Newspaper of the Central Coast
THE
TRIBUNE Monica Fiscalin i —————————
CENTRAL COAS T
Hom etown Tal e s
Living
Goofy e-mails provide online fun for everyone
I
’m not a big fan of finding mailbox full of jokes via a email, but this week I got two winners.
Sunday,
Here’s the condensed report. Alleged examples of in-flight announcements: (I’ve deleted the airline names to avoid trouble.)
BOOKS
New mystery for Sammy Keyes fans
• From an airline employee: “There may be 50 ways to your lover, but there are leave only four ways out of this airplane.” • After landing: “Thank for flying. We hope you you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride.”
SUNDAY
Nurture your love all year long Central Coast Living, H1
Artist’s works inspired by moms Local, B1
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• After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms Memphis, a flight attendant in announced: “Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted.” • From an airline employee: “Welcome aboard. To operate your seatbelt, insert the metal tab into the buckle and pull tight. It works just like every other seatbelt and if you don’t know how to operate one, you probably shouldn’t be out public unsupervised. In in the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with secure your mask before you, ing with theirs. If you are assisttraveling with two small children, decide now which one you love more.” • “Your seat cushions can be used for flotation. In the event an emergency water landing, of please take them with our compliments.”
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THE TRIBUNE
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San Luis Obispo County,
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LOVE If you want that most important relationship in your life to than flowers on Feb. 14. Here flourish and grow, it’ll take are a few ways you can spread more the TLC over all 365 days of the year. By Linda Lewis Griffith Special to The Tribune
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Love is like a garden, and couples need to TRIBUNE PHOTO BY DAVID work to keep the romance MIDDLECAMP through simple gestures blooming. Showing affection such as hugs, hand-holding and kisses can help ensure a happy relationship.
ant love to bloom with your sweetie? Then make it a yearlong affair. Although candy and flowers are fine on Feb. 14, do the other 364 days that it’s what you health of your relationship.determines the You see, love’s a lot like a garden. It requires attention on a regular basis. Successful gardeners water, weed, trim and pick to keep their plots lush and Great partners do the same green. thing. They pay close attention to the special someone in their lives to ensure happiness and nip problems in the bud. Unfortunately, most people spend more time tending to their cars than they do to their significant others. They fill the gas tank once a week, change the oil every INSIDE 3,000 miles and wash the windows when More Linda they’re streaked. Lewis Griffith: But pay attention to How well does their life-long partyour valentine ners? Oh, forget it. measure up? Anniversary cards if they’re lucky. Or an Page H7 occasional night out to a show. But when it comes to regular affection, sorry, I want to watch Of course, dating’s a different the game. story. It’s a 24-7 event. Couples can’t do each other. Love is foremost enough for in But after the newness wears their minds. I-do’s have all been promised, off, or the boredom seeps into the picture. Life humdrum. Partners stop teeters on the trying to please each other. Relationships saw logs. This needn’t be the outcome. Relationships can stay lively and vibrant. Just grab the ol’ wheelbarrow and work boots, and head out to your garden of love. Start by expressing lots of you’s, hugs, hand-holding affection. I-loveand kisses tell your sweetheart, “I think you’re Seek ways to keep connectedthe best.” during your busy days. E-mails between your muPlease see LOVE, H7
15 M i n u t e s W i t h
February 11, 2001
San
Oceano Dunes
Luis
Obispo
County,
California
$ 1.25 tax included
THE PEOPLE VS. REX ALLAN KREBS
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Residents snarled by a sea of sand
Trial set to begin The frightening story that began on a November night in 1998 enters its most anticipated chapter Wednesday as jury selection commences in Monterey County.
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Concerns grow in wake of state’s grading limits
The Krebs file: A timeline NOV. 13, 1998 — Rachel Newhouse reported missing by her roommate.
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DEC. 15, 1998 — Gov. Pete Wilson adds $50,000 to a reward fund offered for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of Newhouse’s abductor. Combined with money from Newhouse’s parents and California Angels baseball player Jim Edmonds, the total reward offered is $110,000.
