Realtor Held in ’80 Blast That Killed Woman

A millionaire South Bay real estate broker has been indicted by a federal grand jury in the 1980 bombing death of a Manhattan Beach secretary in what authorities allege was a murder-for-profit scheme over a soured real estate deal.

The arrest Thursday night of William Ross, 51, was the second made by authorities in the bombing of the now-defunct Prowest Computer Corp. in which 35-year-old Patricia Wilkerson was killed when she plugged in an explosive device.

The bombing attack was arranged by Ross--a member of the militant Jewish Defense League--and was motivated by his anger about a bitter 1977 dispute over the purchase of a house in Manhattan Beach, postal authorities said.

A woman with dual U.S.-Israeli citizenship, Rochelle Ida Manning, 48, has already been arrested in the case. Her Los Angeles-born husband, who was also indicted in the murder, Robert Steven Manning, 36, remains a fugitive in Israel.

The two Mannings, who are also members of the JDL, are also considered suspects in the 1985 bombing of the Santa Ana offices of the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee in which activist Alex Odeh was killed.

Ross was arrested without incident at his Hollywood-area home on suspicion of arranging the bombing attack and aiding and abetting. He was ordered held without bail Friday afternoon in Los Angeles federal court after Assistant U.S. Atty. Nancy Wieben Stock charged that several potential witnesses had been intimidated and threatened by unknown persons.

Ross “told a government witness that if Rochelle Manning hadn’t been so stupid as to fly back to the United States from Israel, (that) this never would have happened and he (Ross) would be in the clear,” Stock said.

Contending that his client is innocent of the bombing charges, Los Angeles attorney Mitchell W. Egers said Ross was not involved in any intimidation of witnesses.

Federal authorities said they considered Ross a prime suspect shortly after the July 17, 1980, bombing because:

- He and his brother, Arthur, were known to be close friends of the Mannings after the four joined the JDL in Los Angeles at about the same time in 1971. William Ross supported the JDL over the years with money from his Hawthorne-based real estate business.

- The Ross brothers got into a dispute over a Manhattan Beach house with Brenda Crouthamel, to whom the 1980 mail bomb was addressed. At the time of the explosion, she had married and changed her name to Adams. The couple owned the Prowest Computer firm.

- The bombing occurred on the same day that the brothers were informed that they would have to give depositions in a lawsuit that stemmed from the dispute.

- Ross, apparently irate over the disputed deal, reportedly called Robert Manning twice several weeks before the bombing occurred. Stock said the telephone conversations were to further the murder plot.

Federal authorities said politics played no part in the bombing, although six current and former JDL members were subpoenaed by the federal grand jury. Ross’ brother, Arthur, appeared before the panel but has not been charged in the case.

The bombing “was not committed at the request or with the knowledge or consent of the Jewish Defense League,” Stock said.

Stock said the “very bitter dispute” occurred over a Manhattan Beach bungalow that Adams had purchased at “well below market” price from Ross.

According to court records, Adams claimed that she had made a $6,100 down payment on the house and had signed the contract, but the property was never conveyed to her by Ross.

Adams sued on Feb. 16, 1977, alleging that the Ross brothers had breached the sales contract and she asked a judge to order the transfer of the property.

In response, lawyers for the brothers admitted that they had refused to transfer the property. They claimed in defense that, as part of the deal, Adams promised to hire them as agents to sell her home in Manhattan Beach, but then reneged. They asked a judge to order the deal canceled.

After several delays, a trial was set for Aug. 18, 1980. In preparation, Adams’ lawyer served notice on July 17--the same day of the bomb blast--that he planned to schedule sworn statements from the Ross brothers.

The disputed bungalow, in the 2500 block of Valley View Drive, doubled in value during the three years the suit was pending before the bombing, according to the prosecutor.

Adams has been in seclusion since the Mannings were charged in June. She has not responded to requests for interviews.

A daughter of the woman killed in the blast, Pamela Wilkerson, was in court Friday but declined comment.

Ross, whose worth three years ago was put at $1.5 million, was known by JDL officials as a regular financial contributor and supporter of JDL activities.

“He would come to demonstrations and support us,” JDL leader Irv Rubin said.