Coroner’s Jury Renders Verdict in Sanford Case

SANFORD

Posted By: Mary Donahue (email)
Date: 6/1/2009 at 16:16:36

From the Newton Daily News, Newton, Jasper Co., Iowa, Monday

Coroner’s Jury Renders Verdict in Sanford Case

Triple Murder and Suicide Decided in Farm Slaying Near Reasnor

Funeral Services for Three Members of Family Held Today in Des Moines; Killer’s Body Taken to Missouri

Returning four separate verdicts Saturday afternoon, the coroner’s jury in the inquest into the triple slaying and suicide on the Floyd Sanford farm two miles southeast of Reasnor Friday morning decreed that Floyd Sanford, the father; Bessie Lee Sanford, the mother, and Rosilee Sanford, a daughter, met death by homicide, and that Mahland Shipley, the hired man who authorities decided committed the three murders, died by suicide.

The coroner’s jury was composed of L. D. McCall, T. A. Pickens, Jr., and Tracy Haines, all of Newton. County Coroner E. A. McMurray of Newton was in charge of the inquest. Witnesses were Lucille Sanford, 14, the only surviving member of the family. Sheriff Earl Shields, Mathis Vander Velden, Alvin Tool and Lyle Tool.

The inquest was held at the Sanford home at 1:00 o’clock Saturday afternoon, although Miss Sanford was questioned at the neighboring Tool residence to avoid forcing her to testify in the home in which her parents and sister were slain.

Funeral Services
Funeral services for the three members of the family were held this afternoon in Des Moines from the Church of the Open Bible, 597 East Grand avenue. Morgan’s Funeral home of Newton is in charge of the bodies.

The body of Shipley has been claimed by relatives in Missouri and taken there for burial.

Surviving relatives of the Sanford family are Hoyt Sanford of Des Moines and Harry Sanford of Ankeny, brothers of Mr. Sanford; Mrs. Goldy Pratt of Des Moines and Hazel Daniels of Des Moines, sisters of Mr. Sanford; Mrs. Roland Crebs of near Prairie City, sister of Mrs. Sanford; Ritchie Stemper of near Prairie City, brother of Mrs. Sanford, and Frank Stamper of either Spicard, Mo., or Trenton, Mo., father of Mrs. Sanford.

Staying With Relatives
The remaining daughter, Lucille, is staying with her uncle and aunt Mr. and Mrs. Roland Crebs, who live about five miles southwest of Prairie City.

Mathis Vander Velden, a neighbor to the Sanfords, has been deputized by Sheriff Earl Shields to be in charge of the Sanford farm and stock until such time as a guardian has been selected for Lucille. The guardian, authorities declared today, is expected to be selected soon and also is expected to be appointed administrator of the estate.

In her testimony, the girl told of coming home from school, finding the body of her father and riding to the neighboring Tool farm, where she told Mr. Tool that her father was hurt. Mr. Tool went to the farm, it was shown, found Mr. Sanford dead and sent his son, Lyle, to the Vander Velden farm, from where authorities were notified. Other witnesses testified to the finding of the bodies, Lyle Tool also telling of hearing shots at the Sanford farm and of seeing a man running from the barn toward the house, but thinking nothing of it as he supposed Mr. Sanford had shot a hawk.

Reconstruct Slayings
According to authorities today, Shipley is believed to have shot Mrs. Sanford and her daughter and then gone to the back porch, where, as Mr. Sanford was running to the house after hearing the shots, leveled the gun and shot Mr. Sanford, tearing away one elbow. Then, it is believed, Mr. Sanford turned and ran, followed by Shipley. Sanford, authorities said, was shot in the back at close range just as he reached the corn crib, the impact of the charge throwing him with such forced that his teeth prints were left in the ground. Then, it is believed, Shipley went back into the kitchen, where he committed suicide by shooting himself with the .12 gauge pump gun with which he committed the murders.

The location of empty cartridges for the gun, it was declared, bore out the authorities’ reconstruction of the murders and suicide.

In her testimony, Lucille Sanford told how she had gone to school in Monroe at 7:00 o’clock that morning, thus saving her life, leaving before the rest of the family had finished breakfast. Excerpts from her testimony are as follows:

Testimony Excerpts

Q. “Now had you noticed anything peculiar in the house or peculiar about anyone at your home?”
A. “No, but that man Shipley, and he stayed sullen about all the time.”

Q. “You didn’t notice that he was any more sullen yesterday morning than at ay other time?”
A. “No.”
…
Never Threatened
Q. “Had you ever heard the hired man threaten anyone over there?”
A. “No.”
…
Q. “Had he ever done anything there at the house to irritate any of you?”
A. “Yes.”
Q. “What had he done?”
A. “Well, when he would be down at the barn he would get hay and straw in his pants and overall cuffs and empty it on mama’s rug. He would empty the tobacco on the rug, and grid it up finer on the table. He would drink as high as six cups of coffee and set around hollering.”