From the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Tuesday, 9/12/1944, p. 8, c. 1

Mystery Holds In Slaying Of Krengel
Crime Investigation Baffling, Police Say

After six days of intensive investigation, detectives admitted yesterday that they have not unearthed a single clue in the mystery slaying of John Ernest Krengel.

Questioning of workers at the Tredegar Iron Works, scene of the slaying; the draining of the settling basin for the murder weapon, and the hunt for fingerprints have brought detectives not one step nearer to their goal.

Attention is now being centered on the re-examination of the supply building, where the killing took place, and the workshop of Mr. Krengel, in hopes of finding identifying fingerprints. Some fingerprints have been located on a window sash used to hide the body, but Detective Chief O. D. Garton would make no comment on them.

He added, however, that every portion of both buildings would be gone over again to make certain that no conceivable hiding place for the weapon had been overlooked. The supply house and Mr. Krengel’s workshop are still locked to all but the police.

What detectives hoped might be the return of the killer to the scene of the crime, turned out to be a dud Sunday night. A night watchman at the iron works, hearing a noise in the supply building, called the police about 10 P. M. Five cars answered the call, but not a single sign of a prowler could be found.

Detectives still agree, for the most part, that the killing was done by some one who knew the layout of the iron works very well, and they point out that an outsider would have a hard time getting into the place, as guards are stationed at every entrance, and a high fence surrounds the entire plant.

The only fact that detectives feel sure of is that the motive behind the killing of Mr. Krengel was for the large sum of money he was known to carry about with him. As yet, not one trace of the billfold has been found.

At the time of the slaying last Tuesday, it is believed that Mr. Krengel had between $1,000 and $2,000 on his person. The ballistics report on the .22 caliber bullet removed from the victim’s brain has not been completed, Chief Garton said.

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