 This 1920's photograph shows Thelma Totten and friend riding in a Washington Iron Works, "made in Sherman sports car."
The car was built because Thelma's husband wanted something "long, sleek and fun."  Denison Herald
January 8, 1990 BODY DISCOVERED IN BURNING HOME; HOMICIDE IS RULED by Laura Bansby, Herald staff writer Sherman - Fire and homicide investigators were being cautious today in releasing information on the death of a prominent Sherman woman, Thelma Totten, 87, whose body was found in her burning home early Sunday morning. David Woods, Sherman Police Department public information officer, said today that the body found in the house at 204 W. Texas was removed and sent to the Medical Examiner's office in Dallas for an autopsy. He could not release any information in the "multiple blunt impact injuries." She said Totten also suffered smoke inhalation and was burned on 45% of her body. She said that it appeared that the assailant beat her and then attempted to burn the body. Woods said that investigators had preserved the scene, and that the fire had not destroyed all the evidence. Fire Marshall Weldon Walker was hesitant to postulate on the cause of the fire, though arson is suspected. "It is still under investigation. It will probably take several weeks to determine the cause (of the fire). Sometimes we have to send samples to the lab," said Walker. The fire was already heavily involved when the fire engines got to the residence, said Walker, and destroyed most of the west and middle sections of the house, including the attic. Six engines and 17 firefighters were called to the scene. Totten is the matriarch of the family which established Sherman's oldest industry, Washington Iron Works. She was the widow of the late H.W. Totten, Sr. Mrs. Totten's murder is the second homicide reported in Grayson County in 1990, less than 10 days into the new year.  Denison Herald January 26, 1990 INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE INTO UNSOLVED MURDERS Sherman - Homicide investigators still have arrested no suspects in 2 unsolved murders occurring in Sherman in a period of 6 months, said Officer David Woods with the Sherman Police Department. Sgt. Jim Mayo and Sgt. J.D. Miller are investigating the murder of Sylvia Denice Caesar, a black woman in her early 20s whose charred remains were found in a house at 413 N. Lee set fire November 9. Autopsy reports shows that the woman had been strangled some 2 weeks prior to the fire. Woods said that Mayo, who is heading the investigation, is not at a point where he can confirm or deny any suspects. A second unsolved murder also involved a homicide and attempted arson. The body of Thelma Totten, 87, the prominent matriarch of the founding family of Washington Iron Works, was discovered in her home at 204 W. Texas in the early morning hours of January 7 as firefighters attempted to save her home from fire. The death of Totten was ruled a homicide by "multiple blunt impact injuries" to the head. The fire that almost destroyed the home was ruled an arson. KXII@com Cold Case - Sherman Socialite Beaten and Burned February 12, 2004 Our latest cold case focuses on the murder of a Sherman Socialite, more than 14 years ago. Thelma Totten was the most unlikely of murder victims. A Sherman woman in her 80s who was beaten and burned in her own home in January of 1990. It stunned the community and baffles law enforcement to this day. At the time of her death, a friend was quoted as saying "there ought to be a Thelma Totten in every town." Another friend said she "never had an enemy in her life." But someone wanted the 87 year old woman dead. The mystery began on January 8th, when Thelma had come home from a game of bridge around 9:30. By 2 am, a neighbor noticed a light on in Totten's home on West Texas street, which was unusual for the elderly widow. An hour later, fire blazed from the windows. Firefighters found her body in her dressing room, clothed in her nightgown. They assumed she died in the fire but later discovered Totten had been hit repeatedly in the head with a blunt object. And the fire had been intentionally set to cover-up the crime. Dozens of friends and family members were questioned by Sherman police immediately after the murder and many were even given lie-detector tests. But 14 years later there have been no arrests and what seems to be no suspects.  Cold Case Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |