Norman Sterling Darst II, continued

Probe Launched

In Angelo Deaths

A full scale investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of two city employes at the city sewer treatment plant this past weekend has been started, according to City Manager H. D. Howard.

The city is awaiting the results of autopsies which were ordered by Peace Justice Ruth Nicholson Sunday. The autopsies will hopefully disclose the exact cause of death of the two men.

The city hopes to determine whether the deaths were attributable to normal sewer gasses or whether possibly some person or company might have discharged a large concentration of a toxic chemical into the system.

Howard has directed various staff persons to begin the investigation and has conferred with Police Chief John DeMent regarding the incident. He said a city ordinance bars the dumping of certain chemicals into sewer lines to avoid injury to city sewer farm employes.

The victims of the weekend tragedy were identified as Norman Sterling Darst III, 29, of 724 Era, and Marvin Hill, 22, of 2205 Glenwood.

Mrs. Hill reported to the sheriff's office Sunday morning that her husband had not returned home from work Saturday. She said she had gone to the farm late Saturday and found Hill's car, but could not locate him or anyone else in the area.

The two were found by county sheriff's deputies in a pit housed by a sewage disposal blockhouse containing a shredder used for breaking up solid waste material.

Dr. James Womack started autopsies Sunday afternoon and the Department of Public Safety in Austin is assisting to determine the exact cause of death. A report should be available later in the week.

Services for Hill will be held at 2 p.m. today in Evangelical Methodist Church in Odessa. Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens under direction of Hubbard-Kelley Funeral Home of Odessa.

Services for Darst will be at 3:30 p.m. today in Johnson's Funeral Home with the Rev. Earl Sherman, pastor of College Hills Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Fairmount Cemetery.

He was born Aug. 8, 1944 in San Angelo and had been a lifetime resident here. He was married to Laverne Steward March 12, 1965 in San Angelo.

Survivors include his wife; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Norman Darst of San Angelo; a sister, Mrs. A.M. Farris of Temple; and a brother, Garet Darst of Corpus Christi.

Pallbearers will be Russell Garrett of Kerrville, Norman Andis Farris of Temple, and Jimmy Young, Lonnie Pace, Bob Pryor and Marion Bristow, all of San Angelo.

Tuesday Morning 14 AUG 1973 - San Angelo Standard-Times, San Angelo, Texas

Judge Makes

Death Ruling

SAN ANGELO (Staff) --- Death by respiratory failure due to unknown causes has been ruled in the Aug. 12 deaths of two San Angelo sewage plant employes.

Justice of the Peace Ruth Nicholson returned the rulings in the deaths of Norman Sterling Darst II, 29, and Marvin Leonard Hill, 22, a former Odessa resident.

Their bodies were found floating in sewage plant effluent Aug. 12 after Hill's wife called the Tom Green County Sheriff's office to report her husband missing.

The inquest ruling Monday was made by Mrs. Nicholson after a report from Parkland Hospital in Dallas was delayed.

Judge Nicholson said she didn't know when the pathological report will be completed.

The pathological report was to be made to determine if lethal gas may have been a factor in the deaths of the two men.

City Manager H. D. Howard said results of an investigation he initiated are inconclusive, pending receipt of the pathological report.

Tuesday 28 AUG 1973 - The Odessa American, Odessa, Texas