
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 20, 1990                   TAG: 9006200499
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MANASSAS                                LENGTH: Short

POLICE TAKE SUSPECT'S STUN GUN

A stun gun Prince William County police believe was used in the electric shock torture of a 15-year-old murder victim was seized from the vehicle of the man suspected in the death, court papers said Tuesday.

According to documents filed in Prince William Circuit Court, the implement was discovered in a car owned by Michael George, 32, of Stafford County, who is charged with murder in the weekend slaying of Alexander Sztanko.

Prince William police Investigator John Urban said wounds found on the victim's body "are consistent in nature with those of the electrodes on the stun gun recovered from George's vehicle."

The Washington Times has quoted police investigators as saying George was a known pedophile.

Authorities searched the suspect's home and found a loaded pistol they believe was the murder weapon, Urban said.

Police also seized photographs of young boys, boxes of ammunition, safes containing undisclosed papers, $155 in cash and two gun clips.

Prince William Commonwealth's Attorney Paul Ebert said an autopsy performed Tuesday showed Sztanko died from a single gunshot wound to his head.

The victim's body was found Sunday in a wooded area not far from his Woodbridge home and near the spot where police believe George may have buried another boy more than 10 years ago.

George, who was being held without bond in the Prince William detention center, pleaded guilty in 1984 to the abduction and involuntary manslaughter of an 8-year-old Dumfries youth. In that case, he served 2 1/2 years in prison and was paroled.

A preliminary hearing for George is scheduled for July 17.

by CNB