By Stephanie Finucane The Tribune
Grain by grain, a massive sand dune is building in front of Ken Briegleb’s beach house on Strand Way in Oceano — threatening his peace of mind and, he says, his two-story home. “It’s going to get buried,” predicted Briegleb, who would like to be able to flatten the huge mound of sand that’s at least 10 feet tall and just paces away from his front walk. For decades, owners of the row of oceanfront homes along Strand Way routinely leveled the sand that built up in front of their houses. Once or twice a year, they pooled their resources and hired heavy equipment operators to push the sand away from their houses and down toward the beach. But the state Coastal Commission — which has jurisdiction over a small stretch of property where the Brieglebs live — is no longer allowing the routine grading. Coastal Commission officials
The Jennifer Street Bridge
DEC. 19, 1998 — Police determine that blood found on the Jennifer Street Bridge in San Luis Obispo likely belonged to Newhouse. They theorize she was attacked while walking home from a local restaurant. MARCH 12, 1999 — Aundria Crawford reported missing by her mother. MARCH 15, 1999 — Police say evidence at Crawford’s apartment suggested she was abducted possibly by an intruder who entered through a window. MARCH 16, 1999 — After readInvestigating Crawford’s house ing a story in The Tribune about the abduction of Crawford, parole agent David Zaragoza suspects Rex Krebs, one of roughly 100 parolees under his review, might have been involved. MARCH 19, 1999 — After a search of Krebs’ home, Zaragoza and state agents find items in Krebs’ home believed to have once belonged to Crawford.
Please see SAND, A6
Flyers posted downtown
MARCH 20, 1999 — Krebs arrested for a parole violation at his workplace, 84 Lumber, in San Luis Obispo.
More: Resident battles Pier Avenue ramp permit. Page A6
Hope fades for missing passengers
The Tribune
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JUNE 5, 2000 — Judge LaBarbera denies change of Krebs in court with attorney Maguire venue motion, saying attorneys should attempt jury selection before considering a move.
he small, two-story house in rural Avila sits beside a winding creek in a runway of land, offering a picturesque view of the trees and mountains that surround it. Butterflies flutter along a gravel driveway as birds whistle in the trees above. Two surfboards lie near the creek, while bicycles and a dirt bike can be found closer to the house. It’s a quiet place, says Mike McClain, who rents the house at 3880 Davis Canyon Road with his 17-yearold brother. But two years ago, police say, the beige home with green trim was a horror chamber. McClain, a thin 18-year-old with spiky, blond hair and a matching goatee, moved into the house about a year after Rex Allan Krebs was arrested and charged with murdering two women there. “It’s pretty freaky,” says McClain, looking at the home. Prosecutors will spend considerable time describing that residence to jurors during Krebs’ double-murder trial, which formally begins with jury selection Wednesday. That trial could result in a death sentence if the defendant is convicted. Krebs, who once rented the home himself, is charged with kidnapping, raping and murdering Aundria Crawford and Rachel Newhouse, two 20-
AUG. 15, 2000 — An appeals court overturns LaBarbera’s ruling and orders the trial moved to another county.
‘This is sort of a classic case of spotless, innocent
OCT. 24, 2000 — Monterey County selected as venue for Krebs trial.
victims, a horrific crime and a defendant with a
APRIL 23, 1999 — Two bodies are found buried near Krebs’ residence.
The crime scene at Krebs’ house
APRIL 23, 1999 — An autopsy confirms the victims were Crawford and Newhouse, who died of asphyxiation.
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APRIL 24, 1999 — Krebs allegedly tells Fresno Bee “I’m a monster,” says he deserves the death penalty.
Search expands for 9 victims of sub collision
MAY 6, 1999 — Krebs charged with rape and murder.
Police report remains found
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MAY 13, 1999 — Krebs enters not guilty plea during Superior Court arraignment.
By William Booth and Paul Arnett
SEPT. 17, 1999 — After a preliminary hearing, Superior Court Judge Barry LaBarbera rules that there is enough evidence to pursue a trial.
The Washington Post OCT. 12, 1999 — District Attorney’s Office announces it intends to seek the death penalty against Krebs.
HONOLULU — With hope of finding survivors fading fast, U.S. Coast Guard and Navy rescue teams scoured the placid waters off Hawaii Saturday for nine people who were aboard a Japanese fishing vessel that was struck and sunk Friday by a U.S. submarine practicing a rapid ascent. Adm. Thomas Fargo, commander of the U.S. Pacific fleet, said the USS Greeneville apparently was executing an “emergency main ballast blow,” meaning it surged to the surface of the sea at high speed. Sur vivors from the stricken fishing vessel Ehime Maru said they heard a loud “boom,” then their ship shuddered. Power was
The suspect is in custody: The first image of Rex Allan Krebs following his arrest.
