The week in review

By Times staff writers

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 13, 2000

WOMAN SHOOTS, KILLS INTRUDER: Moments after shooting a masked neighbor who tried to sexually assault her at knifepoint, a terrified Maria Pittaras called 911. "I just shot a man, a man was just in my house, and tried raping me, and I shot him, oh my God," Pittaras, trembling and struggling for breath, told a Pasco County dispatcher early Wednesday.

Pittaras feared her attacker wasn't dead and might still come after her. "Please hurry," she begged."He's still alive; he's going to come back after me."

The tape of the 911 call reflects the horror felt by the 28-year-old Pittaras, who lived alone in her Land O'Lakes home.

Just before 2 a.m. Wednesday, Robert Metz left the bed he shared with his wife and walked four doors down the street to Pittaras' house, the Sheriff's Office reported. He climbed through a guest bedroom window and crawled on top of Pittaras, putting a knife to her throat, according to reports.

She reached for the loaded .38-caliber handgun she kept on her nightstand. As she did, the weapon misfired into the wall. Pittaras then managed to put the gun to Metz's neck and squeezed the trigger, killing him almost instantly.

The Sheriff's Office cleared Pittaras of any wrongdoing, saying she was defending herself from an attempted sexual assault.

Family members said Robert Metz was a hard worker, dedicated family man and a friend to everyone he met in the Turtle Lakes subdivision. But a darker side began to emerge as Metz slipped into clinical depression four years ago, his wife said. He sought help as soon as he noticed a change in his personality. Then, in April 1996, a month after he started taking anti-depressant medication, he attempted suicide.

OVERDOSE INVOLVED SEVERAL DRUGS: One of two Carrollwood teenagers found dead in a friend's house July 9 had taken several drugs and died of an overdose, medical officials have concluded.

Large concentrations of codeine, Dilaudid and a rave drug known as ecstasy were found in the blood and urine of 19-year-old Scott Davis when he died, according to a toxicology report.

A report on the other teenager, 16-year-old Chris Lain, is expected this week.

Both teens had stayed overnight at the home of Jeremiah Faust, a 19-year-old friend who lives at 17209 Gunn Highway. Around noon, both were found dead on couches after Davis' father went to the home to check on his son.

Wayne Duer, a toxicologist with the county Medical Examiner's Office, said Davis could have taken the drugs shortly before he died, or a large quantity earlier in the day. "Any one of the three drugs could have killed him," Duer said.

USF SETS ANOTHER FUNDING RECORD: For the fourth year in a row, the University of South Florida has set a record for research funding, further cementing its position as one of the state's pre-eminent research engines. USF scholars and scientists attracted $171.4-million in contracts and grants in 1999-2000, an increase of $10-million from last year, the university announced Thursday.

The College of Medicine took in $63-million, more than any other school or department. But officials said almost every area of the university contributed.

In Florida, USF trails only the University of Florida in research dollars attracted. UF, the state's largest and oldest university, garnered $296-million last year and expects to easily exceed $300-million when it releases its total this month.

USF officials warned, however, that growth is likely to slow here unless the university receives additional funding for laboratories and equipment.

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