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FD-350 (Rev. 7-16-63) PY (Mount Clipping in Space Below) Police Have No Tate e Murdey. uspect After Questioning f Inspector Declares Killers With ang 30 and No Real Motive for Crimes Has Been Discovered — — BY DIAL TORGERSON After having interviewed more HSV persons, detectives are still without a prime suspect in the Tate murder case, top police officials said Tuesday. The murderer—or murderers-— escaped unhurt, taking the death weapons from the scene of the crime, the officials reported al a news conference, No real motive has been estab- lished in the multiple slayings, Inspector Robert A. Houghton told newsmen ‘Tuesday. And, he admit- ted, the longer the investigation continues the harder it may be to solve the crime. "We have no idea where the killers are located at present," Houghton said, adding it. was possible—but not probable—one persort could have slain five persons at the Sharon Tate estate Aug. 9. Could*the killers strike again’ "Persohally, [ suspect not," he said. “Professionally, I couldn't rule it out." First Public Appearance Police Chief Edward M. Davis, in his first public appearance since formally taking office Friday, called the conference to tell news media of progress of his department's probe of the murders. Houghton, Davis' chief of detec- tives, answered "no comment" to most questions—because, he said, details known only to the killer . must be kept secret "to test veracity on the lie detector." Houghton said he believes perso- . nally that the case will be solved and that the police have made "tremendous progress" since the murder. Few.new details emerged from the news conferénce: that the: weapons. ("a cutting weapon and a firearm") have.not been found, that there was no eyidence the killer (or *killers) were wounded, and that narcotics were found in-more’ than one, part of the estate. preset ins occurred etn , enedict Canyon home. of actress Sharon Tate and her husband, director Roman Polanski, WhO"WES in London at the time of the crime. Miss Tate and coffee heiress Abigail Folger were stabbed, Voityck Fro- kowsky and Jay Sebring stabbed “and shot, and Steven Parent, a friend of the caretaker, William FE. Garretson, was shot to death. "There are several possibilities. from the physical evidence, in sequence and in the method of doing it." said Houghton, reviewing police attempts to reconstruct the crime. "Would it be possible for one man? Possible. Probable? I personaly doubt it. Although I must tell you in all fairness we do not have conclu- sive evidence that one man could not have done it." A Number of Theories There are an inspector, a captain, two lieutenants and 17 sergeants sull investigating a number of theories in the crime, Houghton said, Houghton can have any additional manpower he needs, Davis said although he pointed out that the chief of detectives’ responsibility _includes investigating murders in: all 17 police divisions, one of which (77th Street) has already had 56 murders this year. A newsman asked Houghton if chances of solving the case are diminishing as time passes without ' an arrest. "It's fair to say in any homicide," said Houghton, "that with a time distance between the occurrence and the arrest—the chances of. apprehension decrease." Houghton was asked if he thought that the alibis of four ‘persons originally listed in a Royal Cana- . dian Mounted Police bulletin as "suspects" had been ‘cleared by. alibis. Police here later said. the men were wanted .only for questioning. "I can't answer that,” he said. "At this time I'm simply unable to do so. Let me say that we have ‘inter-_ av the men who OS @eaeBeUAeS a in the press, we've talked (Indicate page, name of newspaper, city and state.) I=-3 Los Angeles "ines Los Angeles, “alif, Date: 9 / 3 Vie) 9 Edition: “Tome Author: Editor: Title: Character: or Classification: aa Submitting Office: Tos Anreles {_] Being Investigated SEARCHED INDEXED SERIALIZED FED SEP 2 1969 | eBI— LOS ANGELES