Entering the restaurant Jim Black was greeted by the owner, Paul Montgomery, who was also a personal friend of Jim’s. The both played on the Mount Zion Baptist Men’s baseball and basketball teams. “Paul, I’m here to eat and talk. Join me at my table when you get a chance; I want to ask you about Patricia. I’ll give your place some good coverage for a piece of peach pie.”

“Jim, I’ll go broke giving food away.”

“But Paul, you won’t be giving food away; you”ll be paying a reasonable sum for some expensive air time.” They both laughed heartily.

On channel 12: “We will have an update on the stabbing of a young black girl and all the latest ball scores right after the conclusion of the movie.”

And at 11:01 PM: “This is Jim Black at the Old Country Inn where Patricia Rice worked as a waitress before being stabbed eleven times in the chest with a long blade knife. She died in her front yard on Morning Glory Lane this afternoon. Police are still looking for the assailant, a black man who fled in a white Ford pickup truck with blue license tags. The man is reported to be in his thirties, six feet tall, 250 pounds. He was wearing a green shirt, jeans, a baseball cap, and white athletic shoes.

Paul Montgomery, the owner of this outstanding restaurant, the Old Country Inn, tells me that Patricia Rice was a good worker and that he never heard a complaint about her. He said she was working so she could go to a community college in the fall. One of her co-workers, Shirley Smith, had this to say about Patricia:”

“She had a heart of gold; one night she gave me all her tip money to help me out of a tight spot. We were like sisters; she didn’t seem to be in any trouble. I don’t know who would have done this to her.”

Police have ruled out robbery, but they have no leads or a motive at this time. Funeral services for Patricia Rice will be 2 PM Saturday at Longview Baptist Church.”

”The next day: “I’m here with Patricia Rice’s mother and older brother, Joe. Mrs. Rice, do you have any idea who killed your daughter or why they might have done so?”

“No, I sure don’t. Patricia didn’t have any enemies. She wasn’t seeing anybody, and she wasn’t messed up with anything. She would go to work and come right straight home. The only place she ever went was to the library. You knows she was wanting to be a journalist. She was real smart you know.”

‘Joe, Patricia’s older brother wants to say something.”

‘Yes, Man you who killed my sister; you better hope the police get you before I do!”

“And that’s the feeling of many in this community. A reward of $1,000 has been offered for information leading to the arrest of the murderer.”

A week, a month, 2 months passed with no arrest.