Ohio Man Linked to L.A. Krishna Killing : Had Earlier Been Accused of Similar Slaying in W. Virginia

An Ohio man accused of the 1983 murder of a Hare Krishna devotee near the Krishnas’ New Vrindaban community in northern West Virginia was charged Thursday with the May 22 murder of a dissident former sect member in Los Angeles.

Thomas Drescher, 38, of Ravenna, Ohio, is accused in the shooting death of Steven Bryant, whose body was found in a van where he often slept in the West Los Angeles area, authorities said.

Drescher also was denied bond by an Ohio judge Thursday for the June, 1983, murder of Charles Saint Denis. Marshall County Prosecutor Thomas White told Circuit Judge Richard Warmuth that Drescher was ready to flee to Canada and then to India at the time of his arrest.

The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office declined Thursday to release details on the Bryant case, but White revealed during the bond hearing that Drescher had been charged with first-degree murder.

“We’ve been in contact with Los Angeles authorities for the past several days and the detectives and district attorney . . . have been exploring the possibility of the connection of Thomas Drescher with the death of Steve Bryant,” White said. “The investigation revealed that Mr. Drescher is the culpable individual.”

Los Angeles authorities will seek Drescher’s extradition, White said.

Bryant, a vocal critic of the Krishnas, had accused members of the sect of child abuse, homosexuality and wife-swapping. He told United Press International in February that he feared for his life at the Krishnas’ hands and that members of the group were stalking him.

Speculate on Motive

Drescher is a one-time Krishna devotee who lived near New Vrindaban.

While Saint Denis’ body has never been found, authorities said they had found probable cause to charge Drescher. The nature of the evidence has not been disclosed.

In 1984, authorities, dragging Burches Run Lake near New Vrindaban for Saint Denis’ body, indicated that he may have been killed over a personal loan or alleged child abuse at or near the Krishna community. Authorities speculated that he was shot, then bound in logging chains and thrown into the lake.

Some information linking Drescher to the Bryant killing came from Randall Gorby of Bethany, Ohio, who was seriously injured in a May 28 explosion at his home, White said, adding that authorities are attempting to link the explosion to Drescher. Ohio state police and the FBI have been investigating the explosion, trying to determine whether it was caused by a bomb, or by natural gas or propane.

White confirmed Thursday that authorities believe that Gorby was a witness to the Saint Denis murder.

Gorby has had a long association with the Krishnas, helping in real estate matters, group spokesman Dick Dezio said.

Gorby remained hospitalized Thursday. His condition was not released.

The Krishnas have denied any knowledge of either man’s death. They claim that Saint Denis and Drescher had been only so-called fringe members of the community and that Bryant visited the community only on two occasions.

Sources also have told UPI that federal authorities are attempting to link the two murders and the Gorby explosion to Krishna members at New Vrindaban. Authorities are exploring the possibility that members of the Krishna organization in Marshall County conspired with Drescher in all three incidents, sources said.

Federal investigators declined comment on any such investigation.