On Trial in Murder for Hire : Ex-Officer Called Betrayer of Trust

A former Los Angeles police officer on trial in the contract killing of a Northridge businessman was an assassin who used the trust that society placed in him as the “perfect cover” for murder, a prosecutor said Monday.

In closing arguments at the trial of former Officer Robert Von Villas, Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert P. O’Neill said Von Villas and former Officer Richard Ford “became the very enemy they swore to protect us against.”

Von Villas is on trial before a Van Nuys Superior Court jury on charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Thomas Weed, 52, a former debt collector who disappeared from his Northridge apartment on Feb. 23, 1983. Ford was convicted of both charges by a separate jury on Oct. 11.

Prosecutors allege that Ford, 48, of Northridge, and Von Villas, 44, of Simi Valley, killed Weed and buried him in the desert for $20,000 from the victim’s former wife, Janie E. Ogilvie, 45, of Canoga Park.

Victim Vanished

Weed’s body has not been found, but O’Neill told jurors there is no doubt he is dead. Weed dropped out of sight with no notice to family, friends and relatives and has not been heard from since, the prosecutor said. O’Neill reminded jurors of testimony from Ogilvie that Ford and Von Villas came to her house disguised in wigs and makeup and offered to “take care” of Weed in exchange for money.

O’Neill also cited the testimony of a makeup artist that Ford and Von Villas came to her for advice on using wigs and makeup, claiming they were undercover officers needing disguises for a drug bust. The prosecutor pointed to a bank deposit slip found in Von Villas’ car with the phone numbers of Ogilvie’s home, office and son and the notation “Ros and Res.” O’Neill contended that the slip corroborates Ogilvie’s testimony that Von Villas told her to drop $7,500 into a car parked behind a gas station at Roscoe and Reseda boulevards as the first of three payments for Weed’s death.

O’Neill also cited as evidence $8,000 in $100 bills that Von Villas deposited in his account in three installments on Feb. 22, Feb. 25 and Feb. 28, 1983.

The two former officers could receive the death penalty.