Who Murdered Pauline Storment?

The Intersecting Worlds of South Duncan Avenue. In the shadow of the University of Arkansas, the 1971 investigation into the death of Pauline Storment began. It reveals a network of social and professional overlaps. One notable detail preserved in investigative records concerns Gordon Cummings. He was a student who lived at the northeast corner of Duncan and Putnam. This location was directly across the street from Pauline’s apartment. Public records and witness summaries name Gordon as the son of Judge Maupin Cummings. Judge Cummings was the official who presided over the first legal proceedings for the person first charged in the case. Witness accounts from the time describe a daytime visit from two unidentified men just days before the crime. This includes a statement from Pauline’s roommate, Alice Pat Murphy. According to these records, the women declined an invitation for drinks. After the decline, the men were seen walking toward the residence where Gordon Cummings lived. Shortly thereafter, Pauline reportedly received an unsettling, anonymous phone call that left her visibly distressed. These threads were documented by the Arkansas State Police. They illustrate the proximity between the victim’s neighborhood circle and the judicial structure overseeing the investigation. This connection remains a point of historical interest in this cold case.