Murder in Texas
C. G. & Della Mae Aday Cherry
Athens Daily Review – Henderson County, Texas November 1, 1982
Murder Cover-up Suspected in Trinidad Fire
By John H. Cox Review Staff Writer
Recd. from Betty Hollowell Athens, Texas
Trinidad – Law enforcement officials continue scouring burnt embers of a retired couple’s home here for clues to reasons behind a double murder – the second such Henderson County incident within the past month. Positive identification of the victims by doctors at Dallas’ Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences has not yet been determined because of the condition of the charred bodies. However, Henderson County Sheriff Charlie Fields said Dallas County medical examiners had reported initial cause of deaths to be from multiple stab wounds.
All evidence, police say, points to the bodies being those of C. G. and Della Cherry, who owned what had been a modest frame house about one mile from Trinidad’s central business district. Dental x-rays are being rushed to examiners in the attempt to substantiate identification. “Up to now we’re batting 1,000 on apprehending murder suspects since I took office almost two years ago,”Fields noted. “All those captured are either serving time or awaiting trial, I only hope and pray our success continues in this case.” Trinidad firefighters, aided by Malakoff volunteers, responded to the West Lincoln street blaze shortly after midnight Friday. Justice of the Peace Judy Newman pronounced the first body, a women discovered in one of the three bedrooms, dead at about 3 a.m. The other victim, a man found in a hallway, was declared dead six hours later by Judge Newman. Recently appointed Trinidad Police Chief Kenneth Carter said lawmen had been working “around the clock” following the gruesome discoveries in an effort to piece together possible events leading up to the fire and deaths. Athens Fire Chief Pete Jones and assistant fire Marshall Travis Roberts were at the scene Monday to determine cause of the blaze. Officials suspect arson as a cover-up of the double slaying. Along with Chief Carter, Texas Ranger H.B. “Slick” Alfred, deputies Mike Burton and Howard Copeland as well as sheriff’s investigator Jim Brewer are spearheading the investigation of the case.
Several irregularities are being probed. For example, even though the Cherrys were reported in their 70s and not known to walk much, the family automobile was found downtown Trinidad Saturday morning. Whether robbery was a motive or not has not been determined although a wrist watch was discovered on one of the victim’s arms.
“We’re going to ascertain their pattern for the last few days and if it differed from the norm. We’ll try to find out who last saw Mr. or Mrs. Cherry Friday night.” said Fields. Less than a week after the Oct. 10 double murder in Eustace, Brewer and Burton returned from Indiana with a suspect.“We know the Eustace suspect is not involved in the Trinidad case, because we have him in our jail,” Fields said Monday, “I only hope we can be as successful this time as we were last month.” The people of Trinidad who still remember the Dec. 19, 1979 slaying of Mrs. Alvin Williams, a murder which to this day has not been solved, obviously share Fields’ sentiments.
Anybody interested in a copy of the original newspaper article email me at [email protected]
Bill Knight