Disturbing Similarities in Murders of 2 Indiana Women

Two women were killed “in the same manner,” on the same road, within days of each other in Indianapolis, police announced Friday. On the morning of January 27, Shannon Lassere, 58, was found dead in a dentist office’s parking lot in the 2200 block of N. Mitthoeffer Road; her family says she’d been fatally stabbed. On the morning of February 1, Marianne Weis, 52, was found dead behind a strip mall in the 2100 block of the same street, Fox 59 reports. Police have so far only revealed that her body had signs of “trauma.” The women, both of whom lived in or were linked to the city’s east side, were found about 150 yards apart from one another, CBS 4 Indy reports. Even so, police say so far no evidence directly connects them, CBS News reports.

“We need the community’s assistance to understand what these women were doing before they were killed that may help investigators move this case forward,” acting Police Chief Chris Bailey said, asking the public to come forward with any tips. Lassere’s son says his mother went out for a walk the night before her body was found, and never returned home. And now, he says, “There’s been another woman. There’s been another case very similar to my mother’s. So, somebody’s out here, somebody’s out here doing something.” (More Indianapolis stories.)