By Patrick S. Pemberton
APRIL 21, 1999 — Lab tests conclude that blood found at Krebs’ residence was consistent with the blood of Rachel Newhouse.
APRIL 13, 2000 — Defense attorneys request a change of venue because of pretrial publicity in the case
FEB. 14, 2001 — Krebs trial set to begin.
Judge Barry LaBarbera
Please see SUBMARINE, A10
Weather
Rachel Newhouse
Aundria Crawford
year-old college students whose bodies were found buried somewhere near the two-bedroom home after they had been missing for weeks. Krebs was transported from the San Luis Obispo County Jail Friday to Monterey County, where his trial will be held. A state appeals court ordered the trial moved to another county, saying pretrial publicity could have prejudiced jurors in San Luis Obispo County. As a result, numerous attorneys and support staff will temporarily move to Monterey, where Krebs faces a twoPlease see KREBS, A13
MORE COVERAGE INSIDE • Sensational story: Why the Krebs case stands out. Page A11 • Court dramas: Other notable cases in SLO County history. Page A13
terrible background.’ — John Trice, deputy district attorney
Coming tomorrow
Inside
Expect cold, showery rain at the coast today, including heavy downpours. Highs 50-56. North County will see periods of rain. Highs 48-52.
Arts & Culture H5 Horoscope
C13 Opinion
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H6 Landers
C13 Sports
C1
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B4 State
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Complete forecast, C14
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H9 Nation & World A3 Travel
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Students are adamant about being heard in budget-cut debate. Front page
A Y
THE ART OF TENDING TO
Just for fun, try the following at your favorite discount store: • Set all the alarm clocks off at 10 minute intervals to go throughout the day. • Put M&Ms on layaway. • Walk up to an employee tell him in an official tone, and “I think we’ve got a Code 3 in house wares,” and see what happens. • Challenge other customers to duels with tubes of gift wrap. • Move “Caution: Wet Floor” signs to carpeted areas. • When someone asks if you need help, begin to cry and ask, “Why won’t you people just leave me alone?” • Look right into the security camera, and use it as a mirror while you floss your teeth. • Take up an entire toy by setting up a full scale aisle battlefield with G.I. Joes vs. the XMen.
Calif.
FRIENDS&FAMILY The teddy bear emergency room
Page H5
• “Last one off the plane must clean it.” • A flight attendant’s comment on a less than perfect landing: “We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal.” • Part of a flight attendant’s arrival announcement: “We’d to thank you folks for flying like with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you’ll think of us.”
• Ask other customers have any Grey Poupon. if they • While handling guns in the hunting department, suddenly ask the clerk if he knows where the antidepressants are. • Switch the men’s and women’s signs on the doors of the rest rooms. • Dart around suspiciously while humming the theme from “Mission: Impossible.” • Set up a “Valet Parking” sign
2001
ARTS&CULTURE Metal sculpture at Art Center
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A6
FROM PAGE ONE
THE TRIBUNE
Sand From Page A1
Supervisors to consider Pier Avenue ramp appeal One Strand Way resident is challenging a county decision to grant a routine permit that allows the state to maintain the Pier Avenue ramp. The ramp is used by vehicles accessing the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. The minor-use permit, which must be renewed periodically by the state Department of Parks and Recreation, was approved last summer by the county Planning Commission. Nell Langford appealed that approval to the Board of Supervisors, which takes up the issue when it meets on Tuesday at the county Government Center. The item is scheduled for the board’s afternoon session, which starts at 2 p.m. In her letter of appeal, Langford said placement of the ramp poses a danger to pedestrians. It
Dispatcher helps deliver Creston baby over phone
Ken Briegleb, an Oceano homeowner on Strand Way, looks at the dunes that are advancing on oceanfront homes. The dunes were graded annually for years to prevent homes from being damaged until a rule change by the state.
