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Click Here 47 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, February 26, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend February 10, 2004 Police hold Calif. man in railroad fan’s death By BILL CHOY Mail Tribune ASHLAND — A California man is being held on murder and arson charges in connection with the death 11 years ago of an Ashland train enthusiast. Walter E. Jaffke, 34, of Hemet, Calif., was arrested over the weekend in Bakersfield and is being held without bond pending extradition to Oregon. Police say he is responsible for the Jan. 25, 1993, death of Ed Krahel, who lived on Meade Street surrounded by railroad memorabilia. Preliminary reports at the time indicated Krahel, 44, died when he was unable to escape his home during a fire. An autopsy, however, showed that he was dead before the blaze, and his death was classified as a homicide. Ashland Police Chief Mike Bianca said he was pleased a suspect had been arrested in the case. Advertisement "I remember being at the memorial for Ed ... and talking about how the case would stay open until it was solved," Bianca said in a statement. "Detective (Lynn) Parlette never forgot. Each year, he would do some work on the case, following a lead, interviewing something new. So when this break happened he was ready." Bianca declined to provide details about the case other than to say Jaffke recently had been reported as a missing person by relatives in Southern California. The California Highway Patrol found him near Bakersfield, and during that contact obtained information linking Jaffke to the Krahel case, Bianca said. Krahel was renowned in the community for his collection of train material, including a full-sized locomotive, passenger car and caboose that he restored and kept on his property. Train equipment in his yard led to disputes with neighbors. The disputes led to a movement to remove the cars from the property and a follow-up campaign to save the trains. In 1986, Krahel won the right to keep the railway memorabilia on his property. Liz Redler, a friend of Krahel’s, was relieved to hear the news that a suspect had been apprehended. "I’m thrilled to hear they found someone," she said. "I’d like to see that person own up to it. (Ashland police) have been vigilant from the beginning. They never let it go." In a 2000 Daily Tidings story, Parlette said fingerprints were found at the scene other than Krahel’s. He declined at the time to release more information about the prints and other evidence. Parlette said he spent an average of one day a week on the case. "We’ve looked at local people, transients and other people out of the area whose MOs are similar," he said at the time. "There are tons of leads in this case ... but so far, nothing has panned out. There’s a cast of thousands we could look at." Bill Choy is a reporter for the Mail Tribune and the Ashland Daily Tidings. Reach him at 482-3456. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times