Spiro murders

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On November 5, 1992, Spiro's wife, Gail Spiro, 41, his daughters, Sara, 16, and Dina, 11—as well as their son, Adam, 14, were found shot to death in their beds in their luxurious, rented home in the Covenant section of Rancho Santa Fe, California, north of San Diego. Each had been shot in the head, execution-style -- with a large caliber handgun as they slept. For the ensuing three days, Spiro was the only suspect in the slaying; the story dominated the national news, and a global manhunt was quickly under way.

On the afternoon of the fourth day, Spiro was found dead behind the wheel of his SUV in a rocky canyon on the western edge of the Anza-Borego Desert. It was subsequently found that he died of cyanide poisoning. The case was officially declared a murder-suicide—ostensibly sparked by pressure from the family's alleged financial problems. Circumstances—as well as documented evidence—have continued to cast a large shadow-of-doubt on the case, and show a potentially high-percentage chance of organized and well-planned foul play. Contrary to standard San Diego County protocol, by court order, autopsy reports were sealed.

Shortly before his death, Spiro was working with CIA asset Michael Riconosciuto for the purpose of collecting documents to present to a Federal Grand Jury that was conducting hearings into the sordid Inslaw Affair.

During this period, he told friends that he was receiving death threats by phone.

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OCTOBER 1995

THE HOUSE IS FOR SALE NOW, priced to move at $985,000. “It’s been recently remodeled,” a real estate agent assures me. It sits on 1.7 acres, tucked into a Rancho Santa Fe hillside, a chip shot from the golf course where Bing Crosby first hosted his annual clambake.

At the top of the driveway, past the stone walls of the entrance, a white gate opens to the back and a cluster of three bedrooms with large windows. This is where the Spiro children were found.

Eleven-year-old Dina, 14-year-old Adam and 16-year-old Sara were tucked into their beds, gunshot wounds to their heads. Apparently the murderer was careful not to wake them before firing the fatal shots. Dina was neatly wrapped in her blanket, only her head and one arm poking out. Down the hall, at the other end of the house, is the master bedroom, where their mother, Gail Spiro, was murdered in a similar execution style.

No one heard the shots. Neighboring homes are barely visible from the house, masked by pine trees and well-tailored hedges. The bodies were not discovered for three days—not until neighbors came looking for Sara, who had missed a riding lesson.

That was three years ago.

The grisly discovery prompted the most expensive and comprehensive murder investigation in the history of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. At times, the case has been a media carnival, rumored to involve Ollie North, the Shah of Iran, Lebanese terrorists, the CIA, Colombian drug lords, the Japanese mafia and gun-running. But after three years of chasing leads, the case remained officially open and unsolved.

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Tuesday 13 May 1997

A British businessman worked as an agent for the Central Intelligence Agency and had been involved in negotiations to free the church envoy Terry Waite from kidnappers in the Middle East, a coroner's inquest was told yesterday.

Ian Spiro, 46 - who was found dead in his car in the Californian desert in November 1992 days after his wife and three children were killed in their San Diego home - was said to have been a "low-level conduit" for the CIA. He was said to have been recruited by the disgraced United States Marine Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North because of his extensive business contacts in the Lebanon.

But the hearing at Whitehaven magistrates' court was also told that San Diego police concluded Mr Spiro had committed suicide after killing his family because of pounds 3.5m business debts.

In a statement read out by the coroner, John Taylor, Mrs Spiro's mother, Margery Brunskill, said that her son-in-law had been employed by the CIA and British intelligence. "We believe that Ian was murdered by some terrorist group originating from the Middle East or under the direction of the CIA," she said. Mr Taylor added that the family was unhappy with the US police's version of events and would be continuing their fight to get the full facts disclosed.

A book by a US expert on terrorism has claimed that Mr Spiro - who had often been called James Bond because of his accent and "activities" - had been "liquidated" by an Iranian hit squad for being prepared to reveal the identities of those behind the hostage-taking in Lebanon.

In a statement read out at the inquest, Eugene Douglas, former US ambassador to Britain, said that he knew Ian Spiro to be a CIA agent who used the name John Smith.

Interviewed by Federal Bureau of Investigation officials, Mr Douglas had said in the statement:"Spiro had a part in the release of Terry Waite and had passports in several names and from several countries. "He had 15 to 20 years working in Beirut and had strong links with the Shias, that is how he was brought to the attention of the CIA and to Oliver North." Mr Douglas referred to the dead man as "not a covert employee" of the CIA but a "low-level conduit." Before his death Mr Spiro had contacted Mr Douglas wanting help from Robert Gates, head of the CIA - but the message was never passed on.

A 1995 San Diego police department report found that Mr and Mrs Spiro owed $5m to various banks, credit cards and individuals. They examined evidence that Mr Spiro had tried to use a Ouija board to help him win the California lottery and a book called Final Exit, on the best methods of suicide, which was found in his car. The report concluded: "It is evident that Ian Spiro killed his family and then committed suicide. Case closed. Suspect deceased."

After Ian Spiro was found dead, backpackers discovered belongings of his in the desert, including tapes recorded on a dictaphone. A US clinical psychologist concluded that he had become an "isolated and rigid" individual whose "melancholy attitude "had taken him beyond depression".

Mr Taylor said: "The family do not accept the circumstances of the report by the San Diego Police and I understand they are involved in further investigations in America.