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04/30/93
Final death toll in compound may be 72, authorities say
By Enrique Rangel / The Dallas Morning News
WACO-Authorities believe that they have found all the bodies- a total of 72 -- from the ruins of the Branch Davidian compound, officials said Thursday.
The final tally leaves officials 14 short of the number of followers that cult leader David Koresh said were in the compound. He told the FBI that 95 Branch Davidians were inside during their standoff with federal agents.
Nine escaped when a fire leveled the buildings April 19, ending the 51-day siege.
Earlier Thursday, Dr. Nizam Peerwani of Fort Worth, the case's lead medical examiner, said he has found seven bodies that were shot-two more than were reported Wednesday. He said it was too early to determine whether the wounds were self-inflicted.
McLennan County Justice of the Peace David Pareya, who is responsible for making legal determination of the causes of death, said that of the 72 bodies removed from fire-ravaged compound, autopsies have been completed on 28.
Of those, nine are males, 16 are females and three undetermined, he said. He also said the total number of children who died in the fire is unknown.
The last seven bodies were removed from the compound between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, said Mike Cox, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety.
They were found in the concrete bunker, where 25 other victims and about 1 million rounds of ammunition were recovered, said Judge Pareya. Nine bodies also were on top of the structure, he said.
He said the only bodies left at the compound are those of the five Branch Davidians who apparently died in the initial Feb. 28 gunbattle with federal authorities, Mr. Cox said. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms raided the compound that day because of alleged federal weapons violations.
During its investigation at the scene, Mr. Cox said, the Texas Rangers discovered "The Green Acres Cemetery' in the 77-acre property. At least five people were buried there long before the standoff began, the last one in 1972, Mr. Cox said.
Mr. Cox said workers had intended to remove the remaining bodies from the compound this week, but recent heavy rains derailed the plans.
Judge Pareya said authorities have yet to identify Mr. Koresh's body but are confident that the medical examiner eventually will do so.
The preliminary cause of death for the most recently identified victim, James Loyle Riddle, is a "near contact . . . gunshot wound of forehead,' Judge Pareya said. He would not speculate whether that indicated suicide.
Mr. Riddle, who would have turned 33 last Sunday, is believed to have been one of Mr. Koresh's lieutenants.
Gunshot blasts also contributed to the deaths of two other victims
* David Michael Jones, 38, and Shari Doyle, 18.
Mr. Cox said that besides removing the other bodies, the only task the Texas Rangers have left is examining the underground tunnels at the compound.
"The underground tunneling system there at the complex now has more water in it than when we started pumping out water yesterday,' he said.
The Rangers may resume their work at the compound Monday, depending on the weather, Mr. Cox said.
The law enforcement agency, which was put in charge of the investigation shortly after the raid, may end its work at the scene next week, Mr. Cox said.
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