08/28/2022
JOHANNA LEATHERBURY + THE NATTER'S MARKET MURDERS (MICHAEL BOWN & CAROLYN KINGSTON) 1971 MURDERS - CONNECTED?
In reviewing these three Salt Lake County cold cases, we know that the September 2, 1971 murders of Michael Bown (age 24) and Carolyn Kingston (age 30) at the Natter's Market were linked, but the question lingering is whether there was a connection between their murders and that of JoHanna Leatherbury. The families want to know for over 51 years now.
According to the Unified Police Cold Case website, Carolyn Kingston was a clerk at Natter’s Market located at 3065 South 700 East, in Salt Lake City, and that Michael Bown was a delivery driver delivering bread that afternoon. At approximately 2:00 p.m. an armed robber entered the store. In the course of the robbery he shot both victims, and attempted to shoot a third, another bread deliveryman, William J. Bryant, but the .22-caliber automatic handgun jammed, and the cartridge was ejected manually. We would like to speak to Mr. Bryant for a composite sketch to be drawn up, or we’d like to speak to one of his family members to see if there was any journal entries or other writings detailing the incident. If you know any information about the Natter’s Market double murder, please call private investigator Jason Jensen, at 801-759-2248.
During the struggle between the gunman and Carolyn Kingston, the robber lost his watch, a square Timex, with a dark blue face without numbers or writing, and Roman letters engraved on the gold outer edge. The band was a nylon blue and gray striped band. If the watch sounds familiar to you, please call Det. Ben Pender at the Unified Police Department at 385-468-9816, or Jason K Jensen PI at 801-759-2248. That watch was checked into evidence, and it is highly encouraged the Unified Police process the backside of the watch and band to get the killer’s DNA profile, and the conduct genetic genealogy to identify Michael Bown’s and Carolyn Kingston’s killer. Their killer was described as a well-groomed “nice looking boy” 18-20 years old, with short curly hair. He drove away in a black 1959 4-door Chevy sedan.
Meanwhile, according to Salt Lake County in 1971, they suspected a possible connection between JoHanna Leatherbury and the Natter’s Market murders because they happened so closely together and a .22-caliber handgun was also used to kill JoHanna on August 21, 1971. Nowadays DNA can be collected from bullet shell casings, using the Bardole Method developed by CSI expert Francine Bardole in Murray, Utah. DNA should be collected from the casing using her M-Vac technique. There was a second vehicle described as possibly being associated with JoHannah's death. There were two guys described and one drove an orange/red Dodge Charger.
These are solvable cases.