Stanislaus County Superior Court
State of California
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA,
Plaintiff,
FELONY
WARRANT OF ARREST
)
)
)
)
vs,
KENNETH JAMES WARD
1072963
)
)
)
)
P.C.Secs. 814,1427,840
lvIPD 04-26675
Defendant. )
)
COUNTY OF STANISLAUS:
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA:
To any Peace Officer of said State:
Complaint upon oath having been this day made before me,
RICARDO CORDOVA
~
a Judge of the Stanislaus County Superior Court, said County and State, by Det. Dodge Hendee, Modesto Police Department,
that the crime of :
I: Violation of §422, California Penal Code, Felony
II: Violation of §422, California Penal Code, Felony
has been committed in the County of Stanislaus, and accusing Kenneth James Ward thereof,
YOU ARE THEREFORE COMMANDED forthwith to arrest the above-named Defendant and bring the Defendant before
me forthwith at my office in said Judicial District or in case of my absence or inability to act before the nearest and most
accessible magistrate in this county.
The within name defendant
may be admitted to bail in the sum of
-1.e50,CCD)~-- Dollars.
/5$/11
WITNESS, my hand this
may be served at any hour of the night.
day of
/nAI2!!rt
,20
()V'
and I direct that this warrant
RICARDO CORDOVA
Judge of the Stanislaus County Superior Court
State of California
AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF ARRE~:tiWl~1il:22
2
f,l "{ _~ __ .
3
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
_
( ss
4
5
._ ..
)
COUNTY OF STANISLAUS)
6
Agency No. 04-26675
7
8
I, Detective Dodge Hendee, ofthe Modesto Police Department, do hereby declare:
9
That I have reviewed my agency's investigative reports, and that I am therefore informed and
10
believe and thereupon allege:
11
That the defendant, Kenneth James Ward is described as a white male, 41 years of age, date
12
of birth of 10-12-62,5-11,300 1bs, brown hair and brown eyes and whom has been issued California
13
drivers license
14
15
and social security numbe
That the defendant Kenneth James Ward has not been previously arrested on this within
described offense of 422 PC terrorist threats.
16
Facts of Summary.
17
On 03-15-04, Modest? Police Chief Roy Wasden advised me that he had received a message
18
from Hal Smeltzer who is a :Bishop in the Mormon Church that a death threat had been made against
19
him. Chief Wasden told me that the threat reportedly cmne from
20
advised me that he is a memlber of the Mormon Church and has provided instruction to one of their
21
parishioners named Nancy Wbrd. Roy Wasden said that he has never met Kenny Ward, but knows of
22
him through his mother Nan9Y Ward. Chief Roy Wasden asked me to look into the threat and see if
23
there is a criminal violation.
24
25
On 03-15-04, I
contac~ed
Chief Roy Wasden
Harold "Hal" Smeltzer via the phone. Smeltzer told me that he is a
Bishop in the Monnon Churcli and works out ofthe Church located at 731 El Vista Avenue in Modesto.
!
26
27
a Kenny Ward.
Page
I of
6
1
Hal Smeltzer advised me that Police Chief Roy Wasden is also a member of the Mormon Church and
2
because ofhis position; he visits various families, one ofwhich was Nancy Ward. Hal Smeltzer told me
3
that Nancy Ward has been a long time member of the Mormon Church. Hal Smeltzer told me that over
4
the years Nancy raised her son Kenny as a Mormon.
5
Hal Smeltzer said that he has never formally met Kenny Ward because Kenny is actually a
6
member of a different parish. However, in June of2003, he happened to notice a large man in a soccer
7
uniform enter the church on El Vista where he works. The man handed a letter to another church official
8
named Glen Lewis. The letter was addressed to Hal Smeltzer. Hal told me that Glen Lewis immediately
9
turned the letter over to him. Hal opened the letter and discovered it was a letter from Kenny Ward
10
asking that he and his wife Linda Ward be dropped from the church membership. Hal Smeltzer said that
11
it was the proper procedure for Kenny Ward to submit the letter to him, because it is a function the
12
Bishop must oversee.
