The State - News from Feb. 29, 1988

A popular criminal lawyer who was stabbed to death at a Mountain View bank may have been the victim of a client, police said. Gretchen Burford, 49, who was attacked in the drive-up teller lane of the bank, was last seen alive leaving her Palo Alto office hours earlier, officers said. “We don’t know whodid this, but we can’t rule out that it could have been one of her clients,” Police Lt. Steve Gray said. The assa176871051020s, 6-foot to 6-foot-3, 180 pounds and wearing loose-fitting athletic clothing--fled on foot. Police were able to assemble a very accurate sketch of his face from witnesses’ descriptions. “She was one of those warm, energetic people who was really invigorated,”542335342Lance Bayer said of Burford. “She really dug into her cases and was willing to put in tireless effort for her clients.”