`babylon 5' Producer Happy To Work Without Pressures Of Major Network

30 More Will Join Pittston Strike

By DAVE JANOSKI; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Tuesday, October 01, 1996 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1A 





PLYMOUTH TWP. -- The handguns two teenagers used in their apparent suicide
were police weapons issued to the father of one of the victims, a Wilkes-Barre
Township police sergeant, investigators said Monday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The two semi-automatic 9 mm handguns were discovered near the bodies of
Stanley Szczupski and Shaun M. Zarcufsky on an isolated, wooded hillside Sept.
22. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Wilkes-Barre Township Solicitor Bruce Phillips said he is investigating how
the 16-year-old boys obtained the weapons, issued by township police to
Szczupski's father, Sgt. Stanley Szczupski. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Thus far, Phillips said, he has found no indication that Sgt. Szczupski,
who lives in Jackson Township, violated any township rules for the handling of
police weapons. Phillips said he believed the township would not be liable in
any civil action that could be filed in connection with the deaths. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We have no indication that there was any breach in conduct whatsoever,
either by any officer or the township," Phillips said. "All the information
that I have is that everybody acted in accordance with the law." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Phillips said the township has a written policy governing the handling of
police weapons. But he would not discuss its provisions, except to say
officers are "supposed to have their weapons with them at all times." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Phillips said he did not know why Sgt. Szczupski was issued two guns or
when the officer reported the guns missing. The two boys, students at Wyoming
Valley West High School, were reported missing two days before their bodies
were discovered near the West Side Landfill. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Sgt. Szczupski, who has not returned to work since his son's suicide, could
not be reached for comment Monday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 State police Sgt. Richard Krawetz said the guns were traced to the
Wilkes-Barre Township Police Department and Szczupski through a statewide
registry of handgun serial numbers kept by state police. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Krawetz and Luzerne County District Attorney Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. said
now that criminal investigators have traced the guns, that aspect of the case
is closed. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We're satisfied with the fact we have proper documentation," Krawetz said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 While Luzerne County Coroner Dr. George E. Hudock Jr. has yet to officially
rule the deaths a suicide, investigators say the boys died from single gunshot
wounds to the head and all indications are those wounds were self-inflicted. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "As far as I'm concerned, all the evidence points to that," Olszewski said
Monday. "There's no evidence to indicate anything else." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But Allyn Zarcufsky, the father of one of the victims, said he isn't
convinced. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It may have been. It may have not been. I have my doubts," said Allyn
Zarcufsky, who resides in Shenandoah. "From a father's perspective, I hope it
wasn't." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Zarcufsky, who works in a Frackville recycling plant, said his son, who
visited him every other weekend, had been making plans. He talked about
getting a part-time job to pay for the prom, a class ring and guitar lessons
and then, possibly, on to college. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "There's no way a kid planning for the future is going to commit suicide,"
Zarcufsky said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He said his ex-wife, who lived with Shaun in Plymouth, is considering
hiring a lawyer to pursue a second autopsy on the body of their son, who was
buried last week. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Olszewski said investigators found "no basis" for questioning the autopsy
performed by county coroner Hudock. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Under no circumstances are we going to pursue an exhumation," Olszewski
said. "If the father wants to pursue one he can secure private counsel." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Shaun Zarcufsky's mother, Magda Vandenbussche Zarcufsky, declined comment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Investigators said Monday they are still awaiting the results of a
toxicological tests that will show whether the two teenagers had drugs or
alcohol in their systems when they died. Krawetz said the results could take
another two to three weeks. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Investigators say empty liquor bottles and drug paraphernalia were found
near the bodies. They suspect the boys were using marijuana, and possibly
heroin, according to Olszewski. Notes, cassette tapes of "death metal" music
and other items found at the scene illustrated the two boys' interest in
occult matters, investigators said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Allyn Zarcufsky said he knew his son was interested in "death metal" and
the occult, but that the boy did not take them seriously. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "He used to make jokes about it," Zarcufsky said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "He told me he tried weed. He told me he tried coke. He didn't like them.
He said he'd never use them again. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "He said he'd never try heroin. He knew kids who were screwed up on it. He
didn't want to end up like them." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

2 Handguns Belonged To Victim's Father Weapons Were Issued To Stanley Szczupski, A Wilkes-barre Township Police Sergeant