13
Hal Smeltzer said that there were delays in getting Kenny and Linda dropped from the church
14
membership because their records were at another congregation, Kenny had failed to leave a phone
15
number on the letter or in subsequent phone messages, and a home visit was not allowed due to a prior
16
incident several years earlier. Hal Smeltzer told me that the prior incident was an incident where two (2)
17
Mormon missionaries were canvassing Kenny Ward's neighborhood and Kenny became upset and called
18
the police. (A record check revealed a 1998 MPD case (98-53820) where officers responded to a
19
complaint from Kenny Ward that there were two Mormon missioIiaTIeS who were reportedly refusing to
20
leave his doorstep). Hal Smeltzer has written letters to Kenny Ward and provided him with his PG&E
21
work number as a point of contact. Hal Smeltzer provided the name ofKenny and Linda Ward and their
22
address
"
0
in Modesto from Church records.
23
Hal Smeltzer said that over the six-month period that it took to get Kenny and his wife removed
24
from the membership, Kenny called him several times at his PG&E number. When he did he left
25
rambling, offensive, and angry messages. Hal Smeltzer said that Kenny was always upset over the delay
26
27
')Q
Page Zof 6
1
in getting he and his wife dropped from the membership, but each time Kenny called, he failed to leave a
2
retum number for Hal Smeltzer to call. Hal Smeltzer said that he was not overly concerned with the
3
threatening calls at first, because he is a claims investigator for PG&E and he gets threatened all the
4
time, but regarding this last call, Hal Smeltzer said that Ward "crossed the line."
5
Hal Smeltzer added that part of the delay in getting the two dropped from the churches
6
membership is that they wanted to speak with Kenny's wife Linda, to verify that it was her choice to
7
voluntarily leave the church. Hal Smeltzer said that they weren't sure how to go about doing it since they
8
couldn't make a home visit and didn't have a phone number. Hal Smeltzer said that in consultation with
9
other church officials they decided in December 2003 to just go ahead and drop both ofthem from the
10
churches membership. Hal Smeltzer said that he sent a letter to Kenneth Ward informing him that he
11
and his wife had been officially dropped from the churches membership, just as he had requested. Hal
12
Smeltzer said that he had not heard anything from Kenny Ward since the letter was sent out until the
13
latest call on the 13 th of March.
14
Hal Smeltzer then played the threatening phone message left on his PG&E voice mail Saturday
15
03-13-04 at 0225 hours. I made a cassette recording of it, which has been retained as evidence in this
16
case. Hal Smeltzer said that the caller identified himself as "Kenny Ward" and he recognized the voice
17
to be that of Kenny Ward. A transcript of the threatening phone call reads as follows:
18
19
RECORDER: ... message.
20
WARD:
Hey, Smeltzer, it's Kenny Ward, okay. You're 5-Yz, 6 months game with me was
21
unacceptable. You tell your butt fuck police chief of Modesto, all right, hell's coming
22
bud, a family of bears too. So let's just go to down to mortal combat motherfucker cause
23
I'm gonna fucking waste your ass. Call the cops bitch, I want to throw down, you're a
24
fucking dick and I'm gonna kill that police chief and lots of cops, then I'm gonna bring
25
26
27
')Q
Page ,3 of 6
1
(yelling loudly) my family and _
gonna fall from the sky, bitch. Fuck you homosexual
2
motherfuckers. It's time to fall down bitch.
3
RECORDER: End of message. To erase this ...(beep) Saturday at 2:25 a.m. New message from an
4
outside caller. 37 seconds. To erase this message ... (beep) Main menu.
