Skeleton in Kentucky Examined for Link to Pair Held in Murders

Kentucky authorities Friday were examining the skeletal remains of a man found in a remote area of that state for any connection to suspects in two Southern California slayings who allegedly told authorities they had killed a man in Kentucky.

But Redlands and Kentucky State Police investigators said so far they have found no links to James Gregory Marlow and Cynthia Lynn Coffman, who are charged with killing Corinna D. Novis, 20, of Redlands and are suspects in the slaying of Lynel Murray, 19, of Huntington Beach.

Kentucky State Police Lt. Leroy Thompson said a forensics anthropologist has yet to determine from mostly skeletal remains how the man died and who he is.

The anthropologist, Dr. David Wolf, said he has established only that the victim was Caucasian and died “less than a year ago.” Thompson said the remains, a skull and various human bones, were discovered Wednesday night by two deer hunters near Doughtery Lake in the remote Strunk area of McCreary County in southeastern Kentucky. He said 63 pieces of evidence, including mostly bones, plus a Moped and a Louisville Slugger baseball bat, were recovered from the site, which is about 15 miles from Whitley City, Marlow’s hometown and a place he reportedly visited last summer with Coffman, relatives have said.

Thompson said investigators believe, based on evidence at the scene, that the victim died sometime between mid-May and July. Marlow was wanted in connection with a July 26 burglary in which a shotgun and women’s watches were stolen from a home about six miles west of Williamsburg in Whitley County, which is adjacent to McCreary County, Thompson said.

He said Marlow and Coffman are suspected of stealing a car in Kentucky. Redlands police detectives have been in touch, both by mail and telephone, with Kentucky State police investigators, Thompson said.