Kungfoolss
1/24/2003 3:24pm,
Memorial tonight for slain man
January 23, 2003
Services set for slaying victim; Monrovia man pleads not guilty
By Michelle Rester
LA VERNE -- A memorial service will be held tonight for a La Verne man found beaten and burned to death earlier this week. Officials from Hope Lutheran Church in Glendora say they expect a large crowd at the 7 p.m. event. Brian Williams and his wife, they say, had been members of the church since they moved here from Wisconsin about a year ago. The two were caring, outgoing and had already been welcomed into the hearts of all who knew them. The 54-year-old man had been teaching self-defense and martial arts to children at the church's school and recently tried to rescue a grandmother and two babies stuck in a house fire two doors away.
"To lose that type of person is just an arrow through everyone's heart,' fellow churchgoer Clay Rose said. "He was someone I sat in a pew with on New Year's, and we both said 'Amen' at the same time when the prayer was said. He was somebody we worshipped with, who believed in God and who gave to the church by teaching kids.' Three men were arrested Wednesday in connection with the slaying, but were later released for lack of evidence, said La Verne police Lt. Rick Aragon. Another suspect, 19-year-old Freddie Damaso Magana of Monrovia, pleaded not guilty Thursday in Pomona Superior Court on charges of first- degree murder, arson, grand theft and burglary. He was arrested near the Williams' stolen Ford Explorer hours after the murder.
It was Williams' wife, 50-year- old Kathy Kinton Williams, who found her husband's badly burned body on the bathroom floor of their home on Monday. Police say the house appeared to have been ransacked and it looked like a struggle had ensued with holes in the walls and broken items scattered about. Several gas cans were also found in the house, and the gas burners on the kitchen stove had been turned on. Police say they are unsure what the motive was or how many people were involved. So far, it appears that only Williams' car was missing. "We're speculating burglary was the original motive,' Aragon said. "We believe our resident, Mr. Williams, was simply surprised and it went awry after that.'
Some friends say Williams was a physically fit martial artist. He was a fourth-degree tae kwon do instructor and national referee, so the thought that a single 19-year-old could overpower him doesn't make sense. "I understand there was tremendous upheaval in the house, with holes in the wall and things like that, so he must have put up a valiant fight,' Rose said. "But there's no way a man that fit and with that much martial arts knowledge was going to be overpowered by one kid.'
Police say an autopsy, which could take a few weeks, could deliver more clues that might help the investigation. The Rev. Paul Terhune said those who attended church with Williams are having a difficult time accepting his death. All are expected to attend the memorial service at 7 p.m. tonight at Hope Lutheran Church, 1041 E. Foothill Blvd., Glendora. "Any death is tragic, but when it's a violent death and under these kind of evil circumstances, that adds another depth and level of issues people have to deal with,' he said. Williams and his wife worked for Pabst and Miller brewing companies, respectively, in Milwaukee. They moved to La Verne after Miller took over Pabst and Kathy Williams was forced to transfer to Miller's plant in Irwindale. Friends say Brian Williams had been interviewing for a new job and was hoping to have one by this week.
Williams leaves behind his wife, four children, two grandchildren and a sister.
Kungfoolss, Scourge of the theory-based stylists, Most Feared man at Mcdojo.com, and the Preeminent Force in the martial arts political arena
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January 23, 2003
Services set for slaying victim; Monrovia man pleads not guilty
By Michelle Rester
LA VERNE -- A memorial service will be held tonight for a La Verne man found beaten and burned to death earlier this week. Officials from Hope Lutheran Church in Glendora say they expect a large crowd at the 7 p.m. event. Brian Williams and his wife, they say, had been members of the church since they moved here from Wisconsin about a year ago. The two were caring, outgoing and had already been welcomed into the hearts of all who knew them. The 54-year-old man had been teaching self-defense and martial arts to children at the church's school and recently tried to rescue a grandmother and two babies stuck in a house fire two doors away.
"To lose that type of person is just an arrow through everyone's heart,' fellow churchgoer Clay Rose said. "He was someone I sat in a pew with on New Year's, and we both said 'Amen' at the same time when the prayer was said. He was somebody we worshipped with, who believed in God and who gave to the church by teaching kids.' Three men were arrested Wednesday in connection with the slaying, but were later released for lack of evidence, said La Verne police Lt. Rick Aragon. Another suspect, 19-year-old Freddie Damaso Magana of Monrovia, pleaded not guilty Thursday in Pomona Superior Court on charges of first- degree murder, arson, grand theft and burglary. He was arrested near the Williams' stolen Ford Explorer hours after the murder.
It was Williams' wife, 50-year- old Kathy Kinton Williams, who found her husband's badly burned body on the bathroom floor of their home on Monday. Police say the house appeared to have been ransacked and it looked like a struggle had ensued with holes in the walls and broken items scattered about. Several gas cans were also found in the house, and the gas burners on the kitchen stove had been turned on. Police say they are unsure what the motive was or how many people were involved. So far, it appears that only Williams' car was missing. "We're speculating burglary was the original motive,' Aragon said. "We believe our resident, Mr. Williams, was simply surprised and it went awry after that.'
Some friends say Williams was a physically fit martial artist. He was a fourth-degree tae kwon do instructor and national referee, so the thought that a single 19-year-old could overpower him doesn't make sense. "I understand there was tremendous upheaval in the house, with holes in the wall and things like that, so he must have put up a valiant fight,' Rose said. "But there's no way a man that fit and with that much martial arts knowledge was going to be overpowered by one kid.'
Police say an autopsy, which could take a few weeks, could deliver more clues that might help the investigation. The Rev. Paul Terhune said those who attended church with Williams are having a difficult time accepting his death. All are expected to attend the memorial service at 7 p.m. tonight at Hope Lutheran Church, 1041 E. Foothill Blvd., Glendora. "Any death is tragic, but when it's a violent death and under these kind of evil circumstances, that adds another depth and level of issues people have to deal with,' he said. Williams and his wife worked for Pabst and Miller brewing companies, respectively, in Milwaukee. They moved to La Verne after Miller took over Pabst and Kathy Williams was forced to transfer to Miller's plant in Irwindale. Friends say Brian Williams had been interviewing for a new job and was hoping to have one by this week.
Williams leaves behind his wife, four children, two grandchildren and a sister.
Kungfoolss, Scourge of the theory-based stylists, Most Feared man at Mcdojo.com, and the Preeminent Force in the martial arts political arena
http://forums.delphiforums.com/testing12345703/start