say they want to see the dunes stabilized rather than periodically scraped away. They’ve asked the homeowners to submit a longrange management plan to anchor the dunes by planting them with native species and installing temporary fences during the windy season. Homeowners question why, after so long, they should be required to plant the property in front of their houses, which is public land owned by the state and county. “We don’t even know where to start,” said Briegleb. “We can’t afford it. We’re not rich people.” Plus, some residents question whether the state’s stabilization plan will even work along their stretch of coastline, where vehi- request for an emergency grading cles are allowed on the beach. Dri- permit. A letter signed by Charles vers are not, however, permitted in the dune area near the houses. Lester, Coastal Commission dis“We’re kind of at a stalemate trict manager, says the request here,” said Dan Brosnan, who will be reconsidered if there is verlives a couple of doors away from ification of a threat by San Luis Briegleb and his wife. “It’s called Obispo County, “... e.g. one or more buildings are red-tagged,” the ultimate in frustration.” the letter says. There are around 35 oceanResidents say they’re confront houses along the strand in cerned, too, that children will Oceano, ranging from modest vaslide down the steep cation cottages to $1 mildunes and injure lion showcases. ‘We cannot themselves by crashThe Brosnans and ing into their retaining afford to wait. Brieglebs live in a section walls and front decks. of seven houses in an We need an To prevent that, area that was once conBriegleb put up a emergency sidered an estuar y. For small section of fencthat reason, the Coastal permit now. The ing and posted “keep Commission, rather than off” signs at the top of season is windy the county, has regulatothe tall dune in front of r y jurisdiction of their coming. .’ his place. small stretch. Frustrated homeStrand Way While there are some owners have written a in a letter residents plants elsewhere along letter to the governor to Gov. Davis the strand, the homeownasking him to interers in that particular area cede with the Coastal say there’s mostly barren Commission. The letter is signed sand in front of their houses — by owners of a dozen different there are no protected snowy beach properties. plovers, for instance — but The homeowners point out that Coastal Commission staff says grading in front of beach cottages that doesn’t mean the grading is has been going on for at least 70 not affecting the environment. years. “The question is, would they “It’s been an ongoing thing, like nest there if the dunes were left snow removal,” said Harold Guialone? We don’t know. ... There’s a ton, a Realtor and Oceano historilot of unanswered questions,” said an who regularly arranged for the Renee Brooke, a Coastal Com- sand removal. He has an invoice mission planner. for grading that dates back to The area was last graded two 1931, he said. years ago, according to Bobbi BrosDuring most of that time, pernan, and already, sand has built up mits weren’t even required from to the point where there is no regulatory agencies. But in the earlonger a view of the ocean from the ly 1990s, regulatory agencies bebottom floors of their residences. gan looking for other ways to solve But the Brosnans, who moved the problem of drifting sands. to Oceano from Alameda three In 1993, the state Department years ago, insist ocean views of Parks and Recreation offered to aren’t their main concern. plant vegetation along the entire “It’s a property damage issue,” row of 35 houses, according to said Dan Brosnan. Dennis Doberneck, superintenThe couple says homes in the dent of the Oceano Dunes State area already have been damaged. Vehicular Recreation Area. They have photographs of a glassSome homeowners agreed, and and-cinder block retaining wall the nor thernmost stretch was that was damaged by the weight planted in native vegetation. of the sand. “It’s working fairly well,” said State officials inspected the area Doberneck, though he acknowllast fall, though, and concluded edged there are sparse sections there was no immediate threat to where the vegetation has been the houses. They again denied the disturbed.
