Police See "Copycat Killer" In Slaying Of Los Feliz Couple
Similarities noted with Benedict Canyon murders: weird,
ritualistic overtones, words written in blood
August 12, 1969
Los Angeles Times
By Lee Dye
Times Staff Writer
Police leaned Monday toward the theory that the knife murder of a Los Feliz
couple was the work of a "copycat killer."
Market Owner Leno LaBianca, 44 and his wife, Rosemary, 38, were stabbed to
death Sunday in their home at 3301 Waverly Drive. The killing was in many ways
similar to the slaying of actress Sharon Tate and four companions late Friday or
early Saturday at Miss Tate's rented estate in Benedict Canyon.
Detectives investigating both cases found startling similarities-savage,
senseless killings carried out with weird, almost ritualistic overtones.
But while the gruesome scenes were similar, police said there was little
evidence the slayings were committed by the same persons.
Killed In Boyhood Home
LaBianca was killed in the home into which he had moved as a boy 30 years
ago. The house is in a district some 15 miles from the scene of the earlier
crime. It is in an upper middle class neighborhood far removed both by distance
and way of life from the secluded estate where four Hollywood socialites and an
eighteen-year-old youth died in a similar manner.
"There is a similarity in the slayings," said police Sgt. Bryce Houchin. "But
whether it's the same suspect or a copycat, we just don't know."
Other officers investigating the crimes indicated they were inclined to
believe the second slayings were the work of a "copycat," possibly someone who
mimicked the Benedict Canyon killings in hope of misleading detectives.
Although police tended to discount a common killer, one aspect of the two
cases remain particularly disturbing Monday:
The word "death" was written in blood on the refrigerator door in the
LaBianca residence, apparently with a heel of the killer’s hand, police said.
The word "pig" was left on the door of Miss Tate's home, also written in blood,
apparently with the heel of a hand.
One police officer involved in the investigation in both cases said the
writing was very similar.
It was not widely known prior to the LaBianca killing that the writing on
Miss Tate's door was done with such an unusual technique.
Police remained baffled Monday over the motivation of the killer or killers.
There was no evidence anything had been removed from the LaBianca home.
Police Look For A "Copycat" In New Slayings
LaBianca was owner of Gateway's Market, a chain of profitable markets in the
Los Angeles area.
LaBianca, his wife, and Mrs. LaBianca's daughter by a previous marriage,
Suzan Struthers, 21, returned about midnight Saturday from a water skiing outing
to Lake Isabella.
They dropped Miss Struthers off at her nearby apartment, drove to the home on
Waverly Drive, and parked their green, four-door Thunderbird, its trailered
fifteen-foot inboard still hooked behind, next to the curving driveway leading
up to the home.
At 8:30 PM Sunday, Mrs. LaBianca's son, Frank Struthers, fourteen, who had
been water skiing with friends, came to the house, saw lights burning, but
couldn't get into the house. No one answered his knocks.
He went to a neighbor's House and phoned his sister. He told her things
looked peculiar at the home. A door usually left open was locked. No one would
come to the door.
Driven To Home
The sister called a friend, Joseph Dorgan, 24, who picked up Miss Struthers
and then her brother and drove them to the Waverly Drive home.
Miss Struthers stayed in the car. The other two entered the home through a
window-and found a scene of horror:
LaBianca, in his pajamas, was dead on the living room floor. He had been
stabbed repeatedly, and the word "War" and a series of "X’s" had been carved
into his chest with a knife.
Over his head was a white hood.
In the master bedroom they found the body of Mrs. LaBianca, wearing a
negligee, an electrical cord wound around her neck, also dead from repeated stab
wounds.
On a refrigerator was written in blood: "Death."
On a living room wall was written in blood: "Death to pigs." It was in
letters about 8 inches high.
Dorgan called police. It was 10:30 PM
"The bedroom was in a turmoil, like she gave quite a struggle," said Sgt.
Terry Pierce. "But there was nothing out of place in the living room. Evidently
he was surprised."
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