W-b Owes To Two Firefighters

Albert Stravinsky 
Feb. 5, 1994 
Albert J. Stravinsky, Of Walnut Street, Luzerne, Died Saturday At Riverstreet 
Manor, Wilkes-barre.

Tuesday, February 08, 1994 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A QUICK WORDS: IT'S TIME TO SOLVE A
MURDER 





It's time to solve a murder &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 When Pete meets Odetta, he'll sense the courage that pushes this young
woman down dangerous city streets asking ever more dangerous questions about
who murdered her mother a long, long time agoThis meeting between Luzerne
County District Attorney Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. and Odetta Todd should occur
soon. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; After recently reading about the case for the first time, Olszewski agrees
that law enforcement officials should re-open the investigation into the Sept.
28, 1972, homicide of Juanita Todd, who died with 22 stab wounds in her body
and a sheet knotted around her throat. Odetta was 18 months old and sitting by
her mother's head when police found the 22-year-old woman's nude body on the
floor of her Academy Street apartment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 After meeting Monday with members of the Wilkes-Barre police department to
discuss the case, Olszewski said he hopes city cops will commit time and
resources to try to solve the case. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I'd like to see the city assign a detective and I'll assign a detective
from my office," Olszewski said. "Hopefully we can combine resources on this
and act." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 After all, there is a suspect. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The man whom police privately call their only suspect in the case --and
whom we'll call John Doe for now -- has eluded authorities for more than 22
years after fleeing the state less than two months after the murder. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 City detectives had previously interviewed him and, based on their
suspicion that he knew more than he was saying, asked if he would submit to a
lie detector test. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Cleveland Howard, the father of Juanita's two daughters, had already passed
a polygraph test and convinced police he knew nothing about the crime. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 John Doe, though, hadn't convinced anybody of anything. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Still, he reluctantly agreed to take the test. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Then he ran. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Although Luzerne County Court officials later issued a warrant for his
arrest, it was for another crime. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 John Doe was wanted for an aggravated assault and battery against Cleveland
Howard, who charged that the suspect had attacked him several weeks after the
murder during an argument in The Soul Bar on Hazle Street. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 John Doe left town, however, and missed his assault hearing scheduled
before Magistrate Michael Collins. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Luzerne County Judge Richard Bigelow stepped in, issuing a second warrant
for John Doe after he absconded, charging him with violating the year's
probation he was serving for burglaries. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 laiming they were baffled as to their prime murder suspect's whereabouts,
however, police investigators backed off the investigation into Juanita Todd's
murder. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But police did know where John Doe was. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The whole Wyoming Valley knew where he was. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Shortly after John Doe ran away, a small newspaper article in The Times
Leader reported under the headline "John Doe Wants To Surrender Self" that the
suspect contacted Wilkes-Barre police to turn himself in. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Dispatcher Henry Wichowski reported he received a call from John Doe who
informed the officer he was calling from Los Angeles, Calif. John Doe said
before he left Wilkes-Barre, in violation of his parole, he also beat up a
man," the article said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "John Doe said he was tired of being pursued and wanted to give himself up.
He told the officer if the police wanted him they should contact the Sheriff's
Department of Los Angeles County." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Apparently nobody bothered. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 So for more than 22 years, one of the most brutal single homicides in
Wilkes-Barre history has remained unsolved. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Hopefully, city officials will join forces with Olszewski in this important
pursuit. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 If they do, the suspect shouldn't be too hard to find. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 John Doe is right where he told police he was -- 22 years ago. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Steve Corbett's column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

It's Time To 
Solve A Murder 
When Pete Meets Odetta, He'll Sense The Courage That Pushes This Young Woman 
Down Dangerous City Streets Asking Ever More Dangerous Questions About Who 
Murdered Her Mother A Long, Long Time Ago.

It's Time To Solve A Murder When Pete Meets Odetta, He'll Sense The Courage That Pushes This Young Woman Down Dangerous City Streets Asking Ever More Dangerous Questions About Who Murdered Her Mother A Long, Long Time Ago.