human life."
Sept. 5: Clinton, Md.
Then, in early September in Clinton, Md., the Washington, D.C., suburb where Muhammad's ex-wife had moved, restaurant owner Paul LaRuffa climbed into his car after closing up for the day.
"A few seconds later, just peripherally I saw a shadow, immediately a flash of light, a tremendously loud sound, a window broke, bullets were flying, and I knew I was being shot," LaRuffa said.
LaRuffa was shot six times with a .22-caliber handgun, and robbed of at least $3,000 and his Sony laptop computer — the same laptop that was found in Muhammad's car, law enforcement sources told ABCNEWS.
Sept. 14: Silver Spring, Md.
Nine days later in Silver Spring, another Maryland suburb, an employee at Hillandale Beer & Wine was wounded by a shot fired from outside. Police said they have unspecified evidence connecting the crime to Muhammad and Malvo.
"We heard a bang," Arnie Zelkovitz, a fellow employee at the liquor store and witness to the shooting, told ABCNEWS' John Miller. "For a second I thought maybe it was a car backfire, but it was a lot louder than any car backfire I ever heard. It sounded like something massive had fallen on a tin roof."
The very next day outside of another suburban Maryland liquor store, yet another employee was shot and robbed. This time with the same kind of pistol that had been used to shoot Paul LaRuffa.
Sept. 21: Atlanta
Police in Atlanta confirmed Thursday that six days later, a .22-caliber pistol also was used in the killing of Million Woldemarian, a liquor store employee in that city.
"Shortly after 12 on [Sept.] 21 … we now believe they were in Atlanta with that .22 which was used in this homicide," ATF Special Agent John Killorin said. "At about 7:30 p.m., they're seen at the homicide at the liquor store down in Montgomery, Ala."
Sept. 21: Montgomery, Ala.
In fact, police in Montgomery, Ala., would find that .22-caliber pistol outside the liquor store where one employee was killed with a .223-rifle and another wounded with a handgun, the same crime scene where John Malvo's fingerprints were allegedly found.
"This story continues to be an unfolding nightmare and we have not seen the last chapter in this story at all," Montgomery Police Chief John Wilson said.
Sept. 23: Baton Rouge, La.
Two days later, in Baton Rouge, La., 45-year-old Hong Im Ballenger was shot dead walking to her car after work.
"Ballistics comparisons by the Louisiana state police crime lab have now positively linked the .223-caliber bullet used to murder Miss Ballenger with the weapon used in several of the D.C.-area sniper killings," Baton Rouge Police Chief Pat Englade said.
Oct. 7: Baltimore
By early October, investigators say Muhammad and Malvo were back in suburban Washington, D.C., where 13 more people would be gunned down over the next three weeks, 10 of them killed.
On Oct. 7, the day a 13-year-old boy was shot at school, two employees of a Subway sandwich shop in Baltimore say Muhammad asked for permission to park the Chevrolet Caprice overnight.
"He stepped out of his car, and he walked over toward us," recalled Holly Thompson, an employee at the shop. "He said, 'I didn't mean to scare you, I just wanted to know if I could park here and rest for the night. You know, I've been driving all night and I'm from out of town.'"
"It was just him as far as we could see," added Marty Ruby, another employee. "We didn't see the younger boy. He was still here at 9:30 when we left that night. And the police pulled him over after 12."
That night police checked out the car, ran the license plate, and after finding no outstanding warrants, let Muhammad and Malvo go on their way.
It would be another two weeks and five more shootings before the two were finally found asleep in the blue Caprice. Ballistic tests of the .223-caliber Bushmaster rifle inside the trunk have now been linked to all but one of the suburban sniper shootings.