By LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / January 4, 1999

LAPLACE – St. John the Baptist Parish sheriff’s investigators continuetheir attempts to clear at least two unsolved murders, part of a string of 26 homicides in the greater New Orleans area from 1991 through 1996.

Russell Ellwood, who awaits trial in St. Charles Parish for two of the 26murders, has been considered a suspect in the string of killings, with bodies discovered in Orleans, Jefferson, Tangipahoa, St. James, St. Johnand St. Charles parishes.Ellwood, 48, of Ohio, received a change of venue earlier this week and will be tried in Lafayette in February for the February 1993 murders of Cheryl Lewis, 30, of Bridge City, and Delores Mack, 40, of Metairie, whose bodies were discovered one day apart near Louisiana Highway 3160 at Hahnville.

Chief Harold Klibert of the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office said his officeis continuing to investigate all unsolved homicides.

Regardless of the Ellwood prosecution, Klibert added, he is looking specifically at two murders – those of Karen Ivester, 30, of New Orleans, and Sharon Robinson, 28, of New Orleans. Both bodies were found April 30,1995, off U.S. Highway 51 between LaPlace and Manchac, approximately500 feet apart.

Klibert recalled another suspect announced by the task force, a New Orleans Police Department employee named Victor Gant, who has yet to be arrested or charged in any of the cases.

What draws Klibert’s attention to Robinson and Ivester – two of the seven bodies recovered in St. John Parish – is the fact that Sharon Robinson wasGant’s girlfriend and Ivester was an acquaintance.

Klibert said he understands why Gant has not yet been charged, but added a “very good circumstantial case” has been built against him. However, toproceed with arrest and trial would be taking a chance that a jury could release him. Instead, he favors a more complete investigation to make thechance of conviction greater, since once acquitted of a charge, a person cannot be charged again for the same crime.

The other five St. John Parish homicide victims have not been forgotten,either. Klibert said his detectives will continue to pursue all unsolvedcases, even if it means applying for federal funding to continue the search for answers.

The five include Noah Philson, 33, New Orleans, found July 25, 1992; Michelle Foster, 32, New Orleans, found July 3, 1994; an unidentified man in his 50s, found April 2, 1994; Wanda Ford, 29, New Orleans, found Jan.

22, 1995; and Sandra Warner, 39, New Orleans, found Jan. 23, 1995. All bodies were found along U.S. Highway 51 between LaPlace and Manchac.A multi-jurisdictional task force was formed in 1995 under FBI supervision to try and solve the murders, but the FBI later pulled out, leaving the task force under the leadership of Lt. Sue Rushing of theJefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Klibert said the task force concept is an acceptable tool in investigating a possible serial killer, as detectives of experience and varying talents can pool their resources and give each other a fresh eye on cases.

“Most people really don’t care if you solve the cases or not,” Klibert observed, adding, “Most law enforcement people don’t look at it that way.

They were human beings. They had families, wives, mothers, sisters. Theydeserve closure.”Klibert said he will again talk with Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee this month about continuing work on the other alleged serial killer victims not currently ascribed to Ellwood, under the leadership of Chief Richard Rodrigue (“one of the finest investigators in the state”).

“Even if Sheriff Lee pulls out, we’ll still investigate,” Klibert said.

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