Dogs and divers search for evidence

There have been no arrests, no suspects named and no major breakthroughs to be reported in the Jasper Howard murder investigation as of Sunday night, according to UConn police spokesman Major Ronald Blicher.

"Task force investigators continued working through the weekend, and continued making progress on both Saturday and Sunday," Blicher said via e-mail. "As new information is presented to investigators, additional areas may be searched for evidence."

Besides the searching of the storm drain on Fairfield Way earlier this week, police have also searched Swan Lake and used UConn's canine unit to search near Towers dormitories this weekend.

"UConn K-9 team officer Paul Osella and Benny [his dog] were searching in that area [by Towers] on Friday in conjunction with this investigation," Blicher said via e-mail.

Towers dormitories are located on the edge of the UConn campus and, like Swan Lake, are closest to the main entrance of campus that can be accessed from Interstate 84.

Amidst rain, the state police's dive team searched Swan Lake, located on North Eagleville Road near this entrance of campus, for evidence. The state police searched the lake from about 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. when the threat of thunderstorms ended the search, according to the Hartford Courant.

Two divers swept the lake floor for evidence and what looked like an underwater metal detector was used, according to John Kennedy, associate news editor of The Daily Campus, who witnessed the search on Saturday afternoon.

According to Kennedy, there were two tents on either side of Swan Lake, one blue and one red, presumably set up because of the rain that persisted throughout the afternoon.

At least two state trooper vehicles were on site in addition to an equipment truck, Kennedy said.

The area around Swan Lake was not cordoned off by police, and students were able to walk close to the scene of the search, he said.

Police were also on the side of the lake closest to the CLAS building on Glenbrook Road.

Police did not comment as to whether or not evidence was found on campus this weekend.

The UConn Division of Athletics has created two funds in the name of Jasper Howard: "The Jasper T. Howard Endowed Scholarship" for an outstanding UConn cornerback, and "The Jasper Howard Fund," which will mainly assist the Howard family, including his unborn daughter.

Sixteen of the $20 that the newly introduced "No. 6" T-shirt costs will go toward these funds, according to the UConn Co-op's Husky Direct Web site. The shirts go on sale today, according to the Courant.

Howard's funeral is to be held at 11 a.m. today at the New Birth Baptist Church in Miami. It will be Webcast live at: www.newbirthbaptistmiami.org/live_webcast.htm, according to the Courant. The UConn football team will be in attendance for the services.