Mystery Letter Claims Responsibility in Slaying

In a bizarre twist to the continuing probe into the murder of Sherri Dally, anonymous letters claiming responsibility for that and another high-profile disappearance were sent over the weekend to police and news media.

A letter received Monday at The Times claimed that Dally’s abduction and murder was the work of British nationals trying to embarrass Ventura County law enforcement.

“If we had tried these capers back home, we would surely be caught,” the typewritten letter stated. “But here in America, it is all too simple.” It concluded: “Long live Great Britain.”

Police officials said they would include the letters to news organizations in their investigations, but speculated that they were probably not written by the true killer or killers.

“Stuff like that is not uncommon in a major investigation,” said Ventura Police Lt. Carl Handy.

“Major cases get people that take responsibility for things they don’t do,” Handy said. “There’s some people who just want the recognition, people who want to outsmart the cops.”

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The letter never mentioned Dally by name, but its author claimed responsibility for three crimes in the county over the past 12 months. Dally was described only as a “Ventura Mother of Two” in the document.

“In a matter of one year we have masterminded a brilliant trio of crimes,” the letter said.

Dally disappeared May 6 and her body was found by volunteers three weeks later. The letter criticized Ventura County police and sheriff’s investigators, describing them as “ignorant, lazy, gullable,” misspelling gullible.

The author also claimed responsibility for the disappearance of a woman described only as “the Channel Island Bicyclist,” an apparent reference to Kathy Silveri, the Silver Strand activist who has been missing since January.

That case has baffled Ventura County detectives for months.

“Anyone that claims responsibility for the death of another human being, their letters will not be taken lightly,” said Sheriff’s Lt. Larry Robertson, who is leading the Silveri probe.

“It will be investigated totally,” he said. “But at this point in time we have no reason to suspect that they are or are not involved in the disappearance of Kathy Silveri.”

The author also claimed the third crime was framing a person called “the Prime Suspect,” an apparent reference to Diana J. Haun, a Port Hueneme woman described by Ventura police as a suspect in Dally’s murder.

“To accomplish this third caper, we successfully committed trespassing, theft, forgery, impersonation and dare we say murder,” the letter stated.

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But “Diana Haun remains a suspect in the homicide of Sherri Renee Dally, as do others,” Handy said.

In an ominous conclusion to the letter, the author warned police that “by the time you read this letter there will be more girls ‘missing.’ ” There was no elaboration.