606 University

Part I

Chapters 1 to 5

Concerning the death and original investigation of Siobhan Maloney’s unfortunate death October 29 1977

Chapter One

Zeta of Phi Chi

The scream pierced the night’s stormy lightning and aroused the unconscious man like a blast of a billiard ball break. Lee W. Hickok, MD was shocked awake. He wondered for a moment if he had died. It was a haunting echo, shot through the upper floor of the old fraternity. P, perhaps the sound was the only thing that could awaken the drunken man. . The hysterical cry drilled through his cortex. For it was such a tormented and tortured shriek, etched as a ratchet into his intoxicated brain.

He lay in the adjacent television room, alone and plastered beyond the world. Shivering on the cracked linoleum floor and freezing in the icy Galveston cold. The television fuzzed with static against the backdrop of the stationary television pattern. The well-used TV stood against all odds on the old three leggedthree-legged low table, the broken leg propped up with a stack of yellowed medical journals.

He pulled himself upright to sit against the black leather couch stained by other drunken visitors and imprinted by ancient cigarette burns. In his right hand, was an empty mug decorated with the Zeta of Phi Chi insignia; in his leftleft, an empty bottle of Kentucky aged Jim Beam Bourbon, sweet amber. He put them both aside and struggled to get up, one cowboy boot half ajarhalf-ajar on his foot. He kicked away the boot, and stumbled to the door framedoorframe to collect his thoughts. He gazed across the empty party room, the balcony’s sliding-glass door stood open. The Houston Astro black and orange shower curtains--the frat’s tribute to Halloween--billowed into the room in the near storm winds. At the foot of the balcony stood a puddle of water, the floor wet and pounded from the wind and rain. He slipped as he made his way across the slippery floor.

With difficulty, Lee W. struggled to get up and looked out of the balcony on his knees. The deluge blew, and he struggled with the sliding doors trying to close them. He tried to forget, but the scream returned to his mind, and he pulled himself up looking for its source.

He hoped for something else. She lay lifeless and sprawled out on the circular drive, her neck twisted in an awkward position. He knew her identity and realized her death the moment he spied her. Vomit came to his throat, and he turned and rushed to the restroom, where the toilet ran, overflowing. He heaved into the bowl, forgetting its dysfunction, and turned to hurry down the stairs to the ground floor. He was out the front double doors quickly and into a fracas.

A small crowd gathered at the site of the growing tragedy. There was chaos in the air.

Where did she come from?

Who is she? Oh, it’s her!

Is she dead?

The storm blew and covered the site with rain. Many dropped to their knees and examined the girl. The moon was full and cast an eerie well-lit scene. . She had mahogany colored red hair with long curls now thrown haphazardly down her back. She wore a tousled black sweater pulled up revealing a black bra-strap, with a short dark tangled skirt over black nylons and viciously crumpled legs. Her head, was twisted with violence, her lifeless eyes an eerie turquoise green, oddly beautiful, but motionless. Blood oozed from her mouth, now caked around her red painted lips. An out stretched left arm brutally twisted and fractured seemed to grab her small dark purse.

Lee W. stood on the outside of the gathering crowd just staring and not believing. His nausea would not pass as the rain soaked him. A girl to his right asked her name to which the urologist whispered: Siobhan, Siobhan Aileen Maloney.

She was pretty, the girl said quietly. Lee W. nodded in silent agreement.

No pulse, one said after feeling her carotid. She is not breathing, another said dropping and putting a cheek to the side of her twisted head.

A man in a navy blue blazer and khaki pants made his way separating the group. He dropped a tattered black doctor bag at his side,, kneeled by the victimvictim, and removed a black cardiology stethoscope. With only one earpieceearpiece, he placed the chest piece under her torso.

Are there breath sounds,? Aasked many from the crowd.?

He shook his head "no" in response to the question.

