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Show r i ILlSlf BIT U 1 j By V1CK.I BARKER Herald ear-to-ea- r. lem fives suspi- - describing Brenda Lafferty P Of L&nBty Pair v 7 j m persons and vehicles, but no confirmed sightings Police have issued charges containing two counts of murder against Ron Lafferty, who was last seen Tuesday afternoon leaving the scene of the murders in southeast American Fork with three other males in a light green Chevrolet Impala there have been Wright Lafferty and her daughter Enca may have been executed Tuesday in what appeared to be a religious cult slaying. But American Fork Police Chief Randy Johnson will neither confirm nor deny unofficial reports that the victims' throats were slit "I have said only that they were cut with a knife-lik- e instrument," Johnson said today. Reports of "hit lists'' of future victims are "strictly speculative," said Lt. David Cowden, one of several officers and detectives working on the case. "There is no reason to believe there is a hit list." Cowden explained that reports from Los Angeles police have apparently received calls from "some members of a polygamy group in L A. who believe they may be on a hit list." "People are possibly blowing things out of proportion," Johnson said. "It's like calling a worm a snake." Officers are sifting through piles of reports from callers from throughout Utah and from : y y ' cic-u- Suff Writer Police sources say Brenda v j. mm station wagon. source at the Utah County Attorney's Office said a raid of two homes Wednesday failed to turn up any clues to the whereabouts of the suspects, but it turned up some written "revelaA tions." Information found indicates that the brothers recently re- turned from a "mission " to the Midwest where they preached about a return to the U.S. Constitution and the fundamental principles of the LDS Church. In the writings, the two charged that the Mormon church, particularly the current church leadership', has fallen away from founder Joseph Smith's teachings. County officials believe organized group, "The the Law-Abov- e the Courts of the Land" may be an offshoot of Posse Comitatas. Police have issued a warrant for Ron Lafferty. Family members and others close to the hunted men now fear for their lives and are in hiding. Police have charged Ron Lafferty with the double murder of his sister-in-laBrenda Wright Lafferty and her daughter Erica Lane Lafferty. A warrant of arrest has also been issued for Dan Lafferty, his brother, for questioning about the murders. Police sources said the victims' throats were cut in a manner suggesting a religious ritual. In addition to the two Lafferty brothers, Ron and Dan, authorities are also seeking for questioning, two other men. All are described as looking like mountain men. They were seen by neighbors at the crime scene in Ron's 1974 light green Chevrolet (See LAFFERTY, Page 3) By PATRICK CHRISTIAN Herald Staff Writer Ronald Watson Lafferty and his brother Dan Charles Lafferty, are seeking in connection with Tuesday's knife slaying of their sister-in-laand niece, are described by family and friends as religious fanatics who believe in polygamy and claim God talks to them and tells them what to do. "They are so different now; it's like they are possessed or something," said their brother Allen Lafferty in an interview with The Daily Herald. He is the husband and father of the victims. He said that while his brothers are loose, everyone may be in danger. who police Police Grab ank Gunman Free Ho stage A gunman who robbed a Utah in Salt Lake City and took the bank manager First Bank branch hostage today was apprehended in Orem, after leading police on a chase through Parley's Canyon, Wasatch County and down Provo Canyon. Helicopters and police officers followed the suspect down the canyon, and police set up roadblocks at a construction site with massive dump trucks after clearing traffic and road construction vehicles at the mouth of Provo Canyon. The chase, however, ended peacefully at 800 North and 800 West in Orem, when the suspect pulled his car over, got out of the car, and handed his weapon to the bank manager. Police then closed in and arrested the suspect. Early reports indicated the suspect carried no identification and refused to give his name to police at the scene. About 30 to 50 police vehicles were involved in the chase, including units from Salt Lake and Utah County Sheriff's Department, Utah Highway Patrol, Orem Police and military police were called in to deflect traffic at the scene of the arrest. During the robbery, the suspect held police at bay by point 110TH YEAR, NO. 311 ing a gun at the bank manager, forcing the manager to drive and threatening police he would shoot the manager if they interfered. The suspect apparently entered the bank in the Brickyard Plaza about 9 a.m. and hid in the building for about one hour before producing a weapon and taking an undisclosed amount of money and the manager as a hostage. Police followed the suspect's car east on Interstate Highway 80 to Summit County, through the Heber area and then down . $4 1- - & PROVO, UTAH, THURSDAY, July 26, 1984 r - -- speeds, where the convoy was forced to turn west onto Orem's 800 North. Police were concerned that construction work in Provo Canyon had backed up half a mile of traffic. As the suspect's car moved