5
In listening to the call, I noted that the caller was a male and was extremely agitated. Much ofthe
6
call was screaming at Hal Smeltzer. In the call Kenny threatened to kill both Hal Smeltzer, the Police
7
Chie~ of Modesto,
and also went on to included cops in general.
8
Hal Smeltzer said that he was surprised that Kenny would still be upset with him and the church
9
since they had complied with his request. When asked ifhe feared for his safety as a result of this latest
10
call, Hal Smeltzer said that he didn't feel threatened personally, but was concerned for the safety ofhis
11
wife and six kids. Hal Smeltzer said that when he mailed correspondences to Kenny Ward, he put his
12
horne address as a return address, on the envelopes. Therefore Kenny Ward knows where he and his
13
family live.
14
Police Chief Roy Wasden is a public figure and is accessible to the general public in both his
15
personal and professional life. Police Chief Roy Wasden has no recollection of ever meeting Kenny
16
Ward in person, and does not know why Kenny Ward would want to kill, if for no other reason then his
17
association with the Mormon Church and possibly his association with his mother Nancy Ward. Based
18
on the threat, the tone in which it was delivered, Police Chief Roy Wasden has concerns for his and his
19
family's safety.
20
A record check ofKenneth Ward shows that he is not currently on probation or parole. There are
21
no guns registered to him in the automated firearms system. A record check with the Modesto Police
22
Department shows the same address as on file with the Mormon Church.
23
record check revealed a number of contacts that call into question Kenny Ward's mental status, his
24
hatred for the Mormon Church, and demonstrates a potential for inflicting violence on himself and/or
25
possibly others. These contact included the following:
26
27
Page L{of 6
- . The
1
June 1998
98-53820
Mormons missionaries preaching to him on his front steps.
2
3
Kenneth called police department because he had two
Feb. 2000
00-13981
Kenneth knocked over a shelf at a True Value hardware
4
store. He then got into argument with another customer. Kenneth claimed
5
to have been assaulted by a store employee.
6
June 2000
00-63261
Double Suicide Attempt - The police department was
7
called to Linda and Kenneth Ward's residence. Linda Ward had
8
suffocated 2 pet parakeets and 2 pet cats with ammonia before slitting her
9
wrists and throat. Responding officers found anti-gay / anti Mormon
10
graffiti written all over the apartment walls. The writing was determined
11
to have been written by Kenneth Ward prior to Linda's suicide attempt.
12
At the same time, Kenneth Ward was visiting Yosemite National Park
13
and while there, slit his own throat and wrist in an apparent suicide
14
attempt. Kenneth was air evacuated to Modesto. Both Linda and Kenneth
15
survived their suicide attempts. After recovering from their injuries, both
16
were committed on a 5150 W&I hold.
17
August 2000 00-81856
Nancy Ward reported that Kenneth and his wife Linda had
18
just threatened to committee suicide prior to leaving her house. Both
19
contacted by PD. Advised Officer that they were not suicidal and that his
20
mother Nancy was on medications for her stress.
21
March 2002
02-34862
Nancy Ward called PD to report her extremely psychotic
22
son Kenneth was acting crazy and threatening to kill people. Contact
23
made at Kenneth's home. No problem detected. Kenneth told officer his
24
mother Nancy was the crazy one.
25
26
27
')Q
It appears that Kenneth Ward made an unconditional, immediate, and specific threat to kill two
/
Page.j of 6
, located at the PG&E offices
1
people. That call came in on Hal Smeltzer's business lin
2
located at 1524 N. Carpenter Road in Modesto and Stanislaus County on Saturday 03-13-04 at
3
approximately 0225 hours. Both of the intended victims are associated with the Monnon Church.
4
Kenneth Ward has an extreme dislike for the Mormon Church that goes back at least as far as June 1998,
5
and this hatred could be the basis for his motive in making these threats. Even though these threats came
6
three months after the Mormon Church complied with Kenneth and Linda Ward's request to be dropped
7
from the churches membership, Kenneth Ward continues to harbor a deep resentment towards Mormon
8
Bishop Hal Smeltzer and apparently congregational member Roy Wasden.
