Officer Removed From Task Force

One of the original police investigators assigned to a multi-agency task force probing the murders of dozens of prostitutes and transients during the past five years has been removed from the group for having a personal relationship with someone connected with the investigation, The Times has learned.

Sgt. Harold E. Goudarzi, 43, with the San Diego Police Department for 21 years, was reassigned about a month ago to the department’s missing-persons division after it was discovered he had a relationship with someone who was providing information to the task force, said a source close to the task force.

The source would not disclose with whom Goudarzi was involved, but said the person “was not a target of the investigation. It was someone connected with the investigation. That could be a witness or a source of information.”

“Everyone on the task force takes misconduct very seriously, given the nature of what the task force is investigating,” the source said. “I don’t know what the guy could have been thinking about.”

Goudarzi was one of the original nine investigators assigned to the Metropolitan Homicide Task Force, which is composed of members of the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the district attorney’s office.

The task force, created in August, 1988, is investigating the deaths of prostitutes and transients killed since 1985, when prostitute and police informant Donna Gentile was found murdered, her mouth stuffed with gravel. Since then, 42 more prostitutes or transients have been killed.

In September, the task force expanded from 10 to 21 members and split into three groups: one in charge of the Gentile murder, one in charge of the other murders and one in charge of possible police misconduct in connection with prostitutes because of the way Gentile was found murdered. The gravel in Gentile’s mouth was taken as a sign that she might have been killed for testifying against police officers.

Goudarzi worked with the group investigating the 42 murders. Before joining the task force, he worked in the Police Department’s robbery and homicide divisions. He also had worked in the Eastern Division, where officers dealt with prostitutes who worked along El Cajon Boulevard. Some of the prostitutes found murdered had also worked that street.

Goudarzi could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Police spokesman Bill Robinson confirmed that Goudarzi is now assigned to the missing-persons division.

Homicide task force spokeswoman Bonnie Dumanis said she would not discuss task force personnel matters. State Deputy Atty. Gen. Gary Schons, who is leading the branch of the investigation dealing with police corruption, also refused to comment.

Assistant Police Chief Norm Stamper, who spent several months personally reviewing the investigation at the request of Police Chief Bob Burgreen, said he had no comment on Goudarzi.

“We just cannot discuss personnel matters, as a matter of law,” Stamper said. “And I will not discuss anything that would impede the progress of the task force. It’s worked so far.”

It was not immediately clear what effect Goudarzi’s reassignment might have on the credibility of the task force, which had been criticized for having police officers investigate members of their own department.

Some members of the state attorney general’s office had protested the agency’s move to join the task force because the department was also involved in the probe.

At least five police officers and one former officer are under scrutiny for their possible connections to Gentile and missing prostitute Cynthia Maine, who disappeared in February, 1986, after detailing for internal-affairs investigators which officers were involved with prostitutes.

The source close to the task force said the investigation was in no way jeopardized by Goudarzi’s removal.

The task force “is still doing business as usual,” the source said.