Cal State Fullerton killer’s hospital transfer sparks protests from his victims’ families

A former Cal State Fullerton janitor who killed seven people on the campus in one of Orange County’s most notorious mass murders has been transferred to Napa State Hospital, angering his victims’ family members and the Orange County district attorney’s office, which believes the move may signal the man’s release from custody.

Edward Charles Allaway, now 77, brought a rifle to Cal State Fullerton in July 1976 and opened fire, killing seven and wounding two others. He had a history of mental illness and was ruled not guilty by reason of insanity at his trial four decades ago.

Allaway was held at an all-male, maximum security hospital until 1995, when he was transferred to Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino. About two weeks ago, Allaway was transferred to a 17-acre hospital that houses both civil and criminal patients in the Napa Valley, sparking protests from Orange County Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas and family members of Allaway’s victims.

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At a news conference Friday, Rackauckas called Allaway’s new hospital “idyllic” and warned that Allaway’s transfer could be a precursor to his release. Because Allaway is no longer taking medication and has maintained a record of clean behavior, Rackauckas said, hospital treatment teams have “repeatedly deemed him safe for release.”

“But his victims are in complete fear of finding him on their doorsteps,” Rackauckas said.

Pat Almazan, whose father was killed by Allaway, called the process “sneaky.”

“It should not be this difficult to keep a mass murderer behind bars,” Almazan said.

Paul Paulsen, whose older sister Debbie Paulsen was killed, expressed fear for his and the public’s safety: “God help us all if he is ever released in any way shape or form.”

Rackauckas also warned that Napa State Hospital could give Allaway too much access to the facility’s grounds, where he could escape into the community. The D.A. also released a letter that he wrote to Gov. Jerry Brown requesting state involvement, calling Allaway’s transfer an urgent threat to public safety.

The hospital’s staff has “misdiagnosed his illness, and has little appreciation of the substantial danger he poses to society,” Rackauckas wrote.

Allaway has unsuccessfully appealed for his release at least five times. His most recent appeal in 2001 was denied by an Orange County judge who said he was still a danger to society. Allaway’s appeal of the judge’s decision in 2003 was also denied.

In July, some of the victims’ families held a candlelight vigil to mark the 40^th anniversary of the shootings at Cal State Fullerton, where a plaque and a grove of seven stone pine trees planted shortly after the shooting memorialize Allaway’s victims.

frank.shyong@latimes.com

Twitter: @frankshyong

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