We have to turn her! The" The man said to the crowd. He encouraged help and the group lifted her up, stabilized her twisted neckneck, and turned her onto her back. The man continued to listen for breath sounds. . Absent thesethese, he began mouth to mouthmouth-to-mouth resuscitation. A girl dropped to her knees on the other side of Siobhan, felt her sternum with her palmspalms, and began chest percussions.

The girl called out: one and two and three and four and five, stopping her CPR briefly as the man lifted only the victim’s jaw while keeping her neck in position and blew in two one second breaths. This process continued back and forth back and forth, as the group stood in shock and viewed the sad resuscitation.

She was on my internal medicine rotation.

Her parents own Siobhan Medical Care in Dallas.

This is bad news.

Stop CPR, the man said to the girl and the group as he felt for a carotid pulse. Absent that pulse, the two began CPR again.

After some discussion from the group, a young woman made her way into the fraternity main house. She looked around frantic, and then found the telephone. She flooded the room with light as cockroaches escaped, racing away into the walls. She ran to the wall mountedwall-mounted phone and dialed 911 quickly.

Yes this is Galveston County Emergency services. How can I help you?

Yaw-all we need help. Please come quick. She dropped out of the balcony, broke her neck I think. We’re doing CPR now.

First, where are you located?

Phi Chi, the fraternity. The girl rustled around and found an old phonebook sitting on the debris ladendebris-laden floor. She tossed away a plastic beer cup and shook liquor residue off ofoff the book. Looking at the front pagepage, she returned. Let’s see. Yaw-all I can’t read it, she said searching the book with desperation. The girl rubbed the page until it was somewhat dry. Okay, yaw-all, it says here 606 University. We’re at the fraternity Zeta of Phi Chi at 606 University…

Chapter Two

Police Arrive

The call went out as the rain pelted eastern Galveston Island. The police officer set the dash mounteddash-mounted radio, reducing interference and asking for further clarification. He was the officer in charge dressed in 100% gabardine wool midnight blue with a French Blue piping up the side leg, from the cuff to the waist blues, the shirts were cool or light blue. an old timer always dressed in department blues. The address described by the call brought a quiet smile to an otherwise boring night.

SergeantOfficer Willie Washington, and his parents before him, were lifelong islanders. He knew Galveston trivia like no-oneno one and prided himself on the most esoteric detail. When he heard the address, 606 University, he knew that Zeta of Phi Chi medical fraternity was the sight of the call. At the turn of the centurycentury, the day’s medical students choose 606 as a perverted tribute to the first systemic therapy for the endemic disease of syphilis, the drug known at the time as Salvarsan 606. He wondered whether this debauched history, characteristic of this fraternity ever since, would be visible that night.

With lightslights, flashing the two partners moved down Broadway. They turned left on University Boulevard with tires squeals, parking on the tail of the driveway. The frat house stood back from the boulevard, separated from the street by a circular asphalt drive in need of repair. When they arrived, a Cadillac ambulance with red circling lights marked the sight, where a crowd was growing near the building’s front porch.

Washington and his partner exited their squad car and moved to the crowd. Washington was a large black man with a short afro style haircut and a white smile. Kelly was a smaller white man with the first name Jim. The rain was prolific and the wind blew with storm like force. With their arrivalarrival, the crowd parted and the officer moved to stand next to a sad fallen woman undergoing CPR.

Stop CPR, the blue blazer dressed man with a bow tie who seemed in charge yelled above the storm’s noise. Chest percussions stopped as the resuscitators checked a carotid pulse.

No pulse, said the girl on the ground at the victim’s side as she checked her sternal position and restarted chest percussions calling out the rhythm.

Who is in charge? Washington said to the crowd.

The blazer wearing man wiped rain from his face and said above the roar with little attention to the officer, I am. She’s gone, he said lifting his hands in frustration. We should call the code.

CPR went on despite the stop discussion. It was if the crowd had a vested intereststake in the resuscitation, the girl a member of the large medical family. The man dropped to his knees and listened carefully for a heartbeat with his stethoscope. As he did he felt for a carotid pulse as well, hoping beyond hope for some sign of life.

