The Key West Citizen

Apprehension
Of Phenix City
Slayer Hinted

PHENIX CITY, Ala. (AP) - The gunman whose bullets cut short the crime-fighting career of A. L. Patterson four months ago is still a hunted killer, but investigators may have the goods on him.

Despite the cautious secrecy of Acting Att. Gen. Bernard Sykes, who is directing the murder inquiry, homicide detectives say privately they think they know the assassin's name.

"We feel sure we have a good, sound case against the man who did it," said one homicide detective, "but there are a few loose ends to be tied up."

And, he added, "there may be others involved, and we want to get them too."

Other sources close to the investigation corroborated the story, but none of the officers would divulge details.

Sykes commented merely that "we think we're making progress."

Neither would he say when the case will be presented to the emergency grand jury which was empaneled to investigate the Patterson slaying and to prosecute racketeers caught in Phenix City's wholesale vice cleanup.

The elder Patterson had been nominated for attorney general on a pledge to rid Phenix City of organized crime. His law partner son won the nomination without opposition after his father was killed.

Hundreds of witnesses have been questioned, but no one has been charged with the killing.