APn 04/11 1510 Krishna Body Copyright, 1988. The Associated Press. All rights reserved. MO

APn  04/11 1510  Krishna Body

Copyright, 1988. The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

   MOUNDSVILLE, W.Va. (AP) -- A man whose charred body was found near a
Hare Krishna commune was shot in the head by a small-caliber gun,
authorities said Monday, but they do not know if the death was a suicide
or homicide.
   State Medical Examiner Irvin Sopher said in an autopsy report that he
found a .22-caliber slug in the man's brain.
   "He determined the bullet entered through the right temple area,"
Marshall County Prosecutor Thomas White said.
   Parts of a burned .22-caliber pistol were found near the body,
believed to be that of Todd Schenker, the prosecutor said. Authorities
found ammunition for the gun inside Schenker's nearby house.
   Marshall County Sheriff Donald Bordenkircher said a lack of dental
records has stymied attempts to identify the remains positively.
However, the sheriff said all evidence gathered so far points to
Schenker, a former member of the Hare Krishna community at New
Vrindaban.
   "We're not making any judgments at this time between homicide and
suicide. The medical evidence can't tell us that," White said.
   Schenker's wife, Judith, was taken to the Ohio Valley Medical Center
for a psychiatric evaluation after members of the New Vrindaban
community told county mental health authorities that she had "made
suicidal comments," the prosecutor said.
   "It was for her own protection," he said.
   Gadadhar Das, a spokesman for New Vrindaban, said Mrs. Schenker had
mentioned suicide to several members of the community after the body was
found.
   "We brought her in to the local authorities," Gadadhar said. "Whether
it be suicide or foul play, we would like to see the whole thing
straightened out. We've cooperated fully with the sheriff's department
on this."