By Msgr. Noel C. Burtenshaw

The city and the state are worried. Everywhere officials are saying that the recent murders of four elderly women in Atlanta feels like the crisis in the city five years ago.

State Senator Arthur Langford said last week, “It is like the missing and murdered children all over. Bu there is a difference here, we are facing this crisis.”

Mayor Andrew Young has met with the press, local and national. There are no denials offered as there were when the young black children were murdered five years ago. “We are organizing,” says the Mayor. “We have our best officers on the case and a task force has been set in place. We are facing this one like never before. We need to catch him soon and we will.”

Governor Joe Frank Harris has upped the reward for the apprehension of the killer to $8,000. He has offered all assistance to the city police. He has also accepted the help of federal police agencies and it is known that the G.B.I. and F.B.I. have entered the case.

There is no lack of action on the part of city and state. No chances are being taken. But the killings go on.

The four black women, all over 60, all living alone, were murdered and sexually assaulted. All lived in the same area of the city – the Ashby Street and Simpson Road area. Fear holds that area of the city in its grip.

The city and state are on the alert. But so are the churches.

Annie Walton has a widowed mother who lives alone in the murder area. Life for the single mother’s parent has changed a lot. “My mother did not go out much,” says Ms. Walton, “just to the stores and to church. Now she is afraid to go out at all. She is almost 70 and likes to be active. But she and her neighbors are fearful for their lives. And to tell you the truth I am afraid for her. There is a lunatic on the loose out there.”

Father Bruce Wilkinson is associate pastor at St. Anthony’s Church in Atlanta’s West End. He does not know Ms. Walton’s mother since she is not Catholic, but he agrees that there is a lot of fear in the area. “Older people are locking themselves in,” says Father Wilkinson. “The feeling that church socials and other community gatherings are safe to attend is disappearing. It is changing the neighborhoods and the community for many.”

But, like the state and city, the churches are organizing. Father Wilkinson has met with the pastors of some of the churches in West End Atlanta and the danger of the situation has been discussed. “Senator Langford has spoken to us,” said Father Wilkinson, “and has told us of his plans to go into the neighborhood. His volunteers will go door to door for the next few weekends hoping to help the police find the killer.”

Reverend Alvin Waters, a Baptist pastor in the Morehouse College area, also spoke of the fear his congregation is feeling. “I visit older citizens in the murder area,” said Reverend Waters, “and they are very apprehensive. Hopefully we can all give them our support until the crisis is over.”

There are no clues to the identity of the murderer, say the police. Some feel that community activity will help, others feel that it will merely be a hindrance to professional police work. The expressions merely reflect the frustration being felt at this new crisis of the black community in Atlanta.

The students of the mostly black Atlanta University are setting up “watch groups” to assist the elderly who are fearful. Lee Brown, a student at the university, is active with the groups and is ready to go door to door to help.

“Senator Langford and others are convinced,” says Brown, “that someone has information in that community. We are going to try and get it. All our findings will be given to the authorities. Nobody wants to be a hero in this thing. We just want it over. Let’s hope we can be of some use.”

So the search goes on. The murder victims to date are Annie Copeland, Grace Hill, Dena Mae Mike and Aretha Clements.

“We don’t need this terror in our parish or our communities,” says Father Bruce Wilkinson. “We will offer special prayer at all our Masses at St. Anthony’s this weekend for a solution. I hope anyone who might have any information will come forward.”