Cops look at railroad killer links

Associated Press

OCALA -- Detectives in Marion County are trying to determine if a local man was killed two years ago by Angel Maturino Resendez, the alleged rail-riding serial killer.

Detectives with the Marion County Sheriff's Office returned Friday from Houston where they unsuccessfully tried to interview Maturino Resendez. They were prevented from doing so by a court order requested by his defense attorney.

Lt. Terry Bovaird and Detective Jeff Owens told FBI agents about the March 1997 killing of Jesse Lee Howell and compared it with other homicides in which Maturino Resendez is a suspect.

During their trip, the detectives also were able to confirm that Maturino Resendez was in Baldwin, Fla. the day before Howell's body was discovered and that someone used Maturino Resendez's social security number for part-time employment in Fort Pierce two days after Howell's body was found.

Howell was traveling with 16-year-old Wendy Von Huben, who has not been seen or heard from since Howell was killed.

Maturino Resendez, 39, was indicted on a capital murder charge Thursday for the slaying of a doctor, one of nine people he is suspected of killing.

He is already charged in four slayings in Illinois, Texas and Kentucky. Police say evidence links him to five other Texas killings.