‘Fresh information’ found in 1967 double murder

By Tony Gonzalez

Published: December 3, 2008

New leads have Staunton investigators working a double murder case inactive for years and unsolved since 1967, police said Wednesday.

In April of that year, two women, Constance Hevener, 19, and her sister-in-law Carolyn Perry, 20, were fatally shot at High’s Ice Cream on North Augusta Avenue. A Staunton man was arrested but acquitted in the case.

“We have relatively fresh information and we do have an open, active investigation,” Staunton Officer Lisa Klein said.

She declined to elaborate.

A relative of one of the victims recently told NBC 29, The News Virginian’s media partner, that a recent meeting with authorities revealed that police have a suspect in the unsolved case.

In an October interview, Staunton police Sgt. Mark Diehl, commander of criminal investigations, said only that “periodically, information still comes in” regarding the double murder.

The April 12, 1967, double shooting occurred around closing time at the restaurant and about $100 was stolen from the register. Despite a $5,000 reward offered by High’s Ice Cream officials, and FBI assistance, the case was never solved.