Uncle Held in Killing of 7; Accused Youth Was Victim

Authorities said today their suspicion gradually shifted from a 14-year-old boy to his wounded uncle in the killings of six relatives when they learned that the dead teen-ager was left-handed although the murder weapon was found clutched in his right hand.

Authorities also said at a news conference that they began to suspect James E. Schnick, 36, rather than his nephew, Kirk Buckner, when they learned that gunshot wounds Schnick said he suffered in a fight with Kirk were minor and possibly self-inflicted.

Schnick was charged Monday with seven counts of first-degree murder in the Sept. 25 shooting deaths of his wife and six members of his brother-in-law’s family, including Kirk. He is being held without bail.

‘Sure as They Could Be’

Initially, authorities said they were “as sure as they could be” that Kirk had gone on a rampage and killed his relatives before he was killed himself in a struggle with his uncle.

Sheriff Eugene Fraker and Prosecuting Atty. Don Cheever declined to cite possible motives for the killings or provide many details of how the killings occurred.

Fraker said that no single piece of evidence led authorities to charge Schnick but that several factors that emerged over the past 10 days were involved.

“Daily it became more doubtful that our first assumption was correct,” the sheriff said.

Asked if Kirk had perhaps been killed trying to save his family, Fraker replied: “I don’t know if we’ll ever know the answer to that.”

“I don’t think the town is tremendously surprised,” said Jo Walker, wife of high school Principal Bill Walker after Kirk was cleared.

Investigators originally had said Kirk, a quiet boy who had just started his freshman year in high school, apparently shot his younger brothers in the head as they slept, shot his mother and father outside their small farmhouse, then drove to the Schnick farm.

Schnick had called authorities to say he needed help. Officers found him wounded and his wife and Kirk dead. Schnick had suffered abdominal and leg wounds, but his two children were not harmed.

At his southern Missouri farm Monday night, neighbors and friends who had pitched in to milk his cows while he was convalescing were shocked to hear of his arrest.

“It’s hard for me to believe,” said Andy Cologna, 40. “I just don’t see how he could have done it. I’m shaken. I really am.”

“Reaction is just like before--total disbelief,” neighbor Jim Murphy said.