Rock Kreutzer Admits Killing Son-in-Law

Herman (Rock) Kreutzer, the flamboyant owner of the Big Oak Ranch now awaiting trial on charges that he murdered his son-in-law, admits he committed the slaying, but only in self-defense, a San Diego newspaper reported Friday.

“I shot the son of a bitch,” The Tribune quoted Kreutzer as saying. “This may shock you by my starting out this way. But I shot the son of a bitch.”

Kreutzer’s reported statements may be seen as a preview of his defense in the coming murder trial.

His attorney, Logan C. McKechnie, said he will argue that the slaying was self-defense. And Steve Casey, spokesman for the district attorney’s office, portrayed Kreutzer’s statements as the beginnings of a defense strategy.

“The defendant has selected his forum, he has told his version . . . and it’s a self-serving version of history,” Casey said. Inconsistencies between Kreutzer’s statements and those of prosecution witnesses “will be certainly shaken out in the trial,” he added.

Casey predicted that pretrial publicity about Kreutzer’s statements may slow jury selection, but otherwise would have no effect on the trial.

Kreutzer, his wife and two sons were arrested in September, almost six months after the death of his son-in-law, James Ray Spencer, 32. Spencer’s body was found on Kreutzer’s East County western theme park April 11.

Kreutzer, 48, and his son Jerome, 26, are to be tried for murder beginning April 2. Kreutzer’s wife, Lynn, 33, and his son, Kurt, 19, are charged as accessories and will be tried separately, Casey said.

Spencer was married to Rock Kreutzer’s daughter, Kelly.

Attempts to reach Kreutzer on Friday were unsuccessful. “He’s not available for conversation,” said the person who answered the phone at the Big Oak Ranch in Dehesa. The Kreutzers are free on bail awaiting trial.

Before his arrest, Kreutzer had become widely known for his spirited battles with

Sheriff John Duffy and county supervisors over the operation of his theme park and for his own unsuccessful candidacy for supervisor.

At the time the body of his son-in-law was discovered, Kreutzer told investigators that he and his wife were at jai alai games in Tijuana when the shooting occurred. But in Friday’s newspaper account, Kreutzer stated in a “sometimes tearful” interview that he and Jerome killed Spencer in self-defense.

“I never wanted to shoot him. I never wanted to shoot that kid . . . I didn’t have any choice at all,” he was quoted as saying.

Kreutzer said that Spencer was a habitual user of the drug crystal methamphetamine, a type of “speed,” and had beaten Kelly. A few weeks before the killing, a confrontation between Kreutzer and Spencer turned violent, he said. Spencer clubbed Kreutzer with a 2-by-4, and Kreutzer bit off the tip of Spencer’s index finger. Kreutzer needed 12 stitches to close a gash and underwent laser surgery to correct the sight in a damaged eye, McKechnie said.

While investigating the fight, McKechnie said, sheriff’s deputies discovered Oklahoma warrants issued for Spencer on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and auto theft. Spencer was jailed for several days, then released after Oklahoma authorities decided against extradition. Kreutzer maintained that Spencer threatened his family by phone from jail.

The day Spencer was released from jail, he was killed. According to Kreutzer, Spencer told Kreutzer he would leave the area after Kreutzer gave him money. Kreutzer agreed, then left with Jerome to meet Spencer at an El Cajon bar. They took pistols to defend themselves, he claimed, and deployed ranch hands Larry Stilwell and Nino Desnoyers, also armed with guns, into the hills near the ranch to see whether the men were followed when they returned to the ranch.

When Spencer entered the Kreutzers’ car, he also was armed with a pistol, Kreutzer said. Moreover, it appeared that Spencer was on drugs, Kreutzer said.

At the house, Spencer demanded to see Kelly, provoking an argument, Kreutzer said. When Spencer knocked Jerome to the ground, Kreutzer said, “I jumped out of there (the car) and started shooting at him.”

Kreutzer said he denied involvement in the slaying at first because he feared authorities would not believe the truth. He said he doesn’t know where the gun Spencer supposedly had is now.

Stillwell and Desnoyers at first supported the Kreutzers’ alibis but later came forward as key witnesses for the prosecution. In a preliminary hearing, Stillwell, who was placed in the state witness protection program after agreeing to testify, said that after Rock Kreutzer fired the first two shots, he heard Spencer yell, “Rocky, it’s not too late!” But Kreutzer fired “again and again,” Stillwell testified.

Stillwell said Jerome Kreutzer’s pistol produced one muzzle flash, indicating he had also shot at Spencer. The witness said he heard Spencer shout, “I don’t deserve this.”

Moments later, Stillwell said, Kurt Kreutzer ran into the garage to view Spencer. “Dad, he’s still alive. Take my gun and blow his head off,” Stillwell quoted Kurt Kreutzer as saying.

But Rock Kreutzer told his son it wasn’t necessary, Stillwell testified.