Slain Woman Feared Husband, Lucas Jury Told

The former husband of a woman believed killed by David Lucas testified Monday that his ex-wife told him she feared her current husband, whose whereabouts are unknown, because of his involvement with drugs.

Richard LaFollette was divorced from Rhonda Strang, 24, at the time she was killed Oct. 23, 1984, in her Lakeside home, along with Amber Fisher, a 3-year-old girl she was baby-sitting.

Lucas, 33, of Spring Valley, has been on trial for five months in San Diego Superior Court in the slayings of Strang and Fisher, and those of four other people, as well as the attempted murder of a woman who survived and identified Lucas as her attacker.

The defense, which has presented 99 witnesses, is expected to rest its case today.

Rebuttal Witnesses

The prosecution will then start calling rebuttal witnesses. Twelve are expected to testify, including Michael Jacobs, the husband of Suzanne Jacobs, 31, who was killed May 4, 1979, along with their 3-year-old son, Colin, in their Normal Heights home.

All of the victims had their throats slashed.

Monday’s testimony by LaFollette backs up other accounts by friends of his ex-wife, who also said she feared her husband--Robert Strang--because he was involved with drugs, mainly cocaine.

According to LaFollette, Rhonda Strang kept a list of drug deals, a diary and tapes of phone conversations involving her husband’s drug business. LaFollette said he once saw Robert Strang carrying a buck knife.

Robert Strang had a violent temper, testified LaFollette, who agreed with defense attorney Alex Landon’s comment in court that Strang was “a walking time bomb.”

Sheriff’s Deputy Lawrence Torkelson testified that he interviewed April LaFollette, the then-5-year-old daughter of Rhonda Strang and LaFollette, after her mother’s slaying. The deputy said the girl told him that she had heard her parents arguing the night before the killings.

Hair Didn’t Match?

Two criminologists also testified Monday that they do not believe that a hair found on killing victim Anne Swanke’s hip matches Lucas’ hair. Charles Merritt of the Sheriff’s Department said a dark brown hair on Swanke’s hip doesn’t match the pubic hair obtained from Lucas after his Dec. 16, 1984, arrest.

John Simms of the San Diego Police Department agreed that Lucas’ hair samples were a different color and that the hair at the scene was “significantly different.”

On cross-examination by Deputy Dist. Atty. Dan Williams, Simms said he could not be “100% for sure” that the hairs did not match.

Swanke, 22, of San Carlos, disappeared Nov. 22, 1984, after her car ran out of gas in La Mesa in the early morning. Her body was discovered two days later.

Lucas is also charged in the Dec. 8, 1981, slaying of real estate saleswoman Gayle Garcia, 29, who was killed in a vacant house she was showing in Spring Valley.

The jury is expected to start deliberating next month.