Daily Briefings on Serial Killings Halted

San Diego police have decided to suspend daily press briefings in connection with the serial killing of five women in Clairemont and University City, Capt. Dick Toneck announced Tuesday.

At a briefing outside police headquarters, Toneck said investigators are pursuing more than 1,700 tips but that not enough new information has surfaced to warrant regular meetings with the media.

“We’re optimistic, we have a lot of leads to work on and we’re working them daily,” Toneck said. “We still want more. We’re still asking the public to come forward.”

Toneck said he did “not have exact numbers,” but said the number of investigators working the case has declined from last week’s peak of 27 detectives and seven senior officers.

He said the large volume of leads has been helpful in solidifying the composite of the suspect, who is said to be a black male of unknown nationality, 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-10, with a medium build and dark, close-cropped hair.

Without elaborating, Toneck said, “There’s a good possibility this person may have been a Peeping Tom, has been involved with indecent exposure in the past and may or may not have a criminal record.”

He said no outside law enforcement officials have been brought into the case, but reiterated that the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va., was primarily responsible for putting together a psychological profile of the killer.

“This person is probably a loner,” Toneck said. “He does not like authority and probably handles menial jobs, if he has a job. He’s not great at interpersonal relationships and probably has a high school education at best.”

The suspect is wanted in connection with these killings:

* Tiffany Paige Schultz, a 20-year-old San Diego State University student, found stabbed to death in her Clairemont apartment in the 3100 block of Cowley Way on Jan. 12.

* Janene Marie Weinhold, a 21-year-old UC San Diego student, found stabbed to death in her apartment in the 3300 block of Clairemont Drive, two blocks from where Schultz lived, on Feb. 16.

* Holly Suzanne Tarr, an 18-year-old high school senior from Okemos, Mich., found stabbed to death in her brother’s Clairemont apartment in the 3400 block of Cowley Way on April 3.

* Pamela Gail Clark, 42, and daughter Amber, 18, a Mesa College student, found stabbed to death in their home in the 5800 block of Honors Drive in University City on Sept. 13.