9
Based on the fact that Kenneth Ward was not afraid to identified himself on the phone when
10
making these threats, the fact that the threats were clearly made in an extremely agitated shouting
11
manner, coupled with his past suicidal! destructive behavior, it would appear that the elements of 422
12
PC terrorist threats have been met and that these two victims share a genuine concern for the welfare and
13
safety of their families.
14
I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct, except as to those
15
matters stated upon information and belief, and as to those matters, that I believe them to be true.
16
Executed this 17th day of March, 2004, at Modesto, Stanislaus County, State of California.
17
18
19
20
Detective Dodge Hendee
21
22
HDHlhdh
23
24
25
26
27
')~
Page b of 6
o Boo<od 0 Dlsoa":;,ad
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422 PC Terrorist Threats
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3/13/60
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Aasidence Phone
Busineu/Sc:hOClI AddrsSlS
8u..iness Phone
600 10th Street, Modesto, CA.
Chief of Police
572-9500
Clc,nlng
Weigtlt
Desc.
""Jt.
Res-idenca AddreSS
WASDEN, Roy W.
OCOJPauon
Olnvut Oi",
MODESTO. STANISLAUS
Oate 01 aiM
Claims Inv.
CoOe
o Freld Op. 01-,.
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SMELTZER, Harold
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(lCcupalion
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1524 N. Carpenter Road
/"lama (LUI, Firsl, MM::2dlej
GO<!.
RECORDS
USE
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Location of OCOJfrenca I Business Name j City. Courny
0225 hours
•
•
A.D.
I 03-15-04, 0800hr:
Time('1 of OGcurrence
Saturday
04-26675
1
Of
DalefTimiJ ?9pO('!9d
':I DOMEST1C VIOLE"'CE
Oay!,) 01 Week
03-13-04
1
POLlC! REPORT
:J! & 8 WANT
:.:1 HATE CRIME
OtfenSI1 Code Net &. Description
DaIS(S} 01 OCCurrence
Ropon No.
Pags No.
MODESTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
q~",",o
a AnUnaI CanL
o Crime Aoa!y••
a Crime Preolnt
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Nama (Last, First Middl,,)
Code
Pa\lft1
Adsidenca Phone
WARD, Kenneth James
a PSO
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OSTAT
Ocl:up."an
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BusJness.J SC:'1Qol Address
.B.USIn83S Phone
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WEAPON (Ii.m.llnra.", bodily farce, slmul,'lld gun. ole. If knife or gun, deocrlb. fully)
_ _-'-_ _.....L_3
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MOdel
Colot I cctor
Body Slyl.
LIcense No.
Slate
Yr. Expires
N.W. Ar•• Gmd
...--..
:J Vtc:ftmg
a S.E. Area Cmd
V~hlclB
Vin No.
;O.dd Veh. Identifiers (DamAge. Gu.&l:om Wheels, etc.}
Oisposilion
;:J S.W. Al•• CoT1d
Business Phone
A8gi&J8feu awn.. Nam"
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PROPERTY/CAse NARRATIVE
1----'I.;;-OJs·;:.=rjo:OI---r----------;cM:":"od:;:oI:;-N:T..:'::mo~.r:::,.j-___,_------._.-_...----'C;:"om=p:Ole='e:"';O:;-:ec::-.cnp"'·::.=on::------r-------/
Qry
Ante!e Nama
Numbers
Brand. Make Of Mattulaetu(or !
Mode' Numb4l'3
(color, size. 8tC.)
VelU&
On 03-13-04, ar a prox. 0235 hours,Kenny WARD called Har Id "Hal" SMELTER'S PG&E's!business
05.0.
number. SMELTZ R is a Bishop in the Mormah Church. SME TZER had recently dropped :ARD fraIT
QPrllSl
the church's mem ership at YvARD'S request. )NARD left a th eating message on SMELTZER'S voice
QOlt>or
mail. In the message (retain~d as evidence) W~RD told SME TZER "I'm gonna fucking waist you ass."