Stop CPR, he said sadly as he looked into the victim’s lifeless eyes. Absent a penlight stimulatedpenlight-stimulated reflex, he closed her limp lids with his hand. He stood slowly looking at his watch. 3:45 AM, 22 minutes of pulseless CPR, the man said as if reciting a dictation at the hospital. He picked up his doctor bag, replaced the stethoscope, and moved to the covered entry of the frat, out of the rain.

Washington moved to the porch following the man. What happened here?

Lee W. followed handing a white towel to the man. Here Turner.

Turner placed his bag on the ground, and wiped his hands on the towel. She jumped, sometime about thirty minutes ago. I don’t know who found her, but she’s dead now. Never had a chance, severe headhead, and spinal cord trauma. Never had a pulse.

Well, I am Sargent Willie Washington of the Galveston PD. The officer introduced himself with a shake. . What is your name? Now he had with a small tablet of paper and a pen in his hand. He turned to his partner and told him.: Wwrite down everyone’s name that you can find, especially if they witnessed the fall. The second officer shook his head yes, pulled out a tablet and began collecting names.

Washington returned to his interview. The man answered his question. I am Turner Maxwell, I ran the code. I am a UTMB internal medicine chief resident. While Turner originally appeared excited he gradually calmed down now with a countenance of sadness.

Tell me exactly what happened, Turner.

Can I sit down? Turner" Turner asked Washington, turning to the wicker chairs on the porch. The man was soaked from the rainfall and exhausted from the ordeal. He nodded to Lee W. and took another towel, drying his head and face. A crack of lightning lit up the sky. It was eerie and the three looked at each other with a hint of fear.

Well we were having a Halloween party, and it was winding down. There weren’t many left. I was just about to leave when I heard there was a problem out here. When I got there, a crowd was around her.

Okay, stop for just one moment. Who is the victim, do you know?

A med student. I…I…don’t know her name.

At this momentmoment, Lee W. stepped forward and gave her name. Siobhan, Siobhan Aileen Maloney.

There was a visible change in the officer’s continence with the announcement of the name. Lee W. noted the change. and said: yYa, that Maloney.

The officer wrote down the name, and then signaled for Turner to continue. Lee W. stepped back and let Turner go on. Tell me about your role in the resuscitation.

I didn’t see her jump. I just heard the crowd out here and so came out to see. There was a group around her. She was without a pulse, I sort of took charge like being the MOD, he said referring to his frequent role as medical officer of the day in the hospital. She was gone from the beginning, no breathing, no pulse, so I turned her on her back supporting her neck and began two people CPR. Not much more to say. We coded her for 22 minutes and ended at 3:45 AM. I think you were here when I called the code, there was no hope.

Yaw-all keep saying jumped, did anyone see her jump? The officer said looking at the five or so people around the interview.

Lee W. stepped forward after everyone else declined to elaborate. I didn’t see her jump, but I heard her…let’s say go over the balcony. Lee W. stepped back onto the driveway and pointed to the balcony and the open glass door. . Right there, you can see the hedge is pulled away from the building. Right there she…I don’t know you say jumped but…I don’t know.

What is your name?

Lee W. Hickok, I am the chief resident in urology at UT. He was a man of slightly above average height, with dark brown hair beginning to gray at the edges, and blue eyes.

The officer wrote down his name and then continued. When was that, Lee?

Lee W., he said quietly. I don’t know, I was awakened by her scream.

She screamed? Washington was obviously interested in this fact.

Yes, I was sleeping in the television room. Lee W. caught himself. Well…I was passed out and heard her.

The officer turned from Lee W. to Turner. Dr. Maxwell, is there anything else you can tell me? Turner shook his head negatively. Well give Officer Kelly your name and contact information and you’re okay to go. The officer then turned back to Lee W. I will need to talk to you after I examine the body.

Lee W. shook his head yes and stepped aside.

