Kathy Pinna
The New York Times: Woman, 41, Is Strangled And Left In Minivan Jan 25 1998
A 41-year-old Long Island mother who worked part time caring for the elderly was found strangled late Thursday in her minivan in a supermarket parking lot, possibly the victim of a carjacking or random robbery, the Suffolk County police said today.
The body of the victim, Donna Bocklet, was discovered by a family friend who had joined a search party organized by the woman's husband, Richard M. Bocklet, after he returned home from work Thursday afternoon and found her missing, the police said.
Mrs. Bocklet was last seen alive at 8 A.M. Thursday by her husband, who is a nurse, and their two children, Ryan, 9, and Dana, 6, said Detective Lieut. John Gierasch of the Suffolk police. Mrs. Bocklet worked for an in-home service program financed by the Suffolk County Department for the Aging, and when she failed to make several appointments, her employer tried to reach her on her cellular phone, without success. She had worked for the agency 17 hours a week for the last four years, the police said.
With the help of several friends, Mr. Bocklet organized a search party, and a few hours later, shortly after 9 P.M., notified the police that she was missing. An hour and a half later, a member of the search party spotted Mrs. Bocklet's maroon 1994 Plymouth Voyager van, which was parked near a Waldbaum's supermarket on Sunrise Highway at Brentwood Road, eight miles from her home in Islip Terrace.
The van, whose doors were locked, was parked in the strip-mall parking lot. The police said Mrs. Bocklet's attacker may have strangled her elsewhere, driven the van into the lot and fled, either on foot or in another vehicle. Searchers smashed the driver's side window to enter the van, where they found Mrs. Bocklet's fully clothed body.
The police said Mrs. Bocklet's pocketbook and some jewelry were missing.
A spokesman for the family, who identified himself as the brother of the slain women, said today in a telephone interview, ''We're all still in shock, and the police have asked us not to discuss the investigation.''
In the parking lot outside Waldbaum's this morning, many shoppers were learning of the slaying. ''This is a busy place and people and cars are always coming and going,'' said Sheila Roberts of Bay Shore, who regularly shops at the mall. ''I guess anything could happen here now. It's very scary.''
Neighbors of the Bocklets said they were saddened by Mrs. Bocklet's death. Jeffrey Petry, who lives a few doors down the street, said that the Bocklets met in East Islip High School and appeared as sweethearts in the school's 1974 yearbook.
''He was a star quarterback who led the football team to a championship,'' Mr. Petry said, ''and she was the girl who landed the big man on campus.''
The body of the victim, Donna Bocklet, was discovered by a family friend who had joined a search party organized by the woman's husband, Richard M. Bocklet, after he returned home from work Thursday afternoon and found her missing, the police said.
Mrs. Bocklet was last seen alive at 8 A.M. Thursday by her husband, who is a nurse, and their two children, Ryan, 9, and Dana, 6, said Detective Lieut. John Gierasch of the Suffolk police. Mrs. Bocklet worked for an in-home service program financed by the Suffolk County Department for the Aging, and when she failed to make several appointments, her employer tried to reach her on her cellular phone, without success. She had worked for the agency 17 hours a week for the last four years, the police said.
With the help of several friends, Mr. Bocklet organized a search party, and a few hours later, shortly after 9 P.M., notified the police that she was missing. An hour and a half later, a member of the search party spotted Mrs. Bocklet's maroon 1994 Plymouth Voyager van, which was parked near a Waldbaum's supermarket on Sunrise Highway at Brentwood Road, eight miles from her home in Islip Terrace.
The van, whose doors were locked, was parked in the strip-mall parking lot. The police said Mrs. Bocklet's attacker may have strangled her elsewhere, driven the van into the lot and fled, either on foot or in another vehicle. Searchers smashed the driver's side window to enter the van, where they found Mrs. Bocklet's fully clothed body.
The police said Mrs. Bocklet's pocketbook and some jewelry were missing.
A spokesman for the family, who identified himself as the brother of the slain women, said today in a telephone interview, ''We're all still in shock, and the police have asked us not to discuss the investigation.''
In the parking lot outside Waldbaum's this morning, many shoppers were learning of the slaying. ''This is a busy place and people and cars are always coming and going,'' said Sheila Roberts of Bay Shore, who regularly shops at the mall. ''I guess anything could happen here now. It's very scary.''
Neighbors of the Bocklets said they were saddened by Mrs. Bocklet's death. Jeffrey Petry, who lives a few doors down the street, said that the Bocklets met in East Islip High School and appeared as sweethearts in the school's 1974 yearbook.
''He was a star quarterback who led the football team to a championship,'' Mr. Petry said, ''and she was the girl who landed the big man on campus.''
