Community mourns slain researcher

Only days after his 38th birthday, well-respected University biochemist Vladimir Sled was stabbed to death near campus. When Vladimir Sled was only 12 years old, his father died of a serious illness. A tragic twist of fate left his own 12-year-old son fatherless Thursday night, when the University research associate -- described by friends as shy and considerate -- was murdered near campus. Only four days after his 38th birthday, Sled was stabbed to death on 43rd street and Larchwood Avenue at 11:15 p.m. Thursday as he struggled with a male assailant who tried to steal his fiance's pocketbook. His fiance, Cecelia Hagerall, also a Penn researcher in biochemistry and biophysics, was not injured in the attack, which took place as the two walked home from their lab. University and Philadelphia police are following a number of leads in the murder but have not yet arrested any suspects, University Investigator John Peterson said. And Penn Police Sgt. Keith Christian said last night there were no new developments in the case over the weekend. Sled began his work in Penn's Biophysics and Biochemistry departments in 1992, after seven years at Moscow State University. He came to Penn to use the scientific technologies Moscow State could not afford. His research on how cells convert foodstuffs into energy earned him the respect of his department colleagues, Biochemistry and Biophysics Professor Tomoko Ohnishi said. And his warmth and sincerity earned him the personal affection of his peers, Ohnishi added. "He was always teasing me," she said with a laugh, complimenting Sled's sophisticated sense of humor. "But I could always tell [when he was joking] by looking at his eyes." Ohnishi, who directs the grant on which Sled was working, said he would always walk her to her car in the evenings -- for safety's sake. "I was devastated when I was told [about Sled's death]," she said. "I will miss him forever." Ohnishi will meet with members of her department today to discuss how to remember Sled and return his body to Moscow as quickly as possible for burial. Sled met his fiance, Hagerall, when she came to Penn in 1994 to finish doctoral thesis research. He taught the Swedish woman how to use new technology. After Ohnishi hired Hagerall, she and Sled often worked together on related research projects. Though not physically hurt in Thursday's attack, Hagerall's pain as she deals with the brutal murder is acute. She has asked friends to give her time and space to grieve, Ohnishi said. In addition to his work in the lab, Sled played classical guitar and loved anything written by Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. Sled's co-workers gave him an electric guitar for his 38th birthday last Monday, and he had joked that his son used the gift more frequently than he did. University President Judith Rodin issued a statement Friday calling Sled's murder a "despicable and cowardly act." University Investigators Bill Danks and Frank DeMeo, who are assisting the city's homicide unit with the investigation into Sled's murder, were unable to follow one lead this weekend because they were still waiting for information from a city office that was closed, Peterson said Friday night. Police believe Sled's assailant -- joined by several others during the struggle -- fired shots at the victim, Peterson said. But the city's medical examiners found no gunshot wounds when they performed Sled's autopsy over the weekend.

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