Northeast iowa , J ulia Ann Benning murdered: Autopsy Courier News § Service® WAVERLY—J1 ja” Ann’ Ben- ning, 18," of W erly,’ "was murdered; an ‘autopsy fas | ‘Te- * Vealed, but the investigation'of : her death is suffering froma dwindling number of leads, The ibody. of “Miss Benning was found March 18 near a, culvert along, 2: gravel road “north of ‘Stell’ Rock. She. had been missing since November. Monday, Butler. County At- :forney Gene. Shepard released a statement saying, ..'The _ “autopsy: report on the body of Julia Ann Benning established that her death: was due to homicidal violence; caused by injury to the.throat area, _ , havestigators | dectined -to release further information from the autopsy report, saying that it was of an eviden- Julia Ana Bensiog lisry’ nature pertinent. to the investigation,” SHEPARD'S slatement said the investigation of Miss Benning's death is continuing, with nine officers working full- time on the case. He said 250 to 300° persons ‘had been in- _ wi ment Tepe Yerviewed in connection with her death 4 “Bul? he “éontinited, “the ‘Y aus Inelgaocse hae ‘apprent- ly ‘received’ no response to their plea’ to’an ‘anonymoiis Ietler-writer to: Cottle forward and ooeperat in the investiga tion: .» The Waverly-Biemer Coun- ly Law. ‘Center, beadgiiarters of the investigation? ved a Jeter postmarked. March’ 27 from Oelwein, Which contained information authorities’ said was the only, substantive lead they had into’the death. Information in the unsigned ietier was incomplete, arid in- vestigators said they needed (o communicate With the author to more fully investigate the lead,