Informant Links 3 To Tate Murders
Close Friend Of One Victims Says Dope Involvement Is Key To Case
August 16, 1969
Los Angeles Times
By Jerry Cohen
Times Staff Writer
Policed kept close guard for a sixth straight night Friday on a man who says
he believes he knows the killer or killers responsible for last weekend's
Benedict Canyon massacre.
The informant, who say he fears for his life, claims Polish Playboy Voyteck
Frykowski, 37, was the principal target of the mass murder which left five dead,
including actress Sharon Tate.
The motive behind the slayings was Frykowski’s deep involvement with
narcotics distributions, the man has told police.
If he is correct, the four other victims presumably died as a byproduct of
Frykowski’s execution.
The informant, like Frykowski is a Polish immigrant. He was a close friend of
the dead man.
"Names Of Three Given"
He has given detectives the names of at least three persons, one of whom he
believes was actively involved in the blood-letting leading late last Friday
night or early last Saturday at the rented estate Miss Tate, 26, and husband,
Polish Director Roman Polanski. Polanski was in London at the time.
Other names supplied to police are presumably thought by the informant to
have had a role in the killings or at least some knowledge of the crime.
One person named by him is an aspiring Hollywood actor, known chiefly to
industry figures but unfamiliar to the movie-going public.
The informant was invited to the fateful party at the Tate-Polanski estate,
but said he worked late into the night and thus escaped the fate of the five
slain.
But the informant has indicated he is certain the killer or killers know that
he can identify them.
Originally, he was afraid to talk to police, but was persuaded to do so
during the day Sunday by out-of-town confidants.
Two detectives have remained by his side ever since he first spoke with
investigators Sunday night.
It is known that detectives had acted on his information, but they declined
to say what has been developed from it.
However, there are persuasive indications that the focus of their
investigation has concentrated on his story, which, essentially, follows this
line:
Not long after Frykowski, a close friend of director Polanski in Poland, came
to this country two years ago, he met coffee heiress Abigail (Gibby) Folger, 26,
in New York City. She was another victim of the slaughtered.
"What has happened really is a love tragedy," said the informant.
Says Cocaine Was Involved
Miss Folger, he continued, became the mistress of Frykowski, and she
introduced him to the use of cocaine, the informant said.
Frykowski became interested in another woman, but Miss Folger, who was deeply
in love with him, established her claim to him by supplying him with funds for
his drug habit, the informant said.
She and Frykowski moved to California several months ago, and set up
housekeeping at 2774 Woodstock Road, in Laurel Canyon.
According to Frykowski's friends, the cocaine deliveries were made to Miss
Folger, who then turned the drug supplies over to him.
But somehow, Frykowski reportedly became personally involved with drug
distributors himself, the informant said.
This involvement-the precise nature which is unknown-led to the mass murder,
the informant claims.
Whether Frykowski was involved in some kind of double-cross or was considered
a threat to the prosperity of dope peddlers is a matter of speculation,
regardless of the informant’s story.
As early as last Tuesday, it was learned that drugs were found in the
expensive sports car of Jay Sebring, 35, the wealthy hair-stylist who was
another of the victims.
Frykowski's friend and associate said they were offered cocaine a month ago
by Miss Folger, after a delivery of the drug to the Tate-Polanski estate. Both
said they declined it.
Tells Of Invitation
The informant said Frykowski and Miss Folger moved into the residence on the
estate four months ago when Polanski and his wife went to Europe and wanted
someone to keep watch on their belongings. Frykowski's father financed
Polanski's early film ventures in Poland.
While it is known that the social set which revolved around Polanski was
marijuana-oriented, the informant said the famed director was fiercely opposed
to the use of "hard stuff."
The friend said Frykowski had extended an invitation to the party while
visiting his place of business about 6:00 PM last Friday.
The friend presently has in his possession a note written on Miss Folger’s
stationary in which she professed true love for Frykowski. The note reads:
"It is beautiful. I love you. "
He said cocaine deliveries were made to Miss Folger and later to the
Tate-Polanski residence after the director and his actress-wife left for Europe.
The deliveries were made by what he described in halting English, as:
"Bandits."
"You mean drug peddlers?" he was asked.
"Yes," he replied.
Miss Folger parents, Mr. And Mrs. Peter Folger of Woodside, confirmed Friday
that their daughter had met Frykowski in New York City, that they had been
dating and that they had been staying at the Tate-Polanski residence.
Both said they had no indication that Miss Folger was using "hard" drugs but
the father said she "may have" smoked marijuana.
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