Man Charged in 1988 Death of Psycho Star Stand-In
December 9, 1998 - 0:0
LOS ANGELES A man charged in a pair of strangulation murders 10 years apart has been linked by DNA evidence to both victims one of them a woman who acted as Janet Leigh's body double in the film Psycho, police said on Monday. Kenneth Hunt, 31, is also accused of raping both women Myra Davis, 71, and Jean Orloff, 60 and could face the death penalty if convicted, authorities said.
Davis, 71, whose stage name was Myra Jones, served as a stand-in for Leigh the star of Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1960 film and it was her hand that was seen in part of the famous shower scene in which Leigh is knifed to death. Davis, who started her career at age 15 as a contract dancer for the MGM Studio, was also one of several people who provided the voice of Norman Bates' mother.
She was found dead in her home on July 3, 1988, and her murder remained unsolved until detectives investigating Orloff's killing began to suspect hunt, said Los Angeles police Detective Francine Mounger. Mounger said Hunt, who was described as a caretaker and handyman knew both victims. She said detectives were also looking into the possibility that hunt had attacked other women and were asking anyone with information to step forward.
Hunt, who served time in prison for manslaughter, was in jail on a probation violation at the time of his arrest, Mounger said. A remake of Psycho, with Anne Heche starring in the role made famous by Leigh, opened Friday in theaters. (Reuter)
Davis, 71, whose stage name was Myra Jones, served as a stand-in for Leigh the star of Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1960 film and it was her hand that was seen in part of the famous shower scene in which Leigh is knifed to death. Davis, who started her career at age 15 as a contract dancer for the MGM Studio, was also one of several people who provided the voice of Norman Bates' mother.
She was found dead in her home on July 3, 1988, and her murder remained unsolved until detectives investigating Orloff's killing began to suspect hunt, said Los Angeles police Detective Francine Mounger. Mounger said Hunt, who was described as a caretaker and handyman knew both victims. She said detectives were also looking into the possibility that hunt had attacked other women and were asking anyone with information to step forward.
Hunt, who served time in prison for manslaughter, was in jail on a probation violation at the time of his arrest, Mounger said. A remake of Psycho, with Anne Heche starring in the role made famous by Leigh, opened Friday in theaters. (Reuter)