Police Screen Photos in Tate Murder Case
Negatives of Pictures Taken by Victims Give Possible New Leads
August 21, 1969
Los Angeles Times
By Jerry Cohen
Time staff writer
Police are exploring the possibility that one victims of the Benedict Canyon
mass murder may have photographed the killer or killers at some interval before
the crime, it was learned Wednesday.
Polish playboy Voyteck Frykowski, 37, a gifted amateur photographer,
frequently took pictures of friends, acquaintances and even strangers during
parties and informal gatherings.
Police have confiscated Frykowski’s negatives. Contact prints made from them
figure prominently in the present investigation.
Some of Frykowski’s photos, it is known, were snapped in the hilltop home
above Laurel Canyon where he lived with coffee heiress Abigail (Gibby) Folger,
another of the five victims.
Some Photos Taken At Estate
Others were taken at the rented Tate-Polanski estate in Benedict Canyon scene
of the slaughter early Aug. 9, say witnesses who have viewed the pictures.
Friends of the victims have identified faces in the photos and supplied
police with names and information about the subjects.
Numerous persons recognizable in the contact prints have been questioned. All
have been released as far as known.
What the question produced is not precisely known.
However, one actor pictured in one group photo told The Times he had supplied
investigators with information about others photographed which he thought was
very helpful to the police.
Another actor photographed by Frykowski said the faces of movie celebrities
appear among the pictures.
Viewed 20 sheets of Prints
He said he had viewed about 20 sheets of contact prints, each of which bore
numerous pictures.
The second actor said he was a friend of Frykowski but the latter
photographed him at the suggestion of Roman Polanski, husband of slain actress
Sharon Tate.
“ I knew roman in Europe, and when he learned I was coming to this country,
he suggested that Voyteck take still photos of me,” The actor said.
He explained that, until recently, he had been living abroad, but is now
seeking movie roles here and needed quality photographs of himself for promotion
purposes.
The actor said he was questioned at great length and that officers had
expressed “great interest” in him.
He left the implication that he thought police once might have considered him
a suspect because his face appeared among Frykowski’s negatives.
It is believed that a substantial number of the pictures appearing on the
proof sheets being shown by police were taken by Frykowski.
The second actor said he got the impression, while being questioned, that
detectives were crosschecking names obtained from a “phone book” found in the
Tate-Polanski residence against photos.
Police in a clarifying statement disclosed Wednesday that more than 200
person have been interviewed during the investigation “and many remain to be
interviewed”.
“We have the names of many individuals we would want to interview and some of
them are in different jurisdictions. We have made inquiries of the authorities
in those jurisdictions requesting assistance in locating those persons…At this
time we have no warrants for the arrest of anyone”.
Detectives declined to amplify the printed statement.
Frykowski and Miss Folger moved into the Benedict Canyon estate temporally
four months ago when director Roman Polanski and his wife, Miss Tate, left for
Europe.
Miss Tate returned home about a month ago ahead of her husband to await the
birth of their baby.
While living at the Tate-Polanski home, Miss Folger continued to maintain her
own hilltop home. A friend said she and Frykowski were planning to return to it
August 10---the day after the mass murder.
Slain besides Frykowski, Miss Folger and Miss Tate were wealthy hair stylist
Jay Sebring and an 18-year old El Monte youth, Steven Parent.
The police investigation has focused largely on the narcotics aspects of the
case.
Police Clarify Four Points in Tate Case
Police clarified four aspects of the Sharon Tate murder case Wednesday.
Presence of drugs at the scene of the crime: “Narcotics were found on the
premises.”
Widely rumored (and printed) reports of sexual mutilation of the five
victims: “None of the bodies had wounds involving the sex organs.”
Writing in blood on the door of the residence: “The word ‘PIG’ written in
blood was found on the premises. The letters were ‘P-I-G’ not ‘P-I-C.’ “
Of rumors of the Tate murders were linked with deaths of two Los Feliz area
people the next day: “At present, there is no evidence to connect these
murders with any others.”
The details were released by inspector Harold Yarnell.
The fact that “pig” was written on the door, that narcotics had been found at
the scene and that there were no sexual mutilation appeared earlier in The
times, although police at the time declined to verify these facts, saying they
might include details known only to the killers.
“Pick” is the nickname of a Canadian at one time sought for questioning in
connection with the spelling on the door apparently dispels and possibility the
word linked him to the case.
