Retired American Cop Arrested Upon Return From Thailand

[sriracha john]

Ex-deputy held in death of wife in 1991

Sheriff's detectives had never ruled out one of their own in the woman's disappearance. A fresh look at the case led them back to him

It's been 15 years since the estranged wife of former Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt. John Racz inexplicably vanished while on the way to a Santa Clarita Valley fast-food restaurant.

After her abandoned car was found by detectives at an airport FlyAway lot in Van Nuys, Racz told authorities that his wife, Ann Mineko Racz, 42, had taken off on a long trip.

Sheriff's investigators had other suspicions, however.

The couple, who had three children, were in the midst of a divorce. Two psychics led detectives and search volunteers to a dusty canyon where they searched six sites for remains or clothing of the victim, described as 5 feet 3, 110 pounds, with black-and-gray hair.

The case went cold and seemed destined to remain unsolved.

But detectives never gave up on finding the killer. On Monday, authorities announced an arrest that brings a new twist to the murder mystery.

On Saturday, sheriff's investigators and U.S. Customs Service officials arrested John Racz, 60, as he stepped off a flight from Thailand that had arrived at 8:30 a.m. at Los Angeles International Airport.

Racz, who retired from the Sheriff's Department 20 years ago, was booked at Los Angeles County Jail on suspicion of homicide. He was being held on $1-million bail.

Attorney Darryl Mounger, who had represented Racz in the past, could not be reached for comment Monday night.

Authorities declined to provide details of their investigation other than to say that Det. Delores Scott began taking a fresh look at the case two years ago.

"We attempted to eliminate him [Racz] as a suspect, which we would do in any case involving the death of a spouse," said Capt. Ray Peavy, who ordered the case reopened. "We never were able to eliminate him as a suspect. In fact, the harder we looked at the case and the more information we gained, the better he looked as a suspect."

Peavy acknowledged that detectives still have more work to do in building their case, noting that Ann Racz's body has never been found and that the case against her husband is largely circumstantial. John Racz is scheduled to be arraigned today in a San Fernando courtroom.

Sheriff Lee Baca commended his investigators for pushing forward on the case, even when the suspect was a member of the department's family.

"In this case, it appears that the evidence has led us to one of our own," Baca said. "Murder under any condition is unacceptable. That a former deputy sheriff would be a suspect is unfathomable."

Ann Racz's baffling disappearance garnered significant media coverage — especially as months went by without any leads.

John Racz lived in Valencia with her and their children until marital problems caused his wife to file for divorce after 19 years.

Then, on April 22, 1991, four days after she took the children and moved into a condominium a mile away, Ann Racz disappeared.

Friends and family members immediately believed she was a victim of foul play, describing her as a meticulous woman who lived for her children and always planned ahead.

Ann Racz was so organized, they said, she would pre-address mailing labels before taking a trip so that she could conveniently send postcards to friends back home.

On the day she vanished, John Racz told his wife that he wanted to see the children and offered her $25,000 "to take a vacation," according to investigators.

Ann Racz then took her then 15-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son to their old house, where they played video games. Racz left to get her daughter a hamburger. She was never heard from again.

Her car was discovered at a Van Nuys shuttle service parking lot where travelers can travel to Los Angeles International Airport.

Sheriff's detectives at the time said they considered her husband a suspect. But his attorney strongly denied that Racz had anything to do with her disappearance, and accused one of the original detectives in the case of having a personal crusade against his client.

In 1992, crews dug in search of skeletal remains or bits of clothing at six sites around Soledad Canyon and Spring Canyon roads. The searchers were led to the area by two self-proclaimed psychics.

Back then, officials said they could never build a case against Racz. Peavy said that has now changed.

"They will eventually hear this case and decide whether we have enough evidence to convict," he said. "But we know two things: She's dead and he killed her."

- Los Angeles Times

[sriracha john]

From a July 2006 article:

John Racz, a retired deputy sheriff and schoolteacher, has "never been eliminated as a suspect," according to Peavy, who added that John told detectives that he spoke with Anne two days after she disappeared, information that could not be corroborated. Her car was found April 25, 1991, in a Van Nuys park-and-ride lot for an airport shuttle service.

- Los Angeles Daily News

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Still trying to determine the specifics, but if it turns out he's been teaching and hiding out in Thailand..... well, after the other "John" Karr... the state of teaching in Thailand is in for further drubbing.

