Wyoming Valley West 
Performs Like Champion

Acc Struggles 
Continue For 
Sura, 'noles 
Florida State Falls To Maryland

Thursday, January 13, 1994 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A QUICK WORDS: HER MOTHER, HER MISSION 





Her mother, her mission detta thought about going to see a hypnotistMaybe
then, if she closed her eyes and allowed her mind to drift, she could make out
the face of the person who murdered her mother. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 See, Odetta was in the Academy Street apartment when the killing took
place. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Maybe she even saw it happen. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But she was just a baby then, an 18-month-old little girl who police found
sitting on the floor by the naked body of her momma who had been stabbed 22
times. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That was 22 years ago, when her mother was 22 years old. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The child inside her cries out to know why her mother had to die while the
grown woman she has become drives her search for answers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 For the past several months, Odetta -- bright, strong, black and
essentially without political connections -- has been asking questions of
people who knew her mother. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Juanita Todd's loving daughter also has been reading old newspaper
clippings and the autopsy report concerning the unsolved murder. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The night her mother died, an anonymous man called police to report her
death. And although police mustered their forces to probe the case -- even
publicly announcing the existence of an unnamed prime suspect -- they failed
to solve the case. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Word on the street was that police knew who killed Juanita Todd and had
enough evidence to charge him. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But they never did. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And that was that. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Odetta and her 5-month-old sister, who was also in the apartment during the
killing, grew up with their mother's parents and loved them like they were
their parents and grandparents all wrapped up in one. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In return, Juanita Todd's parents loved and protected the little girls. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Over the years they never discussed with them what had happened. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Nor did they expect answers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 They, too, had heard the stories. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And they lost faith in those official agents and agencies whose sworn
mission is protecting the vulnerable people who live and die in this city. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ver the years, however, Odetta learned about her mom. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Only recently, though, did she find the strength to seek out the whole
truth -- wherever that might lead. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But she knows she can't do it alone. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That's why she went to see police to ask if she could see the records in a
file that's probably inches thick with dust -- a file that contains names of
suspects, witnesses and investigative reports that might lead her to her
mother's killer. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Feeling terribly alone at times, Odetta put faith in the system. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Then she got even more confused. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 When she went to see police, a cop here and a cop there told her she needed
permission from a higher authority to review anything with detectives. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Thankfully, assistant city attorney Marisue Elias-Welch took an interest in
Odetta and wrote a letter to police chief Joe Coyne explaining that she
believed Odetta had the right to review some records, although she expressed
some concern that some documents might be confidential. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That seems reasonable. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Despite police having done little if anything about the case in more than
20 years, technically the case is still active. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Homicides are always considered active. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And some, even after 20 years, are solved. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But when Odetta again went to see police she said a lieutenant told her
that an assistant police chief had growled that she couldn't see anything
without a court order. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Such insensitivity is inexcusable. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Once again, however, Elias-Welch intervened and scheduled a meeting for
next week so police can share with her and Odetta what they can. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Granted, the case is old and cold. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But the meeting at least marks a new beginning. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Maybe some old cop will come forward to help. Possibly a witness will
surface. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 You sure can't blame a murder victim's daughter for trying. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Steve Corbett's column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Her Mother, Her Mission Detta Thought About Going To See A Hypnotist.