Q_--
Q_-­
WARD then said
e was "go~na
kill that police IJchief and
lots f cops." Police Chief Roy WASDEN is a
.
..
4 ••
•
Mormon and has ad personal contact with WARD's mother i the past over church matters.SMELTZE
.
,
.
said that WARD h s left simiiar messages in the past over his desire to leave the church but this one
crossed the line.
MELTZER said WARD kno~s where he liv s and he has six kids. WARD$ knows
wh'ere Police Chie Roy WASDEN works and cbuld potentially know where he lives. The call~r ID'd
himself at the sta
of the callias Kenny WARD.! SMELTZER r cognized WARD'S voice from:previous
calls. The threats I ere in a Ic~ud angry tone and were made tol specific people.
INSURANCE COMPANY
AODmONAL PAOPEATY ::J
CITIZEN AAAEST
I hereby arresl Ina aho"e de'"ndanl an Ihe l:hargo indicalod and
a Yes
diracred and sign
reQucn( a peace otricef to taJ(1! nim inl0
UNo
CASE DISPOSITION
Date I
rm~
01 repon
03-15-04, 1100
it
~u51ody.
TOTAL VALUE $
Signature 01 AlTesring QUzan
I will Bppear as
complalnl against the person. have arrQsted.
.:J UnlooJndlld
o Open
~
o ExcDpllonally Cleared
a C1e.red by Atre.1
:lCIa.ad
Reponing Ol1\cer
•1
Det Dodge Hende.e
IBM i
10296
Revtswer's
:nWa'8
Suspended Pending Furth~r Inlormation
Dld.'ed NanallY•
tv..
aNa
Follow-up AllqulrBd
.,DV..
ClNa
Modesto Police Department
Investigative Narrative
422 PC Terrorist Threats
Case # 04-26675
- 1­
SUMMARY
On 03-13-03 at approximately 0225 hours, Kenneth WARD called Harold
SMELTZER'S business phone number and left a threatening voice mail message.
SMELTZER received the message on Monday 03-15-04. The caller identified himself as
Kenny WARD. SMELTZER recognized the voice as Kenneth WARD. The phone
message lasted 37 seconds and was recorded as evidence. In the message, WARD
screams in an angry voice that he was going to "fucking waist his ass" (SMELTZER).
WARD went on to say that he would kill the Modesto Police Chief and a lot of cops.
Harold SMELTZER said that Kenneth WARD knows where he lives and he is concerned
for his wife and six kids safety. Though the police chief s name was not mentioned
specifically, there was reference to the killing the Modesto Police Chief and a lot of cops.
Kenneth WARD has a history of mental illness including a suicide attempt where he slit
his own throat and wrist.
NAMES TO APPEAR
(V)
SMELTZER, Harold "Hal"
WMA,44 ears Dob: 03-13-60
Business:
(V)
(S)
Claims Investigator for PG&E
1524 N. Carpenter Road
Modesto, CA.
B/P 576-6667
WASDEN, Roy W.
Business: Chief of Police for the City of Modesto
600 10th Street
.
Modesto, CA. 95353
572-9500
WARD, Kenneth James
~12-62
Modesto, CA. 95355
6'00",300 lbs, brown hair, brown eyes.
03/16/04
hdh
Det. Dodge Hendee
IBM # 10296
Modesto Police Department
Investigative Narrative
422 PC Terrorist Threats
EVIDENCE ITEMS
Item # 1
Case # 04-26675­
- 2­
One (1) audiocassette tape with the threatening message on it. Secured in
evidence.