down the canyon, police blocked off the route into Provo, and quickly flushed other traffic out of the area, allowing the suspect to proceed into Orem and toward Interstate-15- . Ironically, the place where he pulled his vehicle off the road is just a short distance from the Utah Highway Patrol headquarters in Orem. The suspect was taken to the Salt Lake County Sheriff's De- .... iMtV ry p Brian Tregaskli Photos Police go through ammunition and money confiscated after the suspect surrendered near partment. By PAT THORNE Herald Washington Bureau - WASHINGTON Congressman Howard Nielson, Wednesday continued to press his colleagues to act this year on legislation which would impose import quotas on foreign steel. The Utah lawmaker hand delivered a letter and discussed the Fair Trade in Steel Act of 1984 with Rep. Sam Gibbons, chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade. The panel has scheduled conclud- h, letes, including France's Thierry Vigneron (right), are practicing for their individual events. on Olympic events and a schedule, see and Thundershowers Continue in Area panied by afternoon and evening thundershowers it the forecast given by the National Weather Bureau for Central Utah. Gusty winds will accompany the show ers. Highs Friday will be Amusements Business Clawif led Adi Comics Crossword National-Internation- 35 20-2- 2 40-4- 8 38 38 2,33 in the low to mid 90s and overnight lows between 65 and 70 degrees. Further weather information is on Page 15. Here's Where to Find It Opinions Sports Today Utah-Region- Weather Your Time North and 800 All 36-3- 7 2 16-1- ing hearings on the problems of the steel industry Aug. 3. The letter was signed by Linda Chipman, chairman of the Citizens Coalition to Save Geneva; Warren Bartel, general manager of the Geneva-Pittsbur- g Works, and Dennis F. Holdaway, president of Local 2701, United of America. The letter pointed out that Gibbons had not responded to correspondence a month ago from the coalition seeking information on the legislation which would set an import quota of 15 percent of all Steel-worke- rs foreign steel products. "Why is the Fair Trade in Steel Act still in committee?" the letter asked. "Why has it not been brought before the floor of the House? What can we do to encourage you to get this bill out of West, Orem. committee?" The letter pointed out the coalition represents "thousands of hard working American citizens who are deeply concerned about the future of America's steel industry... " Nielson said, "As cosponsor of the Fair Trade in Steel Act of 1984, I know of the seriousness of the economic problems the U.S. Steel organization is facing and that this legislation will assist the company in the future." Rep. Dan Marriott and Sen. are Orrin Hatch, both also cosponsors of the act. Sen. is expected to Jake Garn, support the bill. Only Rep. Jim Hansen, opposes the bill. A spokesman for Hansen said he just doesn't like quotas and considers them "unfair" to competition. h, House Passes School Access 10. Variable cloudiness accom- 800 for St&Bl Countdown to the 23rd Olympiad in Los Angeles is eagerly awaited by most Californians and a huge television audience. The opening ceremonies begin Saturday and most of the ath- 6, 7, 8 CENTS 25 Provo Canyon, at normal California Ready For the Olympics Pages - PRICE ? Thursday: AT For a run down $6.00 A MONTH 9 5 15 ,24 By PAT THORNE Herald Washington Bureau WASHINGTON Reps. Jim Hansen and Howard Nielson, both applauded the House vote of 337-7- 7 yesterday that approved and sent to the White House legislation allowing student religious meetings in public high schools. The legislation, already passed by the Senate, is an amendment to a bill authored by Sen. Orrin Hatch, providing almost - h, $1 billion over two years to strengthen the teaching of mathematics and science. The I' "se defeated a similar equal access to schools amendment in May. But Nielson said two provisions flawed the original measure and were corrected in the approved version. "The original bill called for cutting of funds if schools refused to allow religious groups to meet. It also had a provision that a certain number of students had to be involved in the meeting in order to allow it. That could have been discriminatory," he explained. Nielson said safeguards in the bill prevent it from bringing to H" rnhrtn'c "For in prsw stance, you could not conduct seminary in the public schools under the provision which I think it proper," he said. He disagreed with opponents of the amendment who warned that bizarre cults would come to the schools. "It would have to be students who were bona fide members of that student body. They could not come from the outside," he said. Nielson said it is a good compromise between allowing prayer in schools and the present hodgepodge of policies about use of school buildings for xtra-curric- Bill 1 uildings. Hansen said the pendulum has "swung too far on the side of agnostics and athiests and have prohibited people form going into public buildings such as schools. "This is only fair when you look at other groups that do have access ... If you allow the Klu Klux Klan and the Nazi party to go in, I think that a Catholic, Protestant, Mormon or Jew should have that opportunity also," he said. Hansen said charges the bill would bring strange cults to the srhooU in "fr put" |