Oct 7, 2008 11:11 pm US/Pacific
New Details In SF Hells Angels Murder Arrest
BARTLESVILLE, Okla. (AP) ―
A suspect in the slaying of the leader of the San Francisco Hell's Angels motorcycle gang a month ago has turned himself into police in Bartlesville.
Christopher Bryan Ablett buzzed the dispatcher for assistance Sunday afternoon at police headquarters and said he wanted to turn himself in, Police Chief Tom Holland said.
Officials were more than a little surprised to discover that Ablett, 37, of Modesto, was wanted for murder with a $5 million bond.
"He was extremely cooperative; just as polite as could be," Holland said. "You had a hard time believing he was a guy who might have murdered someone."
Ablett is at the center of an investigation that made international news.
Hell's Angels San Francisco President Mark Guardado, 45, was shot and killed Sept. 2. Motorcyclists from around the world came to San Francisco to pay their respects.
Police in California had identified Ablett as a suspect in the case partly based on witness reports that tied someone with his description to the scene of the shooting. They searched his Modesto home, seizing a motorcycle and other evidence.
Ablett is said to be a member of the Mongols Motor Club, a rival of the Hell's Angels. Recent reports in California have linked assaults, shootings and pipe bomb explosions to tension between the groups.
Holland said Ablett was dropped off at the Bartlesville police station by someone driving a dark pickup, but police do not know who that was.
Police know of no ties Ablett has to Oklahoma, Holland said. When officials ran Ablett's name and fingerprints through their system, they found nothing tying him to any Oklahoma case.
Ablett then suggested that they expand their search nationally. As the California warrant for his arrest popped onto the screen with a $5 million bond attached, Ablett told the officers, "That would be me," Holland said.
"We said our detectives would like to talk with him, but he declined," Holland said. "He said, 'I'm not going to talk anymore; Ill take the Fifth (Amendment), and that's all I've got to say.' And he meant it."
After consulting with California authorities and the FBI, Bartlesville authorities moved Ablett to a secure and undisclosed location, he said.
"We're being guarded about it," Holland said. "We felt like he would be better served if we moved him. I think he is in a lot of trouble. There are a lot of Hell's Angels in prison."
Ablett is being held on a charge of fugitive from justice continuing the $5 million bond requested by California, court records show.
Bartlesville attorney Mark Kane has been court-appointed to represent Ablett, who has a Nov. 12 court docket date set, though chances are good he will not be in Oklahoma by then, authorities said. Ablett has made no move to waive extradition proceedings.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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