also is a threat to the rare snowy plover, she said. “The sand ramp should be closed during nesting season, day and night,” she wrote. A county staff report points out that before any disturbances can occur in the area, a biologist must confirm that there are no snowy plover nesting sites there. The report recommends denial of the appeal. — Stephanie Finucane
S u n day , F e b r ua r y 11 , 2 0 0 1
By Neil Pascale The Tribune
TRIBUNE PHOTO BY DAVID MIDDLECAMP
Mike and Pat Fisher live along the stretch that was planted. “When they first did it and they maintained it, it worked well,” said Fisher. But lately, the state hasn’t put up the temporar y sand fencing that used to be installed during the windy season to prevent the sand from drifting up to the houses. The situation, Fisher said, has gotten bad again. Last summer, he applied to the county for a grading permit, but his request was denied. The denial letter said the buildup of sand was an expected occurrence, and not an emergency. Fisher hired a crew to remove the sand with shovels and wheelbarrows. “I had to. It was so bad,” he said. One of his neighbors tried planting some non-native plants on state property to anchor the sand, but he was told to remove them. Doberneck explained that state park’s goal is to remove non-native plants — not add more of them. Though a revegetation plan would be a major undertaking — Coastal Commission staff is recommending a five-year program for monitoring, maintaining and replacing the native plants as
needed — officials say the burden wouldn’t necessarily fall on the homeowners. “State Parks has expressed a willingness to help them,” said Brooke. “Whether that’s financial help, I don’t know.” Doberneck said all the agencies involved, including the county, Coastal Commission and State Parks, want a long-term solution. He’s willing to enter into discussions with the homeowners, but so far, residents haven’t reached a consensus on what they want. “The first step,” he said, “is to have an agreement of the homeowners, and get a group that’s representative of the homeowners so we can sit down at the table.” Residents, though, fear they’re running out of time with the springtime winds approaching. “We cannot afford to wait,” they said in their letter to the governor. “We need an emergency permit now. The windy season is coming. Removing tons of sand by hand is simply not a viable option.” Stephanie Finucane covers the South County for the Tribune. Story ideas and news tips can be emailed to her at sfinucane@thetribunenews.com or phoned to 781-7939.
Dispatcher Emilie Hebrard has had some close calls, but nothing like this. About 5:30 p.m. Saturday, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s dispatcher received a call from a woman asking for medical aid for her Creston daughter, who was in labor. Hebrard called for an ambulance, stayed on the line with the nervous grandmother and waited for the medical help to arrive. Unfortunately, the baby wasn’t that patient. Fifteen minutes later, the grandmother reported seeing the baby’s head crowning, meaning childbirth was imminent. “OK this is it,” Hebrard said to herself as she began coaching the grandmother, who relayed the
over-the-phone advice to her daughter. Not surprisingly, the grandmother and mother-to-be were “pretty panicky,” said Hebrard, who with a little reassuring kept everyone calm. About five minutes later — and before medical aid arrived — a baby daughter was born. Both mother and daughter were taken to Twin Cities Community Hospital. Their names were not available Saturday night, but hospital staff said both mom and baby, the couple’s second, were doing fine. As for Hebrard, a mother herself, it was a first of “seeing” a mother through labor. “I’m the type who wants a hospital,” said Hebrard, adding, “I don’t think they were expecting (it) this way either.”
A10
FROM PAGE ONE
THE TRIBUNE
Japanese fishing town mourns losses
Submarine From Page A1
immediately lost and water poured into the vessel. The boat sank in minutes, and seas around the vessel filled with diesel fuel. Many aboard were below decks for lunch when the fishing vessel was suddenly struck. Navy officials expressed regret for the accident Saturday and offered the first explanations of what happened nine miles out from Diamond Head, the famous landmark on the island of Oahu. “There was no emergency, but this is an operation we do on a normal basis,” Fargo said, adding that the Navy and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate whether the attack submarine followed proper procedures to check the surface with sonar and periscope. “That’s what we would expect and believe happened in this particular case. That certainly will be the subject of the investigation,” Fargo said at a briefing Saturday. “While it’s not yet clear how this accident occurred, it is both tragic and regrettable. I would like to express my apologies to all of those involved.” The missing include four Japanese teen-agers who were learning commercial fishing, their two teachers and three crew members of the Ehime Maru, authorities here said. The search for them continued through the night Friday and expanded across a 500-square-mile area Saturday. “We are going to keep searching until there is no possibility of finding someone,” said Eric Hedaa, a Coast Guard
S u n day , F e b r ua r y 11 , 2 0 0 1
The Washington Post
UWAJIMA, Japan — This fishing town that has depended on the sea for generations prepared to accept the toll of that heritage today, mourning the loss of four high school students and two teachers still missing after their tuna trawler was struck by a U.S. submarine off the coast of Hawaii. “This is a tremendous shock for all of us,” said Sataro Yamaguchi, 70, who has lived in the town for 20 years. “These were the progeny of fishing families who were supposed to carry on the family business. These were the young peo-
spokesman. Twenty-six others aboard the 190-foot Japanese ship were rescued within an hour of the collision with the 362-foot Greeneville, a nuclear-powered submarine. None of them sustained serious injury. Saturday, those plucked from life rafts soaking wet and coated with diesel fuel told rescuers a tale of sudden terror at sea: Most of the Ehime Maru’s crew had just finished lunch and were below deck when they heard two loud, rattling thumps only seconds apart. Suddenly, the ship lost all power and the ability to steer. Then water, smoke and oil began
gushing through the vessel so fast some of the crew had to swim through it. The Ehime Maru’s captain rushed to use a public-address system to order the panicked crew off the sinking ship but could not because of the electrical blackout. “They heard voices screaming that water is coming into the ship,” said Coast Guard Petty Officer Michael Carr, who spoke with several sur vivors. “That’s when they all started to flee to the upper deck. It was a disorganized abandon-ship.” U.S. military officials said the Greeneville hit the Ehime Maru at 1:45 p.m. (3:45 p.m. PST) Friday.
