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Police Link Murders Of 4 Women 2 More Women Reported Missing

By Adam Lynn adaml@spokesman.com

A task force investigating the murders of 18 women has linked four of the homicides, suggesting a serial killer is at work in Spokane, an official said.

“We’re putting some parts of it together,” sheriff’s Capt. Doug Silver said Monday. “We are linking some of them.”

Evidence shows connections between four of the seven most recent victims whose bodies have been discovered during the last six months, Silver said.

The seven women, who ranged in age from 16 to 39, were shot to death. Most had worked as prostitutes, abused drugs or both.

Silver did not say which cases are linked, but at least two of the women’s bodies were discovered in the same overgrown gravel pit on the same day. The bodies of Laurie Wason and Shawn McClenahan were found near 14th and Carnahan on Dec. 26.

Two of the other recent victims, Heather Hernandez and Jennifer Joseph, were found in separate locations on Aug. 26.

The task force is expected to provide more details today at a news conference..

Silver also said that two more women who fit the victim profile are missing. Their names are expected to be released today.

A third woman reported missing last month still hasn’t been found, Silver said. Linda Marie Maybin, 34, hasn’t been seen since Nov. 22.

The task force is investigating the unsolved murders of 18 women since 1984.

“The deaths involve women whose lifestyles placed them at some risk,” police spokesman Dick Cottam said in a press release Monday.

The task force is made up of two detectives each from the Spokane Police Department and the county sheriff’s office. Local officials also have called the FBI for help. A special agent experienced in serial killer investigations is expected to travel to Spokane later this month.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Crime Check A city-county task force is investigating the unsolved murders of 18 Spokane area women, including seven last year. Anyone with information on the homicides is asked to call Crime Check at 456-2233.

This sidebar appeared with the story: Crime Check A city-county task force is investigating the unsolved murders of 18 Spokane area women, including seven last year. Anyone with information on the homicides is asked to call Crime Check at 456-2233.