L.A. Celebrities Alerted to Patient’s Possible Release

Prosecutors in Illinois have alerted dozens of West Coast women celebrities to the possible release of a mental institution patient who has written letters about his delusions involving the stars.

Randall Stewart, an assistant state’s attorney in Illinois, said he mailed notices to 40 show business figures, most of whom live in Los Angeles, to warn them that they had been the focus of delusions imagined by Ralph Nau, a patient in an Illinois mental institution, who once confessed to murder.

“I’ve gotten a response from every one of them,” Stewart said. “All were definitely concerned.”

The concerns over Nau come in the aftermath of the recent shooting in Los Angeles of actress Rebecca Schaeffer, allegedly killed by an obsessed fan. Robert John Bardo, 19, of Tucson, Ariz., is charged with Schaeffer’s murder.

Nau, 34, confessed to the 1984 ax murder of his 8-year-old stepbrother, but was acquitted in May when a judge ruled that he was unfit to stand trial and unfit to confess. Stewart said Nau led police to the crime scene and showed them where the ax was buried. However, Nau’s lawyer said the confession was made under duress.

Another judge then ordered Nau admitted to Elgin State Hospital for a psychiatric examination. A hearing on whether he should be committed or released is scheduled for next month.

Stewart said Nau mentioned the celebrities in hundreds of letters to his family. He wrote that the stars composed songs for him, held benefit concerts for him, built homes for him, asked him to have their children or to enter into sexual affairs with them, Stewart said.

Stewart also said that his office contacted newswomen in Chicago, Los Angeles and St. Louis about Nau. Stewart would not release the names of any of the women he alerted, but published reports and other sources have listed Olivia Newton-John, Cher, Madonna, Vanna White, Mary Hart, Heather Locklear and others.

Locklear, who stars in the television show “Dynasty,” said she contacted the Illinois authorities when she received Stewart’s notification and that they offered to send out current pictures of Nau if he is released.

“They just wanted us to be aware of it,” Locklear said in a telephone interview. “It’s frightening. I’m pretty much aware of what’s going on around me anyway. It certainly doesn’t make me feel secure, but sometimes these things happen when you’re in the public.”

Used an Alias

Newton-John was especially prominent in Nau’s correspondence. He reportedly traveled to Australia in search of the singer, who he is said to believe is being impersonated by an evil double, and to Las Vegas to seek Cher. There is no indication that contact was made in either case.

According to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office, which has been notified of the Nau case, Nau used the alias “Shawn Newtonjohn” to obtain a California driver’s license in 1983 and had mailing locations in Hollywood.

The public defender who represented Nau in the murder case, David Brodsky, said his client is schizophrenic, delusional and has visions of grandeur, but is not dangerous.

“He thinks these celebrities are his friends,” Brodsky said. “There are no threats in his letters. . . . He has never threatened or mentioned threats.”

Stewart, in his letter to the celebrities, urged them to monitor Nau’s whereabouts if he is released.

“Due to the nature of these references (to the celebrity), as well as Nau’s bizarre behavior and mobility over the last decade, we strongly feel he could be a potential threat to you and your family’s safety upon his release,” the letter stated.

Prosecutors may be hoping that by drawing attention to the Nau case, they can persuade a judge to commit him permanently. The tack would be similar to efforts in support of actress Theresa Saldana, who persuaded authorities to extend jail time for a mentally deranged drifter convicted of stabbing her in Los Angeles.

Wilkinson reported from Los Angeles and Shryer from Chicago