ple who are our hopes to carry on the spirit and skills of Uwajima.” Relatives of the missing were preparing to fly to Hawaii today night, as the hopes of their vigil were slowly extinguished by the passing hours. “I was waiting ever y minute (Saturday) night to hear from the missing,” Kazumitzu Jojo, vice president of the fishing school that had sent a group of 13 teenagers onto the boat for training, said early this morning. “But we got no calls,” he said as he fought back tears. Uwajima is a town of 60,000 set between mountains on the west
coast of Japan’s southern island of Shikoku, about 420 miles from Tokyo. For generations, its people have lived off the sea — from the pearls collected by divers to the big yellowfin tuna brought back by its fishermen. Both industries have fallen on hard times, but Uwajima still sends young men to sea in the formidable fishing fleets that journey far from Japan. The students, all 17 or 18 years old, left here a month ago with two teachers for a training cruise aboard the tuna trawler. Four students and both teachers were missing after the collision, along with three crew members.
FROM PAGE ONE
S u n day , F e b r ua r y 11 , 2 0 0 1
THE TRIBUNE
A13
Krebs From Page A1
phase trial. During the first part, prosecutors will attempt to prove that Krebs is guilty of the crimes. If they are successful, they will attempt to convince a jury that Krebs should die.
Scene of the crime
While much has been publicized about the crimes, few people have ventured to the place where they allegedly occurred. “Nobody really does,” said McClain, who doesn’t mind having visitors. “It scares people — even my friends.” Behind the front door of the house, a Beatles “Abbey Road” poster lies on the floor near a white electric guitar. Upstairs, the living room now features a small television, a black, cracked-leather couch and a mattress on the floor. In this room, near the woodburning stove, state parole agent David Zaragoza, acting on a hunch, allegedly found evidence that led to Krebs’ arrest. During the last two weeks, defense attorneys have attempted to suppress prosecution evidence — including testimony from Zaragoza, which they argue was based on an illegal search. Superior Court Judge Barry LaBarbera has yet to decide on some of those motions. But much of that evidence, including gruesome images of the victims, will be presented to jurors. Over the course of roughly two years, the District Attorney’s Office has submitted more than 19,000 pages of discovery in the case, and prosecutors plan to call 32 witnesses. John Trice, one of two deputy district attorneys on the case, has handled many high-profile trials in the county. But the allegations in this one, he said, are especially disturbing. “This is sort of a classic case of spotless, innocent victims, a horrific crime and a defendant with a terrible background,” Trice said. According to testimony from the preliminary hearing in September 1999, the two victims — both 5-feet-6-inches tall and weighing 120 pounds — were abducted in San Luis Obispo within a four-month period. Newhouse was last seen just after midnight on Nov. 13, 1998, at Tortilla Flats restaurant in San Luis Obispo. The Cal Poly student from Orange County was reported missing by her roommate after she failed to attend class and work later that day. Investigators believe she was abducted on the Jennifer Street Bridge, where blood was later discovered. Crawford, from the Fresno area, was reported missing four months later by her mother. Investigators believe she was abducted from her Branch Street apartment sometime during the evening. Investigators believe Krebs, a convicted rapist, was waiting for the women before he forcefully abducted them, raped them and murdered them. Crawford’s body was found hog-tied, while Newhouse’s body had been wrapped in chicken wire and black plastic. Krebs has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Seeking death penalty
After conducting interviews with police, victims’ families and other parties, District Attorney Gerry Shea made the decision to pursue the death penalty against Krebs in October 1999. Death penalty trials occur in two phases — the first to determine guilt or innocence and the second, if a conviction results, to determine whether or not a death sentence is warranted.
