1971-12-29

Victim was beaten, died of drowning

By CHARLIE BATES
Staff Writer

Results of an autopsy on 24-year-old George Jones, whose body was found Monday morning in a creek northwest of the city, have revealed that the beaten man died of drowning. Potter County Justice of the Peace Cliff Roberts, who ordered an autopsy said, however, that Jones of 3315 Eddy, was probably unconscious when he entered the water and the death was a homicide.

Richard Lamberson, 22, of 604 S. Florida, was charged Monday before Justice Rob- erts with murder with malice in connection with the inci- dent. Bond was denied and Lamberson remained in Potter County jail Monday night.

Officers said four persons, including two men and two women, witnessed the beating which allegedly occurred Wednesday night.

One of the men came into the police station about 7pm Sunday and reported the beating and told officers where the victim had been left.

A search was made about midnight Sunday but authorities were hampered by the cold and darkness and gave up the effort about 1am Monday

When they returned later in the morning, Jones' body was found about 8:15 am in the Walnut Hills addition north of Tascosa Country Club.

Sheriff's deputies said the beating apparently followed an argument about a woman.

Evidence indicated that Jones had suffered severe blows from a pool cue and may have been run over by an automobile, they said.

Officers found the blood stained butt-end of a pool stick near a pool of dried blood and one of the victim's shoes at the scene.

The creek where Jones' body was found runs through a 20 foot deep gully in a small wooded area less than
a quarter mile rom the nearest home in the suburban addition about a mile northwest of Tascosa Country Club on N. Western.

Clothed in an orange shirt and blue slacks, the body was found floating face down just below the surface in about 1½ feet of water in the creek which, at that point, is about 10 feet wide.

Deputies theorized the man had been beaten near a dirt road above the gully and then pushed over the side
where the body came to rest about 15 feet below and where the dried blood and shoe were found.

They had not determined, however, how the body was moved from that location into the water.

The witness who came to the police station Sunday said Jones and Lamberson began fighting at a West Amarillo home and Jones was struck over the head with a pool cue.

The assailant then lifted Jones into Jones' Ford Pinto, the man said, and then drove out to where the body was found. He was accompanied by the four witnesses.

Lamberson then beat Jones on the head again with the pool stick and drove the car over him before pitching the body down the ravine, witnesses said.

The man reporting the crime told police he, another man and two women witnessed the incident.

The automobile, owned by the beating victim, was found Thursday by deputies in the vicinity of the Veterans Administration Hospital. The vehicle had been partially burned.

Jones was a native of Amarillo. He and his mother, Mrs. Paul Jones, had left their home in Corpus Christi about six weeks ago and moved into an apartment complex here.

The victim's great-uncle, Fancher Upshaw Sr. of 5507 Berget, said Jones had taken an admissions test last Wednesday at Amarillo College.

"Wednesday night, he and his mother went to an open house. His mother suggested that he take his own car,"

Upshaw said. "After the open Upshaw said. "After the open house, he said he was going out bowling... said he'd be in early. We never heard from him after that."

Upshaw, whose wife was an aunt of "Jones' late father, said the victim had spent four years with the U.S. Air Force and had just returned several months ago from Korea, where he had served 14 months as a sergeant in communications.

Jones had worked for a a wholesale grocery firm 1 In Corpus Christi before coming to Amarillo. Upshaw said the Jones fam-Upshaw said the Jones famly left Amarillo for Corpus Christi about 1952. Paul Jones, who died about five months ago, had been a state wildlife conservation officer here.

Services for Jones will be at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at the • All Saints Episcopal Church in Corpus Christi.

Burial will be be in Seaside Memorial Park there by Cage-Mill Funeral Home.

Jones was a graduate of King High School in Corpus Christi. His survivors include his mother; his grandmother, Mrs. Marguerite Goodnew of 4617 Bushland Blvd. in Amarillo; and his grandfather, Charles T. Rawley of Fort Worth.

Local arrangements were by Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors.