Police Accuse Woman Suspect In Dean's Death

The detective in charge of the investigation of the murder of Joseph Strickland, former assistant to the dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Science said yesterday that he had narrowed his list of suspects to "one female acquaintance."

Detective Sergeant John W. Maillet said yesterday that he could not make an arrest yet "because we don`t know if we have enough evidence" to make a convincing case in court.

Maillet also reconstructed the events of last Friday morning when Strickland was shot to death in his Dorchester home.

"Shortiy after 1p.m. Srickland made a long distance call." Maillet said. "While he was speaking on the phone, a women let herself in the apartment. The person Strickland was speaking to heard conversation between the two of them."

Maillet said that the woman who entered Strickland's apartment is a prime suspect. Strickland was married but his wife was in Detroit at the time.

The University announced today that it has established a Joseph Strickland Memorial Fund to further the recruitment and counselling of minority students at the GSAS.