On a spring evening in April of 1975, a tragedy unfolded in Wheaton, Maryland, forever altering the lives of several families. John Leon Sligh Jr., a 43-year-old African-American man, was killed in what authorities described as a racially motivated shooting spree. He was a scientist for the Department of Defense and a businessman. The incident occurred on Sunday, April 13th, when a white man named Michael Edward Pearch, an unemployed carpenter, began firing at people in the downtown area.
The violence erupted near the Wheaton Plaza shopping mall. Sligh was in a car with his 40-year-old wife, Laureen D. Sligh, when Pearch opened fire, killing him and wounding his wife in both legs. The gunman continued his rampage, targeting other African-Americans. Another life was claimed that evening, that of 52-year-old Connie Stanley. Four others were wounded before the senseless violence came to an end.
The shooter, Michael Edward Pearch, was confronted by two police officers who ordered him to stop. When he ignored their commands and fired at another victim, the officers returned fire, killing him at the scene. Because the suspect was killed, there were no arrests or trials in connection with the deaths of John Leon Sligh Jr. and Connie Stanley. The shooting was largely overshadowed by another major crime that had occurred in Wheaton just weeks earlier, the disappearance of the Lyon sisters. Investigators at the time explored a possible connection between Pearch and the missing girls but found no evidence to link him to their case.