NARRATIVE
On 03-15-04, Police Chief Roy WASDEN advised me that he had received a message
from Hal SMELTZER who is a Bishop in the Mormon Church that a death threat had
been made against him. Chief WASDEN told me that the threat reportedly came from a
Kenny WARD. Chief WASDEN advised me that he is a member of the Mormon Church
and has provided instruction to one of their parishioners named Nancy WARD. Chief
WASDEN said that he has never met Kenny WARD, but knows of him through his
mother Nancy WARD. Chief WASDEN asked me to look into the threat and see ifthere
is a criminal violation.
On 03..:15-04, I contacted Harold "Hal" SMELTZER via the phone. Hal told me that he
is a Bishop in the Mormon Church that works out of the Church located at 731 El Vista
Avenue in Modesto. Hal SMELTZER advised me that Police Chief Roy WASDEN is a
member of the Mormon Church and because of his position; he visits various families,
one of which was Nancy WARD. Hal SMELTZER told me that Nancy WARD has been
a long time member of the Mormon Church. Hal SMELTZER told me that over the
years Nancy raised her son Kenny as a Mormon.
Hal SMELTZER said that he has never formally met Kenny WARD because Kenny is
actually a member of a different parish. However, in June of 2003, he happened to notice
a large man in a soccer uniform enter the church on EI Vista where he works. The man
handed a letter to another church official named Glen LEWIS. The letter was addressed
to Hal SMELTZER. Hal told me that Glen LEWIS immediately turned the letter over to
him. Hal opened the letter and discovered it was a letter from Kenny WARD asking that
he and his wife Linda WARD be dropped from the church membership. Hal SMELTZER
said that it was the proper procedure for Kenny WARD to submit the letter to him,
.
..
because it is a function the Bishop must oversee.
HalSMELTZER said that there were delays in getting Kenny and Linda dropped from
the church membership because their records were at another congregation, Kenny had
failed to leave a phone number on the letter or in subsequent phone messages, and a
home visit was not allowed due to a prior incident several years earlier. Hal SMELTZER
told me that the prior incident was an incident where two (2) Mormon missionaries were
canvassing Kenny WARD'S neighborhood and Kenny became upset and called the
p~lice. (A record check revealed a 1998 rvIPD case (98-53820) where officers responded
tal a complaint from Kenny WARD that there were two Mormon missionaries were
r~fusing to leave his doorstep). Hal SMELTZER had written a letter to Kenny WARD
and provided him with his PG&E work number as a point of contact.
03/16/04
hdh
Det. Dodge Hendee
IBM # 10296
Modesto Police Department
Investigative Narrative
422 PC Terrorist Threats
Case # 04-26675-­
-3­
Hal SMELTZER said that over the six-month period that it took to get Kenny and his
wife removed from the membership, Kenny called him several times at his PG&E
number, and left several rambling, offensive, and angry messages. Hal SMELTZER said
that Kenny was always upset over the delay in getting he and his wife dropped from the
membership, but each time Kenny called, he failed to leave a return number for Hal to
call, which might have helped speed up the process. SMELTZER said that he was not
overly concerned with the threatening calls at first, because he is a claims investigator for
PG&E and he gets threatened all the time, but regarding this last call, SMELTZER said
that WARD "crossed the line."
Hal SMELTZER added that part of the delay in getting the two dropped from the
churches membership is that they wanted to speak with Kenny's wife Linda to verify that
it was her choice to voluntarily leave the church. SMELTZER said that they weren't sure
how to go about doing it since they couldn't make a home visit and didn't have a phone
number. Hal SMELTZER said that in consultation with other church officials they
decided to just go ahead and drop both of them from the churches membership. This
took place in December 2003. Hal SMELTZER said that he sent a letter to Kenneth
WARD informing him that he and his wife had been officially dropped from the churches
membership, just as he had requested. Hal SMELTZER said that he had not heard
anything from Kenny WARD since the letter was sent out and was surprised to receive
this threatening call on the 13 th of March, nearly three months after complying with
Kenny WARD'S wishes.
