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Copyright 1997 Star Tribune
Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
February 27, 1997, Metro Edition
SECTION: News; Pg. 7B
LENGTH: 525 words
HEADLINE: Man accused of tying up,
robbing gay man;
Police say suspect could be connected with
two killings
BYLINE: Chris Graves; Staff Writer
BODY:
A 28-year-old man has
been accused of tying up and robbing a gay man in a case that has similarities
to the Minneapolis robberies of two other gay men that resulted in their
deaths.
The suspect was charged Monday with stealing
electronic equipment from the man's apartment, which is three blocks away
from where the body of Gregory Barnes was found Jan. 6 in the same
complex.
Barnes, 35, had been strangled and was found
on his bed. He was partially clothed and his hands and feet were tied
behind his back. Police say they believe the killer escaped with Barnes'
electronic gear, including a TV set his father had given him for Christmas.
Five months earlier, Wally Lundin, 31, was
found asphyxiated in his northeast Minneapolis apartment. Lundin, who
was last seen at the Gay '90s bar in downtown Minneapolis, also was found
on his bed partially clothed and gagged, hands and feet tied behind his
back.
In that case, police were looking for a black
man in his mid-to-late 20s who was seen leaving Lundin's home carrying
a boombox and a navy blue duffel bag or bowling bag.
There were no signs of forced entry in any
of the cases, police said.
The suspect, who is black, is not being named
because he has not been charged with the deaths of Barnes and Lundin.
Police have declined to discuss specific details in the three cases nor
will they say whether they have any physical evidence linking the suspect
to the killings.
"Yes, he's considered a suspect," said Sgt.
Robert Tichich, the primary investigator in the Barnes case.
The suspect was charged this week with robbing
the 43-year-old man in his apartment in the 1700 block of Stevens Av.
S. on Jan. 29. The victim, whose name was not released, was alone when
the suspect - a man he described as a friend for two years - and another
man introduced as "Randy" stopped by to visit, according to court documents.
According to the documents, the victim said
that when he went to prepare frozen dinners for the two men, they grabbed
him and the suspect put him in a headlock. The men forced the victim into
the bedroom, and pushed him onto the bed. They gagged him with a washcloth
and bound his wrists and ankles together behind his back, using masking
tape, electrical cord and clothing. They put a pillowcase over his head,
threatened to kill him or poke out his eyes with a screwdriver, according
to court documents.
When the victim finally was able to free
himself, he discovered that his TV set, answering machine, telephone,
belt pack and a small amount of cash had been taken, according to the
documents.
Investigators were asking anyone with information
about the suspect or "Randy" to call 673-2941.
The suspect also was charged Friday with
assaulting a 30-year-old man while they were drinking together, according
to the criminal complaint.
The suspect is being held in the Hennepin
County jail in lieu of $ 75,000 bail.
Constance Potter of the Gay and Lesbian Community
Action Council said that the council has been working with police to identify
similar cases of robbery or attacks on gay men.
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE: February 28, 1997
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