TRIBUNE FILE PHOTOS
Above, fliers seeking information on Rachel Newhouse were posted throughout San Luis Obispo following her disappearance in November 1998. Far left, a SLOPD officer leads a neighborhood forum on home safety following Crawford’s apparent abduction in March 1999. Near left, the 2nd District Court of Appeal hears the change-of-venue motion last August. Below, the trial drama will play out at the County Courthouse in Monterey.
ative counties on the California coast, with 62,015 registered Republicans and 51,375 Democrats. Political registrations could suggest that defendants are less likely to receive a death sentence in Monterey County since those who oppose the death penalty tend to be more liberal. But Trice said political ideology won’t likely have much impact once a jury is selected. By law, anyone opposed to the death penalty can automatically be excused from jury duty. And the prosecution will make sure to identify those people early on during jury selection. “I’m not going to have somebody on this jury that can’t vote for the death penalty,” Trice said. Taking court on the road
TRIBUNE PHOTO BY TAD WEBER
The defense has never said it will call any witnesses during the first phase of the trial, suggesting it might be focusing its efforts on sparing Krebs from the death penalty. The defense does plan on calling witnesses during a second phase, if Krebs is convicted. Some of those witnesses will come from Idaho, where Krebs was raised. Those witnesses will probably testify about Krebs’ childhood. While it has been nearly two years since Krebs was arrested, the trial could have ended months ago. But because the case had received so much media coverage, a state appeals court ordered the case moved outside the county, causing significant delays in the proceedings. After the list
of possible locations was narrowed to three, Superior Court Judge Barry LaBarbera selected Monterey County. How that move will impact the verdict is uncertain. Since 1990, there have been seven death penalty trials in Monterey County. Jurors voted for a death sentence in four of those cases, the most recent having occurred just last month. But little can actually be extrapolated from those numbers, said Krebs’ attorney Jim Maguire, because different jurors are seeing vastly different cases. “That’s not a predictor at all,” he said. “Each case is so individual.” By comparison, jurors have voted for death sentences in three of the last four death penal-
ty cases in San Luis Obispo since the late 1980s. Trice, the prosecutor, handled one of the cases resulting in the death sentence, and Maguire was involved with the only case that did not result in a death sentence. In many ways, Maguire said, Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties are similar, in that they are both agricultural, coastal communities that feature universities and an economy reliant on tourism. But politically, Monterey County appears more liberal. According to the Monterey County Clerk’s office, registered Democrats outnumber Republicans, 76,804 to 51,635. San Luis Obispo County, on the other hand, is one of the most conserv-
Of course, jurors in Monterey County won’t be impacted by the case the way jurors would in San Luis Obispo County, where many residents purchased extra locks after the abductions, fearing a serial killer might attack. But a change of venue shouldn’t make a difference in the verdict, said Terry Spitz, the Monterey County assistant district attorney. “My experience with a jury is that they take jury instructions seriously,” he said. The last high-profile case moved to Monterey County occurred in 1993, when a Sacramento landlady named Dorothea Puente was charged with murdering eight of her tenants. In that nine-month trial, jurors convicted the defendant of three murders but deadlocked on the death sentence. The 64-year-old woman was sentenced to life in prison
without the possibility of parole. One obvious difference in a Monterey County trial, the attorneys say, will simply be moving the entire operation 150 miles away. The prosecution had planned to take jurors to the bridge where Newhouse was abducted, and to Krebs’ former residence. But now Trice and partner Tim Covello will have to show jurors photos of those spots. Several people involved in the trial will have to rent rooms in Monterey County for up to three months. Taxpayers will pay for rooms to accommodate two prosecuting attorneys and their investigator; the judge; his clerk and two court reporters; three defense attorneys and their investigators; and a representative from the victim/witness assistance program. The cost of moving the trial is a mystery to the public. Financial records in the case, like the evidence, have been sealed. The public will learn more about the evidence in weeks to come, though. Local media, including The Tribune and area TV stations KCOY and KSBY, will send reporters to cover the trial extensively, beginning with opening statements. Charter Communications, San Luis Obispo County’s main cable television provider, is hoping to provide live, gavel-togavel coverage in conjunction with KSBY; how that would be done is still being arranged. Since jurors will be questioned individually about their feelings on the death penalty and their knowledge of the case, jury selection could last until late March.