Hal SMELTZER then played the threatening phone message left on his PG&E voice mail
Saturday 03-13-04 at 0225 hours. I made a cassette recording of it, which has been
retained as evidence item # 1. Hal SMELTZER said that the caller identified himself as
"Kenny WARD" and he recognized the voice to be that of Kenny WARD. A transcript
of the threatening call reads as follows:
RECORDER:
" .message.
WARD:
Hey, Smeltzer, it's Kenny Ward, okay.' You're 5-Y2, 6 months
game with me was unacceptable. You tell your butt fuck police
chief of Modesto, aU right, hell's coming bud, a family of bears
too. So let's just go to down to mortal combat motherfucker cause
I'm gonna fucking waste your ass. Call the cops bitch, I want to
throw down, you're a fucking dick and I'm gonna kill that police
chief and lots of cops, then I'm gonna bring (yelling loudly) my
family and _
gonna fall from the sky, bitch. Fuck you
homosexual motherfuckers. It's time to fall down bitch.
RECORDER:
End of message. To erase this ... (beep) Saturday at 2:25 a.m.
New message from an outside caller. 37 seconds. To erase this
message ... (beep) Main menu.
03/16/04
hdh
Det. Dodge Hendee
IBM # 10296
Modesto Police Department
Investigative Narrative
422 PC Terrorist Threats
Case # 04-26675
-4­
In listening to the call, I noted that the caller was a male and was extremely agitated.
Much of the call was screaming at SMELTZER. In the call Kenny threatened to kill both
Hal SMELTZER, the Police Chief of Modesto, (whom both Hal and I took to mean
Modesto Police Chief Roy WASDEN) and also went on to included cops in general.
Hal SMELTZER said that he was surprised that Kenny would still be upset with him and
the church since they had complied with his request. When asked if he feared for his
safety as a result of this latest call, Hal SMELTZER said that he didn't feel threatened
personally, but was concerned for the safety of his wife and six kids. Hal SMELTZER
said that when he mailed correspondences to Kenny WARD, he put r.tis home address as a
return address, on the envelopes. Therefore Kenny WARD knows where he and his
family live.
Police Chief Roy WASDEN is a public figure and is accessible to the general public in
both his personal and professional life. Police Chief Roy WASDEN has no recollection
of ever meeting Kenny WARD in person, and does not know why Kenny WARD would
want to kill, if for no other reason then his association with the Mormon Church and
possibly his association with his mother Nancy WARD. Based on the threat, the tone in
which it was delivered, Police Chief Roy WASDEN has the same concerns for his and
his family's safety.
A record check of Kenneth WARD shows that he is not currently on probation or parole.
There are no guns registered to him in the automated firearms system. A record check
with the Modesto Police Department shows a number of contacts that call into question
Kenny WARD'S mental status, his hatred for the Mormon Church, and displays a
potential for inflicting violence on himself and/or possibly others.
June 1998
98-53820
Kenneth called police department because he had two
Mormons missionaries preaching to him on his front steps.
Feb. 2000
00-13981
Kenneth knocked over a shelf at a True Value hardware
store. He then got into, argument with another customer.
Kenneth claimed to have been assaulted by a store
employee.
June 2000
00-63261
Double Suicide Attempt - The police department was
called to Linda and Kenneth WARD'S residence. Linda
WARD had suffocated 2 pet parakeets and 2 pet cats with
ammonia before slitting her wrists and throat. Responding
officers found anti-gay 1 anti Mormon graffiti written all
over the apartment walls. The writing was determined to
have been written by Kenneth prior to Linda's suicide
attempt.
03116/04
hdh
Det. Dodge Hendee
IBM # 10296
>
Modesto Police Department
Investigative Narrative
422 PC Terrorist Threats
Case # 04-26675­
-5­
At the same time, Kenneth WARD was visiting Yosemite
National Park and while there, slit his own throat and wrist
in an apparent suicide attempt. Kenneth was air evacuated
to Modesto. Both Linda and Kenneth survived their suicide
attempts. After recovering from their injuries, both were
committed on a 5150 W&1 hold.
