Still no answers one month after sports editor's slaying

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- After the terror attacks, with the sports world suspending play for who-knew-how-long, Kent Heitholt issued this stern challenge: Don't let unspeakable violence paralyze America.

The games should resume, the Columbia Daily Tribune sports editor wrote, "to thumb your nose at the bully by going about life."

Seven weeks after his defiant words went into print, Heitholt, 48, was beaten to death outside the newspaper office, where he had lingered to feed a stray cat.

In the sports-crazy home of the University of Missouri, Heitholt became the best-known murder victim since the Depression-era shooting of the local sheriff.

Because there have been no arrests one month after the slaying, Heitholt's family, friends and colleagues are finding it hard to "go about life," as he had urged in response to faraway violent death.

"There is something missing," said Jim Robertson, the Tribune managing editor.

What is missing?

Not just a husband who was to celebrate his 20th anniversary in December; a devoted father of two teen-agers; a 6-foot-3, 300-pounder who loved all-you-can-eat buffets.

Not just a big-hearted boss who recruited raw staffers, polishing their copy -- and their looks, even providing rookies with dress shirts.

Not just a sports editor who covered Super Bowls and small-college volleyball with the same deep respect for coaches, athletes and the games' larger lessons of teamwork.

Security, justice missing

Also gone is a sense of security.

Heitholt's widow, Deborah, said they decided to move back to Columbia five years ago because it was a "nice, safe place."

In the absence of arrests, a sense of justice is missing, too.

"Everyone is trying to get back to normal, but it's still in the forefront of everyone's mind. Not a day goes by in our community when somebody doesn't ask me how we are doing and what is happening in the case," said Vicki Russell, the Tribune's associate publisher.

The newspaper has added a night security guard, who patrols the parking lot that was for a time decorated with flowers in Heitholt's memory.

School teams Heitholt covered have kept a press seat open in his honor. A sportswriting scholarship named for Heitholt is in the works at the University of Missouri, where he graduated before working at newspapers in Jackson, Miss., Nashville, Tenn., and Shreveport, La.

E-mails expressing shock and sympathy have arrived at the Tribune from around the country and around the community. The writers included colleagues from California to Canada, Little League parents from Columbia and rural coaches who loved talking with Heitholt.

"Everyone wants answers," Russell said.

Not much evidence

Police know at least this much:

Heitholt worked until just after 2 a.m. on Nov. 1. He always got an early start preparing the next afternoon's sports pages.

He left through a side door with a colleague. Both reached their cars, but the hungry cat was scratching at Heitholt's tire. The colleague stopped to kid Heitholt, then drove on home. Heitholt apparently stepped away from his car to feed the cat.

A few minutes later, a Tribune custodian noticed a commotion by Heitholt's car and saw two men walking away. The custodian alerted other sports writers, who called 911, then found Heitholt face-down in a pool of blood. One of his hip pockets was turned inside out.

Police said Heitholt died at the scene. Wounds on his fists indicated a struggle.

The custodian provided sketchy descriptions of the two white males. A bank security camera near the newspaper caught images of two men moving past quickly, followed about 20 minutes later by a police tracking dog.

The dog led police to the edge of the university campus, but they located no suspects. Police have followed up more than 150 tips, but "without knowing a suspect, everything is still open," said police Sgt. Steve Monticelli.

Police said Heitholt, known to friends as "Heity," apparently had no unsavory dealings to bring him into harm's way. Officers' reviews of his recent columns and computer records gave no reason to suspect an irate reader.