Killer’s Execution Set; Would Be 1st in State Since ’67

A Jan. 8 execution date has been set for Clarence Ray Allen, convicted of murdering four people, prison officials said Tuesday.

The state Supreme Court last week refused to delay Allen’s execution, but his attorney, Michael Satris, said he is “very optimistic” he can get the high court to reconsider granting the delay.

California has not had an execution since 1967.

Allen, 62, of Fresno, had operated a security service and led a ring of burglars and robbers.

He was first convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the 1974 murder of teen-ager Mary Sue Kitz, who had helped burglarize Fran’s Market in Fresno. She was killed in retaliation for telling the market’s owners that Allen was responsible for the burglary.

While serving time in Folsom Prison for that murder, he conspired with inmate Billy Ray Hamilton to murder eight witnesses against him. One of the witnesses and two other people were killed.

After Hamilton was paroled in 1980, he robbed the same market, killing one of the witnesses, Brian Schletewitz, son of the owner, and two young market employees, Josephine Rocha and Douglas White.