San Francisco Chronicle
August 13, 1969 - pg. 3

New Slaying in L.A.

Father of
The Lennon
Sisters

Los Angeles
    William Lennon, 53, father of the singing Lennon sisters, was shot to death yesterday as he was leaving the golf range where he worked as a pro.
    A suspect, described as about 6 feet, 2 inches tall, with a heavy growth of beard and brown but sunbleached hair, escaped in a car.

  UPI Telephoto

 WILLIAM LENNON AND DAUGHTERS IN 1960 PHOTO
From left, Kathy, Dianne, Janet and Peggy

    The man was waiting in the parking lot of the Marina Del Rey golf range and jumped out from behind another car as Lennon approached shortly after noon, a witness said.

STRUGGLE

    The witness said the man pulled a gun and he and Lennon struggled over it.
    Other witnesses said Lennon appeared to know the gunman, who swore at Lennon. Lennon swore back.
    Then Lennon shouted, "No, no don't do it. Help, help."
    Bill broke away and started toward the entrance to the parking lot," the witness said. "The man fired, hit him once, Bill staggered and ran toward a corner fence. The man fired again and hit him in the back. Bill crawled around the fence, the man ran up to him, put the gun to the side of his head by his ear and fired again."

CAR

    The man ran across the street to another parking lot, threw the gun into the trunk of a car, jumped in and drove off.
    Lennon's brother, Jimmy, said, "The killer could be one of those kooks who insist, after seeing the girls on television, that one of them is in love with him. It could be one of those crank callers. There are so many kooks.
    Police checked with the Secret Service about a man who allegedly wrote a letter to former President Johnson making threats because he could not get permission to marry one of Lennon's daughters. Officers described the man, whom they would not identify, as a mental patient from Colorado.
    Lennon, father of 11 children, worked as a pro at the driving range's golf shop and was president of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce.
    Lennon also managed the careers of his famous singing daughters, Diane, Peggy, Kathy and Janet, who were star attractions for years on the Lawrence Welk television show.

United Press

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