The officer moved to Siobhan. She lay on her back with her eyes closed and a horrific expression on her deeply bruised face. There was a small stain of blood on the pavement behind her head. The blood matched where she impacted matching a small amount coming from her red lipstick painted mouth. The left hand, was twisted horribly due to her fracture, a scruff of hedge grasped in the hand. The right hand, was clenched tightly closed as if it held a last piece of treasure. With some difficultydifficulty, he opened it revealing a military style silver beaded necklace with a break in its chain. At its end was a silver cup shaped like an inverted cowbell, a receptacle for some missing piece of jewelry. Washington bagged the hedge and necklace in separate plastic bags. There were no further points of interest on the poor girl, who died with little to suggest a struggle.

Have you seen something like this before? Washington" Washington said to Lee W. handing him the bagged necklace.

Lee W. took it in his hand, shaking his head nono, as he examined it. It looks like a cheap necklace. I haven’t seen this before,before; she always wore expensive gold jewelry.

Thanks, Washington said taking back the necklace. He looked at Lee W. with a curious eye, wondering about the two’s relationship. Can you show me where she went over?

Lee W. shook his head yes and led the officer off of the porch and through the front double doors. At the threshold, Lee W. kicked away a dozen or so plastic cups that littered the entry. He then led him into the fraternity, to the main ground floor room and up the stairs to the second floor. At the top of the stairs was the television room.

I was asleep here, he said pointing to the floor in front of the black couch next to the continuously playing television. At his foot was the nearly empty fifth of Jim Beam and he touched it with his one sock clad foot. Do you mind if I put my boot on?

The officer indicated to go ahead. Lee W. grabbed his right boot off of the couch and put it on quickly. I heard this scream, and I woke up right here, he said emphasizing his position at the time.

Where did the scream come from?

Lee W. pointed at the balcony. It came from there. The two moved across the party room’s floor. The surfaceIt was littered with signs of the bash; cups, beer cans,cans bottles, papers, magazines, and discarded clothes thrown haphazardly. haphazardly throughout.

Lee W.’s pager went off. He turned to look at histhe nemesis, remembering the emergency room number. On the wall mounted phonewall-mounted phone, he answered the call. . I’m going to have to go to the hospital, officer. Lee W. said with visible remorse.

Give me just a moment, you said you heard the scream from over there but how did you know the cry came from here?

I knew, somehow it was obvious.

Washington looked at Lee W., He was obviously torn now with the witness having to leave. Okay, he said handing Lee W. his card. Call me tomorrow,tomorrow; we need an interview down at the station. It is very important. Give your name and location to Officer Kelly before you leave.

I am sorry officer, a gunshot wound to the kidney, you know the Saturday night Knife and Fun club. Lee W. apologized for having to leave.

Washington did in fact know about the so calledso-called club, the habit of the locals to settle disputes with the knife or gun on the weekend.

I got to get going. Lee W. appeared reluctant, but excused himself to leave for the hospital.

Washington looked over the scene. He checked the balcony; no scratches, trauma, or blood obvious, the rail intact. The hedge was detached near the left side of the balcony likeas if she grabbed it on her way down. The balcony was wet, the rain now slowing.

Returning to the roomroom, he moved past the bathroom. He noticed that the toilet was full of disgusting waste and running water, green vomit staining the side of the bowel.

Heading down the stairway at the bottom was a sign of recent trauma. The bannister was detached at its bottom, a round depressed portion of plaster boardplasterboard with a streak of fresh blood and a wad of light brown hair present within. No one was there to explain,explain; he made a note in his notebook, and bagged the hair sample in a plastic baggy.

On the ground floor were signs of a debauchery; a hell like abyss filled party time,. The windows were fogged from the inside with creasy black paint. The floor was littered with hundreds of plastic cups, kegs stacked and rolled on their sides, garmentsgarments, and hats tossed everywhere. Pizzas were all over the area, half eaten and cold, covered with pepperoni, sausage, peppers, and so on. Cock-roachesCockroaches were having a feast. A paper sign detached on one side hung across the