Local News in Brief : Bail Rejected for Mail Bomb Suspect
A real estate salesman charged with masterminding the mailing of a bomb that killed a Manhattan Beach secretary in 1980 has been ordered to remain in prison until his trial in November.
U.S. District Judge Dickran Tevrizian rejected William Ross’ arguments for bail, saying his release would create “a serious flight risk.”
Ross, 51, is charged with instructing Robert S. Manning and his wife, Rochelle Manning, to build an explosive device and mail it to Brenda Crouthamel, a computer company owner with whom Ross was engaged in a real estate dispute.
Crouthamel’s secretary, Patricia Wilkerson, opened the package on July 17, 1980, and plugged it into an electrical outlet as instructed in an accompanying letter. It exploded, killing her instantly.
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