• Publication: The Red and Black (University of Georgia student newspaper)
• Author: Holly S. Roach, Staff Writer
• Original Publication Date: Wednesday, November 17, 1993

Although the DNA of a man convicted of raping a college student in Charlotte, N.C., doesn’t match that of the man who killed University student Jennifer Stone, police said Tuesday they are still optimistic about the on-going investigation.

There have been 45 DNA samples taken from possible suspects in the Stone investigation, including that of Bruce Allen Clements, a 31-year-old North Carolina resident, who pled guilty last week to the first degree rape and kidnapping of a University of North Carolina student. He was arrested in May.

“I still feel pretty good about the investigation,” said Athens Police Sgt. W.J. Smith. “I’m more encouraged now than six months ago.”

Stone, a 22-year-old senior from Roswell, was found raped and strangled in her off-campus Hull Street apartment on April 23, 1992.

According to a Clemson police report, Clements had been seen in Florida and on several campuses in the Carolines. He is suspected of stalking a Clemson student.

The nature of Clements’ crime made him an immediate suspect in the Stone homicide and in the deaths or vanishings of other young women in the region.

Smith, the Athens-Clarke County officer who has been assigned to the Stone case full-time, said Clements was known to spend time in Florida, but he wasn’t seen on campuses there.

“He’s got an ex-wife, I believe in Florida, so that’s his Florida connection,” he said.

However, Smith said no one reported seeing Clements at the University.

“As close as we could get him was in Clemson,” Smith said. “He was never a suspect, he was a strong possibility — someone who had to be eliminated.”

A blood sample was taken from Clements, but Smith said the DNA didn’t link him to the Stone slaying.

Smith said there were 10 times when he thought they might have the killer, but DNA proved the suspects innocent.

Currently, there are five unsolved homicides in Athens — the Stone slaying is the oldest at a year and a half.

Smith said a $13,000 reward is being offered for information regarding Stone’s death. In addition to Smith, an officer with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is also working full-time on the case.

Smith said there are “two trains of thought” on the whereabouts of Stone’s killer. Stone lived right behind the Athens Greyhound station downtown and some investigators think the killer boarded a bus right after the slaying, Smith said.

However, he said, other officers think the man may still be in the area because Stone’s cameras were sold by three Athens men three months after her death.

“Personally, I think there’s a good reason to believe he’s not in the Athens area, but there’s just as good of an argument that he could be in the area,” Smith said.

Police found cameras belonging to Stone during a drug bust in July 1992 and three male suspects were arrested. The DNA taken from each man didn’t match that of the rapist.

Raymond Stone, Jennifer’s father, said it is important for the death of his daughter to stay in the public spotlight.

He said he is pleased with the work the police have done on the case. But, he said, it can only be solved if someone comes forward with information or a similar incident occurs.

Smith said the man, wherever he is, will probably strike again.

“There’s evidence from past history from dealing with violent offenders there’s a good chance he will do this again,” he said. “Rapists don’t usually quit. Whether or not we’ve ever had this guy, we don’t know that either.”

[Photo caption] Jennifer Stone (File)