Inside the Book:

Detective Englert's Notes, January 29th, 1975

CARTWRIGHT said that he (Addicks) would pay $5,000 for the completion of TUREL’s death. They further reviewed it in detail and CARTWRIGHT related that MR. TUREL possibly drank quite a bit and they thought it best if it could be arranged of an accidental drowning in the swimming pool. BILLY related an alternate method of possibly just sniping him with a rifle from a long distance away and CARTWRIGHT did not like that idea because he wanted the death to appear accidental or natural or robbery. CARTWRIGHT had told BILLY that he preferred the death to look accidental to the point that there would be no further investigation and that it would be ideal for TUREL to drown because people would naturally say that’s what crippled people do when they drink and get near a swimming pool. They talked in detail about the neighborhood and about ROD’s benefiting from the death by insurance and they talked about the possibility of BILLY being interrupted during the drowning by TUREL’s wife. CARTWRIGHT stated that would be better yet and just go ahead and kill MRS. TUREL too…. BILLY could not relate exactly the words that were said but he understood that CARTWRIGHT appeared to have cased the neighborhood and knew the activities of the other neighbors during certain times of day so that there would be relatively little problems in coming and going during the time the actual murder was to take place...

In September of 1974 DENNIS CARTWRIGHT asked BILLY if he would torch his house for him for $500.00. They also wanted him to torch some apartments in the Portland area that ROD ADDICKS owned. The apartments reportedly had a bad foundation but were fully covered by insurance.

BILLY ANGLIN said he was asked a total of two times to kill MR. TUREL for $5,000. It was either to drown him and make it look like a robbery and the two dates were in the later part of June or early July.

Jim Turel and his ex-wife at their daughter’s wedding, two weeks before his murder, 1974.

Jim Turel and his wife

Last weekend was my younger sister’s wedding. It was a beautiful church ceremony with lots of relatives and friends present. For the first time in years, we got a picture of my dad and mother together...Dad and Mom both looked so proud. I love to see them like that. My stepmother, Bernie, stood stern-faced in the background. I wondered if Mom being there bothered her.

Rod Addicks

Rod Addicks

Left image: Rod Addicks, entering Judge Dale’s courtroom during 1975 murder trial. Note his smile. This is the baby faced, professional look that he normally wore in the accounting practice.

Right image: Rod Addicks, certified public accountant, formally from Tacoma, Washington was arrested and charged with securities fraud; misappropriation of funds in land deals with partnerships. The next day the Grand Jury indictments were issued for murder and two counts of arson (photo credit, Seattle Chronicle).

Convicted murders left to right: Dennis Cartwright, Floyd Forsberg, and Rod Addicks with moustache.

Rod Addicks

Rod Addicks, jailhouse lawyer, conspired with three convicted murderers by filing millions of dollars worth of frivolous lawsuits against witnesses, detectives and prosecutors - this story was aired on CBS's 60 Minutes.

"Plague of Justice" - as seen on 60 Minutes


Part of this story ended up on a special CBS 60 minutes segment titled “Plague of Justice”.

Stanley Turel, the murder victim's son, is interviewed by Morley Safer during the filming of CBS's 60 Minutes.

Stan Turel and Morely Safer

Numerous frivolous lawsuits for millions of dollars against other witnesses and prosecutors, were filed by Rod Addicks and others from inside the jail, which had to be defended at taxpayer's expense. All of Addicks convictions were upheld. (Note the stacks of documents from just one frivolous lawsuit)

60 Minutes became interested in this case after the convicted murderer, Roderick Addicks, sued the murder victim's son for five-million dollars. Stan Turel did his own investigation and turned evidence over to the police.

Murder victim’s sons, Stanley and Gary Turel, as they wait their turn to testify in Judge Dale’s office during the murder trial of Rod Addicks, September 1975.

Stan Turel and his brother

The Detectives

Detectives

After extensive investigations of suspects and witnesses in four states, detective Joe Woods (left) and detective Rod Englert (right) cracked the case.

Sheriff Lee Brown (middle) presented awards to the detectives for their efforts in solving the Turel murder case.

Chapter 9: The Tax Business and the Murder Investigation Continues

Late on Tuesday, the day after Labor Day, I met again with Detective Blackie Yazzolino, but this time at my dad’s office. A marked police car was still posted in the parking lot near Dad’s car. I noticed all the dark dusted finger print smudges that stood out against the gold paint on the back of the Cadillac. I paused to get my grief under control, and took a big deep breath as I walked past the car. It was only a year ago that Dad drove to the Cadillac factory back east to pick it up. He was so proud of his car. The yellow crime scene tape had been removed from the front door earlier that day.

As I entered the building I noticed hundreds of dark fingerprint smudges all over the inside of the main offices, hallways, doors, and file cabinets. I was stunned, and shocked, to find the hallway, walls and ceiling leading to my dad’s office splattered with blood. The rug in the hallway where he died was saturated with a large dark area that I had to assume was dried blood. It made me queasy to see where my dad had died. I thought the police would have cleaned up the mess before they allowed the family in, but they said usually the owners of the property do the cleaning. I asked them if they would take my dad’s locked personal two-draw filing cabinet downtown for us to review.

The hot and stuffy office held the sickening odor of death. I had to go outside to get some fresh air before I crumbled with nausea. I could not believe I was going to be the one arranging the clean up.

Table of Contents:

1. Murder Scene Discovered

2. Detectives Investigate Crime Scene

3. I Cannot Believe My Dad Is Dead!

4. Victim, Two Weeks Prior to the Murder

5. The Victim and His Family

6. Dad’s Will and Funeral Arrangements

7. Investigating Suspects and the Tax Business

8. D.B. Cooper, Massage Parlors, Sniper Shooting, and Aircraft Sabotage?

9. Arson Ring Discovered

10. CPA Resigns

11. Saving Dad’s Business

12. New Detectives Assigned

13. Investigation Heats Up

14. Getting Away

15. Arrests Made, Contract on Witness

16. Pretrial Hearing, Jail Escape Foiled

17. Oregon Murder Trial Begins

18. Murder For Hire; Conspirators Testify

19. The Defense Calls Its Witnesses

20. The Jury Returns a Verdict

21. Bernie Turel, the Widow, Remarries

22. The Arson Trials

23. Taking Care of Business

24. Frivolous Lawsuits Flow from Inside Prison Walls

25. The Innocents Begins Publication

26. The Deposition of Co-conspiritors

27. Home, Mountains, and a Gold Mine

28. The Murderers Turn on Each Other

29. Disasters, Too Close for Comfort

30. CBS and 60 Minutes Get Involved

31. Ha, Ha, Ha by D.B. Cooper

32. Making Things Happen

33. Co-conspirator Asks for Forgiveness, and Parole Hearing Nightmares

34. Update—Time Changes Everything

Epilogue

Summary of Lawsuits Filed by Three Oregon State Penitentiary Inmates

Appendix Crime Victim Assistance Organizations

About the Author

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