Police in Indianapolis are investigating the killings of two women whose bodies were found around 150 yards away from each other in recent days, and who were killed in a similar manner, officials said Friday.
“There are similarities in these two cases,” Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department interim Chief Chris Bailey said — although he said investigators have not proven they are connected.
The bodies of Shannon Lassere and Marianne Weis were found days apart on Indianapolis’ far east side.
Lassere’s body was found Saturday morning on N. Mitthoefer Road, across the street from where she lived, and Weis’ body was found on the same road on Thursday morning, according to police and NBC affiliate WTHR of Indianapolis.
They were found around 150 yards from one another, police Capt. Roger Spurgeon, commander of the department’s homicide branch, said at a news conference.
Spurgeon would not say how the women were killed, citing the integrity of the ongoing investigation.
“Both victims were killed in a similar manner,” he said.
Police said they do not know if the killings are connected, and are asking for the public’s help, including asking residents to check home cameras for anything suspicious.
Both women are their 50s, and they are white, police said. Bailey said he did not know if they knew each other.
“We don’t know if these crimes are connected at this point, and that’s why we’re asking for the public’s help,” Spurgeon said. “If you have info on these victims or know where they have been days before their deaths, we want to know.”
Both victims either lived in or had ties to the area where their bodies were found, police said.