August 2000 00-81856
March 2002
02-34862'
Nancy Ward reported that Kenneth and his wife Linda had
just threatened to committee suicide prior to leaving her
house. Both contacted by PD. Advised Officer that they
were not suicidal and that his mother Nancy was on
medications for her stress.
Nancy Ward called PD to report her extremely psychotic
son Kenneth was acting crazy and threatening to kill
people. Contact made at Kenneth's home. No problem
detected. Kenneth told officer his mother Nancy was the
crazy one.
Conclusions:
It appears to me, that Kenneth WARD made an unconditional, immediate, and specific
threat to kill two people. Both of the intended victims are associated with the Mormon
Church. Kenneth WARD has an extreme hatred for the Mormon Church that goes back at
least as far as June 1998, and this hatred could be the basis for his motive in making these
threats. Even though these threats came three months after the Mormon Church complied
with Kenneth and Linda WARD'S request to be dropped from the churches membership
Kenneth WARD continues to harbor a deep resentment towards Mormon Bishop Hal
SMELTZER and congregational member Roy WASDEN.
Based on the fact that Kenneth WARD was not afraid to identified himself on the phone
when making these threats, the fact that the threats were cle~~ly made in an extremely
agitated shouting manner, coupled with his past suicidal 1 destructive behavior, it would
appear that the elements of 422 PC terrorist threats have been met and that these two
victims share a genuine concern for the welfare oftheir families.
03/16/04
hdh
Det. Dodge Hendee
IBM # 10296
Location Deposited
MODESTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
(Locker#. Annex. ele,)
-#35
Evidence/Pro ert Record
Incident Type-Crime Code
Locatibo/Address Items Found/Seized
DatefTimeDeposited
t-jZ:Z­
Evidence/Property Booked By (Name & IBM#)
Investigating Officermetective (Name & IBMII)
l:k..t . 00066 J-h:_AD i ~
Uf:.i. J4~")VO'£L -;t:\. \02-'1 f-
o Firearm
o Money
o Drugs
o Asset Seizure
o Search Warnant
1029 (..
PL
[5 Felony
o Misdemeanor
05150/8102 Hold
o Destroy
SUBJECTINFORMATION.
Subject#
1
Subject#
2
Subject#
3
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Name (L.ast, First Middle)
MoCb'3.7D
Cb Ua:.. D'£..PI
SUbject Type
boo I pti
Subject Type
Datc of Birth
ST.
City
Subject (1-3)
City
Address (home)
Date of Birth
Serial#
Description
Subject (1-3)
Make/Model
Color
Found
Description
Item #
Subject (1-3)
Evidence
SUiBI#
Found
Safekeeping
Description
Item
fJ.
Subject (I-J)
Serial#
Make/Model
Evidence
F ouod
Safekeeping
Description
Item #
Subject (1-3)
Serial#
Properly Shelf
Make/Model
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F ouod
Color
Safekeeping
Description
Hem 1#
Subject (l-J)
Make/Model
Evidence
Found
property Shelf
DiJpo
COlor
Final Di!po Date
Safekeeping
Descriplion
Distribution: White - PROPERTY/FILE
Vellow - RECORDS
Zip
Phone (home)
Phone (work)
Address (work)
Make/Model
Evidence
Phone (home)
Phone (work)
Safekeeping
Item #
Zip
Address (work) i
Name (Last, First Middle)
Subject Type
S72.-~S6ll
fv{o.
Address (home)
Name (Last, First Middle)
Phone (home)
Phone (work)
Address (work) .
Date or Birth
o
,'PROPERTY INFORMATION
Hem '#
Zip
Pink - FIELD RECEIPT
Rev . ..:S/02