Thursday, February 23, 2012

Ukiah Daily Journal: October 13, 1968

Seven-year old child finds bodies; no clue to slayer

A seven-year old boy who awakened shortly after 7:30 this morning ran out of his trailer home six miles south of Ukiah off Highway 101 and found his mother lying on the ground, the victim of a brutal strangler.

The shocked youngster then ran into the adjoining house occupied by his grandmother only to find her lying dead on the floor, also strangled.

The victims were Nancy Warren, 64, and her granddaughter, Clyda Jean Dulaney, 24, wife of California Highway patrolman Don Dulaney and an expectant mother.

Making the gruesome discovery was Johnny Ussery whose younger brothers, Lane, 5 and Brett, 4, were still asleep in the trailer. The children were the issue of an earlier marriage. Johnny then went back into the trailer, and got his younger brothers dressed. The youngsters trudged south to the home of Don Torell where John blurted out to Torell and his wife “Mommy and grandma are dead.”

Mrs. Torell notified the sheriff’s office and a swarm of deputies, headed by Sherriff Reno Bartolomie, were dispatched to the scene.

The victims, both fully clothed, were slain in identical fashion, garroted with new leather boot laces. Two turns had been taken around the neck and the laces were knotted in back.

Robbery was the apparent motive although a plastic box and glass jar containing approximately $300 in cash was in a closet of the older woman’s home. A metal cash box which had contained a smaller amout of cash had been rifled and left on a table. At the scene was Clyde Warren, owner of Warren Trailer Sales on N. State Street, father of Mrs. Dulaney and son of Mrs. Warren.

Mrs. Warren operated Nancy’s Antique Sales just west of Highway 101 and south of Burke Hill on the two-lane portion of the highway. She was a long-time resident of this area. Mrs. Dulaney was a graduate of Ukiah High School.

John Ussery, Mrs. Dulaney’s first husband, is believed to be in Oregon. The sheriff’s office is attempting to contact him. Officer Dulaney, whose wife and children had been living in a trailer while they attempted to find a house, was contacted in Sacramento this morning. He is enrolled there for a special course.

Dulaney told the sheriff’s office that he dropped his wife and step-children at Nancy’s Antique Shop at 9:30 last night with the intention of continuing on to Sacramento. Realizing that he had forgotten his uniform, Dulaney returned to his Ukiah residence, picked up the uniform and continued on to Sacramento where he signed in at the Academy at 1:45am today.





3 comments:

Matt said...

Strangled with a boot lace. That's pretty personal.

Takes strength too, I would imagine to keep someone pinned (even a small woman) while you get the lace wrapped twice.

Patty is Dead said...

Patty hopes that John Ussery has been able to put that horrible experience behind him. Imagine, a seven year old! Breaks Patty's cold, cold heart.

Unknown said...

I'm Johnny, the little boy. I agree with you. I've always believed it was the cop who killed my mother. He's dead so I'll probably never know.