Behind The Veil

Anybody want to venture a guess?

Article published Mar 4, 2003
Missing organs could link cases
Read More Local News
By John Bartlett
[email protected]

MEADVILLE �?A grisly Philadelphia death investigation has police
in that city checking on possible similarities with the 1997 slaying in
Crawford County of 76-year-old Clara Kenvin.
Over the weekend, the body of 60-year-old Willie Kent, address unknown,
was found in an abandoned Philadelphia row house. His chest was cut
open
from his neck to near his waist and his heart and other vital organs
were removed.
Clara Kenvin's partially decomposed body was found beneath some rubble
in the basement of her home along a rural stretch of Route 19 just
north
of Saegertown on May 7, 1997. Although state police never confirmed it,
family members and sources close to the investigation said her internal
organs and bones from her neck to waist had been removed. Officials
ruled Kenvin's death a homicide, but have never determined a cause of
death.
"We'll see what we have as far as similarities go," said Philadelphia
Police Lt. Joe Maum, who is heading the investigation in the Kent case.
"I want to reach out to the state police up there."
State police declined to discuss whether there could be similarities
between the deaths of Kent and Kenvin and, if so, what. In addition,
the
coroner's report in Kenvin's death remains under court seal.
Police have never commented on the details of Kenvin's death and State
Police Troop E spokesman Cpl. Mark Zaleski would not confirm any
details
by comparing it to any other case.
"What I can tell you is we have an active investigation," Zaleski said.
"If there are similarities to any other homicide in the country, we
will
be looking at it."
The two cases nearly demand that police look for similarities and
possible links, said Jim Fisher, a crime author and former FBI agent
who
teaches criminology and related subjects at Edinboro University of
Pennsylvania.
"How many cases do you have where someone is missing their organs? Just
do the math," Fisher said.
Looking for possible similarities or links would only be an expected
investigative inquiry.
"It's not presuming a solution or drawing any premature conclusions,"
Fisher said. "Clearly there's a general MO (modus operandi) similarity
that would require careful analysis of both crime scenes and also a
search for other cases."
Maum, who was unfamiliar with the Kenvin case until contacted by the
Erie Times-News, said while there appear to be basic similarities with
the Kent case, there might be significant differences as well. For one,
Kent's bones were not removed and not every organ was removed, as had
been reported in the Kenvin case.
"The Philadelphia case is interesting," said Terry Nau of Pawtucket,
R.I., a nephew of Kenvin's. "If there was a similar way of doing
things,
it's worth checking out."
At the least, the Philadelphia case could serve to reignite public
interest in solving his aunt's death, Nau said.

JOHN BARTLETT can be reached at (814) 724-6979, 870-1723 or by e-mail.

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