*

Edward Williams later told police that the garage door was open and the light was on when he pulled into the driveway at Tommy Zeigler’s house.  There were no cars.  The only vehicle in the drive was Tommy’s pickup truck.

Williams pulled in and blew his horn.  When nobody came out, Williams went into the garage to knock on the door that led from the garage into the house.  There, stuck in the crack of the door, was a note in Zeigler’s handwriting.  It read: “Edward Wait I’ll be right back” and was signed “Z.”

Williams noted the time: 7:28.

He got in his truck.  He pulled in behind the pickup, on the left side of the driveway, to make room for the car when Zeigler drove in.

He sat and he waited.

*

Beulah Zeigler returned home alone from the candlelight service.  Eunice and her parents had not come to church after all.

Her maid, Mary, was gone by the time Mrs. Zeigler arrived home.  Her husband, who was still showing the effects of his stroke the previous summer, was getting ready for bed.

Beulah Zeigler had work to do, preparing food for the Christmas meal.  She did not go next door to her son’s house.  She did not hear or see anything unusual in the driveway.  She was unaware.

*

Around 7:00, Don and Rita Ficke opened presents in their home with their children and Rita’s parents, who were visiting from Jacksonville. 

Earlier in the day, Eunice Zeigler and Rita had arranged for the two couples to drive together to the Van Deventer party.  Don and Rita had moved to Winter Garden in late 1973 when Don became the town police chief, and the two men and their wives had become close.

Ficke understood that the party was to start at 7:00.  He wasn’t surprised that the Zeiglers hadn’t shown up on time, however.  Tommy and Eunice were inevitably late for any social occasion.  Ficke wasn’t especially anxious to attend the party: he had had disagreements with Judge Van Deventer.  Ficke was not good friends with anyone who was going to be there except Tommy Zeigler.

A few minutes after 8:00, Don and Rita got in his unmarked police car and decided to find Tommy and Eunice.  Ficke was not armed.