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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Police Seek Killer In Campground Death

From Staff And Wire Reports

Cassia County investigators announced they located relatives of a 73-year-old man slain last week at a Sawtooth National Park campground, but continued to look for his killer Friday.

After veteran’s records in California failed to turn up any next of kin, authorities traced a prescription for Wilford R. Urban to a Utah pharmacy, where records showed he had a brother living in Racine, Wis.

Urban’s body was found last week in Rock Creek, about half a mile downstream from a campsite at Schipper campground where he and another man had been staying. Sheriff Billy Crystal said Urban had been repeatedly bludgeoned in the head with a tire iron.

Sheriff’s Lt. Tim Little said the brother told them Urban was a wanderer, traveling the country since the 1940s. The body was released by investigators for burial by relatives.

Police are still looking for the man who was camping with Urban. He is described as a white male in his 50s with a dark complexion. Other campers said he was 5 feet 7 inches or 5 feet 8 inches tall, 170 to 180 pounds with short dark hair.

He was wearing a military field jacket, tan cap and green backpack.