Ukiah Daily Journal from Ukiah, California • Page 20

Daily Journal, Ukiah, Calif. Thursday, February 15, 1979 Obscure murder leads to 'Judo Connection' drug ring By RICHARD M. HARNKTT SAN FRANCISCO (UPl) When the body of Lee Frickstad Hassler was found wrapped in a tarpaulin with two bullets in his head by a couple of hikers in El Dorado County on Oct. 6, 1976, few paid much attention. The name of this 35-year-old UC dropout and judo fan did not ring a very loud bell anywhere.

But soon Lee Hassler's name was ringing bells for international drug agents throughout Europe and Asia as well as in the United States. Hassler was a key link in a web of international drug smuggling that involved a worldwide group of Black Belt judo experts. He was a supplier for Ragusa, a drug dealer who was brutally slain with his wife and sister a year ago in Oakland. Two men in the "Judo Connection" are currently on trial in Germany, William Backhus, of Philadelphia, and Clarence Watson, of Portsmouth, Va. The prosecution of a suspect in the Ragusa killings is on the back burner while federal agents pursue the many remaining strands in the web.

Besides the murders of Hassler and Ragusa, a half dozen other deaths have been linked to the case. None has been solved. Hassler's body had been stripped of identification and his boots (where he kept thousands of dollars hidden) were gone. Police identified him from fingerprints and found he lived with his elderly parents in Berkeley, was unmarried and secretive. In autos Hassler owned, and in his room, they found guns, drugs and a list of names and telephone numbers apparently including some thai convinced agents Hassler was "the link" between the drug ring and the mystet-ious 29-year-oid Ragusa, who lived quietly in a plush, heavily guarded, Oakland hills home.

Investigators learned that Hassler had been behind the scenes in several other drug cases in California, Uiat he, mel Ragusa and agreed to supply him with three kilos of "ET," a substance from which LSD is made, and that he maintained an in Hanover, Germany. Meanwhile detectives in Germany 'ooking into the Connection" which had been buying illegal drugs had come up with the name "Lee." At that point in the investigation there occurred one of those dramatic sequences as bizarre as the wildest fiction. Backhus, also a judo Black Belt, acquired the uniform of a U.S. Army Military Police major. He went to Hassler's apartment in Hanover, with another confederate posing as an interpreter.

He told the landlady he was there to collect Hassler's effects. Backhus found money and papers but did not find the key to Hassler's safety deposit. Police later found the keys in a pair of sox in the apartment. Cash and drugs were in the bank vault. Backhus then made a quick trip to the United Stated, to let his buyers know that he "had nothing to do with Hassler's killing." The only lead police'developed to Hassler's death was a man named Jim Teegarden, said to be a former Alaska state trooper a nd bush pilot.

His name had been found on Hassler's list. He was questioned about the killing but gave detectives no information and promptly disappeared. One arrest was made in the Ragusa slayings. Lawrence Reilly, 30, is in the Alameda County Jail awaiting trial. Police say he will not talk because "he says ho is dead if he talks" and is safer in jail than out.

Reilly, like Ragusa, is from New York, and both are said to have Mafia links. One judo expert, Garry Friedrichs, of Reno, has been, tried and sentenced for receiving drugs through the "connection." Today 's Almanac By United Press International Today is Thursday, Feb 15, the 46th day 1979 with 319 to follow. The moon is moving from its full phase to its last quarter. The morning stars are Venus, Mars and Saturn. The evening stars are Jupiter and Mercury.

Those born on this date are under the sign' of Aquarius. Susan B. Anthony, American pioneer fighter for women's rights, was born Feb. 15, 1820. On this day in history: In 1898, the U.S.

batUeship "Maine" exploded in Havana harbor, killing 260 crewmen and leading to a U.S. declaration of war against Spain. In 1933, President-elect D. Roosevelt narrowly escaped -assassination in Miami, when a fanatic fired several bullets at him and fatally wounded Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak instead. In 1972yAttorney General John resigned to direct President Richard Nixon's reelection campaign.

A thought for the day: In his first inaugural address in Depression-plagued 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt Jpld the nation, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." COMINGSOON TO UKIAH the DALE CARNEGIE COURSE Some of the many ways the Dale Carnegie Course helps men and women Develop Greater Poise and Sel Confidence. Communicate More Effectively. Be At Ease in Any Situation." Discover and Develop Their Potential Abilities. Be a Better Conversationalist Remember Names.

Control Tension and Anxiety. Acouire a Better Understanding of Human Relations. Be At Your Best with Any Group. For Further Information Write or Phone This Newspaper, Phone 468-0123 SPONSORED tN UKIAH BY THE UkJahDaJlq Journal Hrescnted by Byron (Bud) Thompson TV Highlights By United Press International 8 p.m. CBS, "The Waltons." Dee Godsey suffers a heart attack and his wife blames herself.

NBC, "Little Women." ABC, "Mork Mindy." Mork yearns for a baby of his own and innocently arranges to buy one from a shifty character. PBS, Memories From Eden." 8:30 p.m. ABC, "Angle." Brad's multi-millionaire father decrees that Angie, Brad and Angle's mother must fly to Palm Springs so he can look Angie over. 9 p.m. CBS, "The 21st Annual Grammy Awards." John Denver hosts the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences' awards for outstanding artistic and technical achievements in the recording field.

NBC, "Quincy." Quincy tries to clear a veteran police officer (Neville Brand) of the charge of killing a drug-addicted teenager. ABC, "Three's Company." Janet invites a man to the apartment, expecting mistakenly the two of them will be alone. PBS, "Getting Elected in Papua New Guinea." 9:30 p.m. ABC, "Taxi." Bobby lands a role in a soap opera. 10 p.m.

NBC, "Women in White." In this second installment of a three-part miniseries, a grief-stricken nurse (Patty Duke Astin) fights a hospital ruling that prohibits her from disconnecting her terminally ill father from a medical life- support system. ABC, "Barney Miller." Barney and his men hold an open house at the precinct and are immediately besieged by hordes of panhandlers. PBS, "Sneak Preview." 10:30 p.m. ABC, "Soap." Jessica breaks the news to Chester about her involvement with Detective Donahue. PBS, "All For One." 11 p.m.

PBS, "The Dick Cavett Show." CBS, "M.A.S.H." The 4077th is the' target of a penicillin thief. (R). NBC, "The Tonight Show." Johnny Carson hosts. ABC, "Siarsky and Hutch." Two dancers are murdered after receiving warning notes from a man who claims he heard their deaths being plotted in a phone conversation. (R).

PBS, ABC's Evening News captioned for the hearing- impaired. 1 a.m. NBC, "The Tomorrow Show." Tom Synder hosts. A 5 H.P. Chain Drive REVERSE 50 ft.

HOSE 3 H.P. 20" Cut ROTARY MOWER "ASK US WE'RE HERE TO HELP" DIAMOIMD LUMBER BUILDING MATERIALS MM ATI4 UKIAH STORE 235 E. PERKINS ST. 462-4754 Open 7-5 Weekdays 8-5 Sat. Items Subject to Stock on hand O.B.

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