Courtroom dramas in SLO County: A look at some celebrated cases By Patrick S. Pemberton The Tribune
High-profile trials are nothing new in San Luis Obispo County. Here are some notable cases:
Luis Obispo County Courthouse had to pass a metal detector, and their photos were taken. Leary was found guilty but was paroled in 1975.
John Archa Timothy Leary
In 1974, Timothy Leary, the “High Priest of LSD,” was on trial in San Luis Obispo County after escaping from the California Men’s Colony, where he Timothy was sent on a marijuana Leary charge. Unable to find asylum overseas, he was arrested in Afghanistan and returned to CMC in January 1973. During his trial, all three networks were present, and big-city daily newspapers from across the country covered it. People entering the San
The 26-year-old, married father of three led his 13-year-old brother and 14-year-old half brother on a bizarre triple-murder spree in 1969 because he wanted to steal a Gibson guitar from one of the victims. Archa and the teens lured Ronald Barnes to a country highway, where Archa stabbed him. The trio then traveled to Barnes’ North County home, where Archa stabbed Barnes’ wife and kidnapped the couple’s 4-year-old girl. Later, he ordered one of the teens to throw the girl into a canal, where she drowned. A jury deliberated for eight hours before convicting Archa. His death sentence was later set aside by the U.S. Supreme Court when it ruled the death penalty was unconstitutional. The
teens were sentenced to the California Youth Authority and eventually discharged in 1975.
a bigger courtroom, where 110 curious onlookers packed the audience.
Richard Benson Dennis Webb Webb was sentenced to death in 1988 for torturing and killing an Atascadero couple. He remains on death row. John and Lori Rainwater were found lying face down in their yard. When police moved their bodDennis Webb ies, they found their two small children — alive and well — beneath the mother. During one point of the trial, Webb, a biker and an Aryan, called the prosecutor a “maggot” and later asked for the death penalty, claiming to have killed others. Anticipating a large crowd for the verdict, the judge moved the case to
Benson was sentenced to death for killing a South County woman and her three children. Benson repeatedly molested the two girls before killing them and setting the home on fire in January 1986. Because of pretrial publicity, the trial was moved Richard to Santa Barbara. The trial for the Benson worst county mass murderer since the early 1900s cost $250,000 and lasted 21⁄2 months.
Escobar brothers A bizarre trial began in 1989 after two fugitives accused of killing a
Miami police officer got involved in a scuffle with CHP officers in Paso Robles. During the fight, Douglas Escobar attempted to shoot the officers, but his gun jammed. His brother, Dennis, meanwhile, hit an officer over the head with a billy club. Both brothers were shot and arrested. Initially, police mistakenly revealed that the men were Sandinista soldiers on a terrorist mission to kill CHP officers. The terrorist scare garnered national attention, but it wasn’t true. During trial, Douglas loudly yelled, cursed, laughed and belched. The brothers were convicted here of attempted murder and later sentenced to death for murder in Florida.
The ‘Tami Case’ In 1979, William Record hired his 20-year-old stepdaughter and her 17year-old husband to murder a little girl to prevent her from testifying against Record in a molestation case. The 10-year-old victim was strangled to death and buried near Avila Hot Springs. Four people were convicted
of murder, and two others were convicted of intimidating witnesses. All the trials were moved to other counties because of pretrial publicity. Record, who plotted the crime, faced the death penalty but was convicted of second-degree murder after Monterey County jurors deliberated for 16 hours. He later pleaded no contest to the molestation charges.
William Ford When a sheriff’s deputy confronted Ford about a possible crime, a tragic scuffle occurred in 1964. Ford grabbed his gun and shot Harvey Stahl in the neck. As the deputy lay on the ground, Ford shot him in the forehead. Jury selection lasted five days. Of the 14 jurors selected, 12 of them had heard of the case. Ford was initially sentenced to death, but the state Supreme Court reduced his sentence to life in prison during a precedent-setting case that claimed Ford’s intoxication caused him to have “diminished capacity.”