US sniper victim No 18 (ANOTHER DC SNIPER VICTIM?)

The Sun ^ | November 5, 2002 | Brian Flynn

[Future Useless Eater]

you see, I want to know about that 22 cal. gun..... the Short family was executed by a 22....that was in Virginia....

I just got done reading about the Short family murders before answering this...
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/local/4277465.htm

I haven't looked for the VA roadside murders you mentioned yet. I do not know how Muhammad / Malvo travelled around before buying the Caprice, though at times I have heard by bus. If they had an accomplice, that could explain apparent uses of a car before Sept 11th.

Muhammad/Malvo's whereabouts on Aug 14 2002 are still unknown
The .22 Magnum should be easily matchable to any other shootings. Either Alabama has it, or the FBI.
here are the timeline portions of interest to you...

• July 20 2002 - A .22 caliber Magnum handgun was stolen at a gun show in El Paso, Texas. This gun is later confirmed used by Muhammad/Malvo (and/or a 3rd accomplice?) in the Montgomery AL killing on September 21.

• late July 2002 OR early August: - Muhammad and Malvo arrived by bus in Baton Rouge dirty, hungry and haggard. Muhammad appeared dangerously delusion according to his cousin - Anderson, whom he showed his duffel bag containing a rifle.

• August 2002? - Freeper TexKat remembers reading a carribean paper saying Muhammad was sighted in Antigua in August 2002. We haven't been able to find that source again (I'm still looking).

• Near Summer's end (I assume that means August) - Muhammad and Malvo were clearly remembered being seen for a 2nd time in Falls Church Virgina, in the (Home Depot / Michaels / Fabric Store) shopping complex.

• late august 2002 Muhammad and Malvo were seen in Tacoma Washington for three days at the end of August shopping for a certain car with a "big trunk",

• September 05 2002 , 10:30pm - Clinton MD - Paul LaRuffa, owner of Margellina Restaurant, is shot six times at close range, just after he got into his car in this Prince George's County parking lot. LaRuffa, was shot with a .22 caliber handgun but survived. Like two murders that occur later in AL and LA, this shooting occurred just after closing. The shooter escaped with $3000 from the restaurant, and the owner's Sony Vaio laptop computer. The restaurant is located near the home of Muhammad's ex-wife Mildred.

  This shooting is suspected to have been done by Muhhamad/Malvo. A .22 caliber handgun is later found at the site of a Montgomery AL murder that occurred Sept 21. A Sony Vaio laptop is also found in Muhammad's blue Caprice when they are arrested.
  Mr. LaRuffa very much wants to know if Muhhamad was found with HIS laptop, but police will not tell him.

• September 11 2002 - Three people appear involved in registering a newly purchased blue Chevrolet Caprice (former police car) in New Jersey, at the exact time and date of the WTC attack. Two of them register the car, while a third person phones in a bomb threat.
• September 14 2002 - The shooters try out their sniper car for the first time outside a Silver Spring, Maryland liquor store on a Saturday night. The victim is single-shot in the chest and survives, and the bullet is too fragmented to match with later shootings...

• September 15 2002 , - Clinton MD - Brandywine Liquors owner is shot in the stomach at closing time with a small caliber handgun and is robbed. Victim survives.

• September 21 2002 - Montgomery Alabama - Muhammad / Malvo and maybe a 3rd person enter a liquor store moments before closing. A clerk is shot in the back of the head, it glanced off and exited her cheek. She survives. (this was probably the low-power .22 bullet) The manager is shot in the back and dies. One of these were shot with the high-powered .223 Bushmaster. Police arrive and see Muhammad rummaging thru a purse, holding the handgun. No one saw the person holding the .223 Bushmaster. A third person assists their escape using the blue Chevrolet Caprice. The .22 caliber Magnum was dropped in a chase, and found under leaves in October.

• September 23 at 6:35 p.m. - Baton Rouge LA - Hong Im Ballenger, 45, was single-shot in the head after she closed her beauty shop and was getting into her car; She died instantly.
  The bullet has been positively ID'ed to the .223 Bushmaster rifle. Seen running from her car was a black man 130- to 140-pounds who stands about 5 feet 2 inches tall. The man got into a dark blue Chevrolet Caprice that had earlier been parked across the street from the shooting. Killers got $1000 from her purse that she was going to deposit in the bank. The Beauty Depot is at 3055 Florida Boulevard and Connell Street

[Future Useless Eater]

I also used mapquest to find the quickest route between Montgomery AL and DC. In my opinion, most VA crime done by Muhammad would be along this path.

But Bassett VA is about an hour away from this path.

DIRECTIONS DISTANCE
1: Start out going North on S UNION ST/AL-9. 0.05 miles
2: Merge onto I-85 N. 146.95 miles
3: Take the I-285-BYP E exit- exit number 68- toward MACON/AUGUSTA. 1.16 miles
4: Merge onto I-285 E/GA-407 E. 28.12 miles
5: Merge onto I-85 N via exit number 33 toward GREENVILLE. 274.21 miles
6: I-85 N becomes US-70 E/US-29 N. 4.11 miles
7: Take I-85 N toward THOMASVILLE/GREENSBORO. 214.89 miles
8: Merge onto I-95 N via the exit- on the left- toward RICHMOND. 27.60 miles
9: Merge onto I-64 W via exit number 79 toward POWHITE PKWY/CHARLOTTESVILLE. 9.24 miles
10: Merge onto I-295 S via exit number 177 toward WASHINGTON/NORFOLK. 8.49 miles
11: Take the I-95/US-1 exit- exit number 43- toward RICHMOND/WASHINGTON. 0.19 miles
12: Take the US-1 N ramp toward ASHLAND. 0.29 miles
13: Take the ramp toward I-95/RICHMOND/WASHINGTON. 0.33 miles
14: Merge onto I-95 N toward WASHINGTON. 86.12 miles
15: Merge onto I-395 N via exit number 170A- on the left- toward WASHINGTON. 10.37 miles
16: Merge onto US-1 N via the exit- on the left. 0.94 miles
17: Turn LEFT onto MADISON DR NW. 0.06 miles
18: Turn RIGHT onto 15TH ST NW. 0.14 miles
19: Turn LEFT onto CONSTITUTION AVE NW/US-50. 0.16 miles
20: Turn RIGHT onto 16TH ST NW. 0.03 miles
21: Turn LEFT onto ELLIPSE RD NW. 0.30 miles
Total Estimated Time: Total Distance:
13 hours, 14 minutes 813.75 miles

[iceskater]

I tend not to think the Short murders were part of Muhammad's jihad. The parents were shot inside the house at close range. From what I remember of what was reported, there were no signs of forced entry. Not Muhammad's usual style - although, who knows? Police are investigating a guy who skipped to Canada soon after the murders and are right now testing a bunch of his belongings for DNA. Also, it seems to me that Muhammad's jihad was centered near major highways (I-95) and the Short murders weren't anywhere near that area. But then again, this guy seems to have to gone all over the country.

I haven't heard about the other shootings you mentioned. Do you remember any other details?

[knighthawk]

LOL!