◆ SpookStack

Despite similarities — hooded victims, repeated stabbing wounds, bloody writing by the murderers —detectives investigated the two as separate cases, believing the La Bianca killings were a copy of the highly publicized Tate slayings. Then, two weeks ago, a break in the case began to develop. Police suspected that the same band of murderous nomads had slain all seven victims. Some time after detec- tives from the Tate team had gone to Inyo County to return arrested mem- bers of a car theft ring as murder suspects, repor- ters began to probe possib- le links between the car ring and the Benedict Canyon murders. A Topanga Canyon mur- der case involved at least one of the same names as those arrested in Inyo County. An informant in the Topanga Canyon case, it was learned, had also given authorities informa- tiop-o»-+he Tate murder. Police and district attar- ney's aides at first asked news media representa- tives including The Times, which learned of the break in the case almost immedi- ately, not to print what they knew. The media agreed, but police were besieged with inquires as ~ hints spread the solution was near. With the arrest of one suspect and the impend- ing arrest of two others, Davis called his press con- ference. Privately, some mem- bers of the district attor- ney's staff objected to the disclosures made by Da- vis, since the investigation is still continuing. Davis declined to answer many questions asked by news- men for this reason—and because of the pending prosecution The chief had answéred his last question when Mayor Sam Yorty walked onto the anditorizim stage. "Sorry, I got late," said the mayor, ad- vancing on the podium, "There were serious ré- servations as to what I could say, because of the district attorney's office,” the chief said. here 50 | "T just want to say a few | s," the mayor said. He told newsmen: "The city gov and the Police Depart- “qnent are very gra the news media for the cooperation we have had . many people could have damaged our case if vat panes been 80 CO00- Pate weil ‘said "he had“had nie doubts, since the day of the murders, that the Los Angeles Police Depart-~ ment would solve the- crime. ae