Bodies found in city parks tend to end up being the type of killing this city is, sadly, used to -- the dumped body of a drug dealer or addict or a domestic gone bad. But city cops today announced arrests in two cases -- the deaths of a blind and mentally disabled man found in Leakin Park and of a college student found dead in Herring Run Park.

Opposite sides of the city and two completely different murders. One might be implicated in another murder; the other police say might be the work of a counselor involved in an elaborate insurance scheme. One thing is clear, neither is your typical back alley, late night drug deal gone bad.

We have a team of reporters working both cases; check back here and with our Saturday newspaper for more.

I'll start first with the death of Lemeul Wallace, whose body was found Feb. 4 in West Baltimore's Leakin Park, a notorious and historic graveyard for killers. Police have charged Kevin J. Pushia, a 32-year-old pastor and counselor who worked at home for mentally ill, with hiring a hitman to kill him.

The victim was found lying face down in a bathroom and had been shot in the head and back. Less than a month later, police said an agent for Globe Life Insurance Co. contacted homicide detectives to make sure the "beneficiary was not a suspect in his death." The beneficiary was Pushia, who according to court charging documents, had taken out a $200,000 life insurance policy on the victim and claimed to be his brother.

Police then searched Pushia's Northeast Baltimore home and said they found "numerous life insurance policies in the name of Lemuel Wallace." In the counselor's day planner, police said an entry the day Wallace was killed read, "L.W. project completed."

Police said that Pushia took out as many as six life insurance policies in Wallace's name with an estimated value of $1 million. He worked as the operations manager for ARC of Baltimore and got to know the victim "while entrusted to his care."

According to police, "Mr. Pushia explained that he had taken out numerous life insurance policies on mentally challenged individuals with limited life expectancies, based upon their health conditions." He told police that he paid someone $50,000 -- stolen from Greater Faith Tabernacle Church of Deliverance" -- to have Wallace killed.

Police do not say why Wallace was killed -- whether he lived beyond expectations or grew suspicious of him.

The second case involves the death of Kiuna Jackson, 19, a college student whose body was found Aug. 15 in Herring Run Park. Police charged Ronnie Winkler, 34, with her death and with raping another woman in September. He was in jail awaiting trial on that rape case when police charged him with murder; authorities also are looking at other cases that may be linked to the suspect.

Jackson's body was found about 7 a.m. under the Harford Road bridge, on the bank of a tributary. Police noted marks on her neck and her death was ruled homicide by strangulation. Police said Jackson had met Winkler through a mutual friend. A witness told police that she saw Winkler driving Jackson's 2003 GMC Yukon after her body had been found, according to court documents.

The earlier rape for which Winkler has been charged occurred on East 31st Street on Aug. 30. Police said the 16-year-old victim had been waiting for a bus on Harford Road when she approached Winkler sitting on rowhouse steps and said hello.

Police charging documents say she asked to go inside to use the bathroom, after which a man "pulled a black stocking around her neck and began to choke her." The victim told police she was forced into a bedroom and raped. "Don't say anything and I will give you some money," the man told her, according to the police charging documents.

Police said the girl was able leave after the attack, called police and picked Winkler from a photo lineup.