[PeaceBlondie]

California and the US in general, hasn't had a good year for trying men named John, arriving from Thailand.

Just a note about John Mark Karr: he never was a fully accredited US schoolteacher, and he wasn't successful at it in Thailand, either.

[steveromagnino]

Just a note about John Mark Karr: he never was a fully accredited US schoolteacher, and he wasn't successful at it in Thailand, either.

So... in other words fairly typical of many of the teaching profession here with false documentation and poor results in the classroom.....

It is really unfair because the people who sacrifice a fair bit and do a great job teaching end up suffering from the idiots like this.

[lomatopo]

As a member of a jury I would find it very, very difficult to convict someone of murder without physical evidence, in this case, a body. ( I assume "motive" and "opportunity" are already covered?) I expect the authorities are worried about the suspect leaving the country, and are hoping to get a confession? When detectives resort to using psychics to solve murders all sorts of red-flags go up for me.

[Jeff1]

Yep, Thailand realated, " he stepped off the plane from Thailand " Thats all it said . Nothing about being a teacher.

[sriracha john]

The victim, Ann Mineko Racz

[farangconnection]

Just a note about John Mark Karr: he never was a fully accredited US schoolteacher, and he wasn't successful at it in Thailand, either.

Sounds par for the course. Few round here fall into that catagory.

[sriracha john]

The accused, John Racz

[sriracha john]

UPDATE.... with the verdict just now... GUILTY

Former Sheriff's Deputy Convicted of Killing Wife

Woman's Body Was Never Found

John Racz, a former sheriff's deputy, has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his wife, even though her body was never found.

Ann Mineko Racz disappeared in April 1991 after separating from her husband and moving into a Newhall condominium.

Her husband was arrested last October at LAX after stepping off a plane from Thailand.

John Racz will be sentenced September 14th.

- KABC-TV Los Angeles

[Ulysses G.]

So... in other words fairly typical of many of the teaching profession here with false documentation and poor results in the classroom.....

Bash, bash, bash!

[steveromagnino]

So... in other words fairly typical of many of the teaching profession here with false documentation and poor results in the classroom.....

Bash, bash, bash!

Back in 2006 there was a crackdown on fake degrees, and the large number of teachers complaining about it and expressing concern certainly leads me to believe that many didn't have the proper qualifications. The fact that some were even caught supports that.

I have several friends here - head masters, deputy heads, teachers, lecturers, professors - they all have legit qualifications and AFAIK do a great job.

Am I in some way insulting them by commenting on the black sheep illegals in the teaching profession???!

Edited August 23, 2007 by steveromagnino

[sriracha john]

UPDATE.... with the sentence just now... 25 YEARS TO LIFE

Former LA deputy gets 25 years to life in estranged wife's murder

A former sheriff's deputy was sentenced to 25 years to life Friday for murdering his estranged wife, who vanished 16 years ago after filing for divorce and moving away with the couple's children.

John Racz, 61, was sentenced in Superior Court. Judge Ronald E. Coen denied requests to grant him a new trial or reduce his August conviction from first-degree to second-degree murder.

"This case is a horrible example of greed and control gone awry," Coen said. "You have made many victims besides Ms. Racz. You are a murderer. How tragic."

Defense attorney Philip Israels said he would appeal the conviction.

Racz proclaimed his innocence at the hearing. "I did not kill my wife," he said. "I raised my children the best I could. I'm a good father. And I always, always was a good husband to Ann," he told the judge. "I love Ann and I love my children. Your honor, I did not kill my wife. I did not kill my wife."

Ann Mineko Racz, 42, disappeared after filing for a divorce to end their 19-year marriage and four days after moving to a Newhall condominium with the couple's children.

She was last seen driving away from her husband's home in Valencia after dropping off their children there on April 22, 1991.

Authorities later found her minivan at an airport parking lot in Van Nuys. Her body was never found.

Racz, who retired from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department 20 years ago, was teaching at an elementary school in Compton at the time his wife disappeared. He told investigators that she had been having an affair and had gone off on a trip.

The investigation was reopened about three years ago and Racz was arrested last October as he stepped off a flight from Thailand.

The trial, which began in June, featured testimony from each of Racz's three children and evidence that included letters Racz wrote to his wife.

In one letter, he pleads with her to come back and writes, "... if you say 'no,' I don't know what I'll do."

- Fresno Bee (USA)