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Grondalski family murders

SOLVED1986Fort Bragg, Mendocino County, California3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Glass Beach, Fort Bragg, California — the town where the Grondalski family was murdered in 1986
Glass Beach, Fort Bragg, California — the town where the Grondalski family was murdered in 1986 — Credit: CC BY 2.0

William "Billy" Grondalski, an oil refinery worker, joined the Vallejo chapter of the Hells Angels in 1982. He struggled with substance abuse and, following internal club violence in 1986 involving an expelled member named Terry Dalton, told his estranged wife Patricia "Patty" Kast that he wanted to leave the club. The couple reconciled, and Billy added a tattoo reading "84 In 86 Out" beneath his Hells Angels death's head tattoo. Because he did not cover or remove his club tattoos after leaving, the Vallejo chapter, under new president Gerry "Butch" Lester, considered him "in bad standing" and sought him out. The family, including teenage son Jeremy and five-year-old daughter Dallas, moved to Fort Bragg on October 1, 1986, moving furniture only at night out of fear.

On October 5, 1986, Lester and Charles "Chuck" Diaz, having borrowed a truck from fellow Hells Angel Michael "Little Mike" Tankersley, went to the Grondalski home. Lester shot and killed Billy, then the pair killed Patty, Jeremy, and Dallas to eliminate witnesses. The killings involved gunfire and stabbing, and the perpetrators mutilated Billy's body to remove his club tattoo. Other Hells Angels associates, including Tankersley, Sammie Lester, and Charles Haas, assisted in destroying evidence, including melting the weapons and burning the house, which damaged the victims' remains.

Mendocino County Detective Sergeant Philip Pintane took over the investigation in 1988 but initially made little progress; police had mistakenly believed the killings occurred a day later than they had. In 1993, Charles Haas, then facing a lengthy prison sentence in Arizona for drug offenses, offered information in exchange for leniency and revealed the correct date of the murders. Working with Mendocino County District Attorney Susan Massini, Pintane built a case, and in May 1995 Lester and Diaz were arrested on first-degree murder charges. Tankersley, tracked down in Arkansas, eventually agreed to testify for the prosecution.

Lester was tried three times; the first two trials in 1997 ended in hung juries before he was convicted of first-degree murder in a third trial in late 1997 and sentenced to life imprisonment. Diaz's case was delayed by legal complications, including a conflict of interest involving defense attorney Norman Vroman's later election as district attorney, leading the state to take over prosecution. Diaz was tried beginning March 2004 alongside co-defendants Mary Anne Roach, Sammie Lester, and Robert Huffman on related obstruction and arson-related charges. On May 5, 2004, a jury convicted Diaz of four counts of first-degree murder.

Key facts

Victims
Patricia 'Patty' Grondalski, Jeremy Kast, Dallas Grondalski, William 'Billy' Grondalski
Date
1986
Location
Fort Bragg, Mendocino County, California
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 1982

    William Grondalski joins the Vallejo chapter of the Hells Angels.

  2. 1985

    Patricia Grondalski files for divorce, citing her husband's involvement with the Hells Angels.

  3. 1986-04

    Hells Angel Terry Dalton is expelled from the Oakland chapter for stealing.

  4. 1986-07

    Sonny Barger summons the Vallejo chapter to Oakland, where several members are beaten for maintaining contact with Dalton.

  5. 1986-08-21

    Barger appoints Gerry 'Butch' Lester as the new president of the Vallejo chapter.

  6. 1986-09-27

    Lester reports to Barger that Grondalski is 'in bad standing' and his tattoos need to be covered.

  7. 1986-10-01

    The Grondalski family moves to a new house in Fort Bragg.

  8. 1986-10-05

    Billy, Patricia, Jeremy, and Dallas Grondalski are murdered at their Fort Bragg home by Gerry Lester and Charles Diaz; the house is later set on fire.

  9. 1986-10-06

    The burned house and the family's deaths are reported to Mendocino County police.

  10. 1988

    Detective Sergeant Philip Pintane takes charge of the investigation.

  11. 1993

    Charles Haas, convicted of drug possession in Arizona, offers information about the murders in exchange for a reduced sentence.

  12. 1994-06

    A deal is struck for Haas to provide a recorded statement to investigators.

  13. 1995-05

    Gerry Lester and Charles Diaz are arrested on first-degree murder charges.

  14. 1997-04

    Lester's first trial ends in a hung jury.

  15. 1997-05

    Lester's second trial begins and again ends in a hung jury.

  16. 1997-11

    Lester is convicted of first-degree murder at his third trial and sentenced to life imprisonment.

  17. 1998-11

    Norman Vroman, former defense lawyer for Lester and Diaz, is elected district attorney of Mendocino County.

  18. 2000

    A grand jury indicts Diaz for first-degree murder after the state assumes prosecution due to a conflict of interest.

  19. 2004-03-04

    The trial of Charles Diaz, along with co-defendants Mary Anne Roach, Sammie Lester, and Robert Huffman, begins.

  20. 2004-05-05

    A jury finds Charles Diaz guilty of four counts of first-degree murder.

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People

  • Robert Huffman

    CHARGED

    Charged in connection with providing the van used in the arson of the Grondalski house.

  • Patricia 'Patty' Grondalski

    VICTIM

    Killed on October 5, 1986; wife of William Grondalski.

  • Philip Pintane

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    Mendocino County Detective Sergeant who led the investigation from 1988 onward.

  • Jeremy Kast

    VICTIM

    Killed on October 5, 1986; teenage stepson of William Grondalski.

  • Mary Anne Roach

    CHARGED

    Charged with obstruction of justice and threatening witnesses in connection with the case.

  • Gerry 'Butch' Lester

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of first-degree murder in 1997 and sentenced to life imprisonment after two prior hung-jury trials.

  • Dallas Grondalski

    VICTIM

    Killed on October 5, 1986; five-year-old daughter of William and Patricia Grondalski.

  • Michael O'Reilly

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    California assistant district attorney who took over prosecution of Charles Diaz due to a conflict of interest.

  • Susan Massini

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    Mendocino County District Attorney who prosecuted Gerry Lester.

  • William 'Billy' Grondalski

    VICTIM

    Killed on October 5, 1986; former Hells Angels member.

  • Sammie Lester

    CHARGED

    Charged with obstruction of justice in connection with the case.

  • Charles 'Chuck' Diaz

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of four counts of first-degree murder on May 5, 2004.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Archival records

  • Glass Beach, Fort Bragg, California — the town where the Grondalski family was murdered in 1986

    archival location

    Glass Beach, Fort Bragg, California — the town where the Grondalski family was murdered in 1986

    Credit: CC BY 2.0 · Source

Places

Fort Bragg, Mendocino County, California

39.4457, -123.8053

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
On October 5, 1986, Hells Angels members Gerry "Butch" Lester and Charles "Chuck" Diaz killed William Grondalski, his wife Patricia, his stepson Jeremy, and his five-year-old daughter Dallas at their home in Fort Bragg, Mendocino County, California, then burned the house to destroy evidence.
Where did the murders happen?
Fort Bragg, Mendocino County, California.
Who was convicted?
Gerry 'Butch' Lester (Convicted of first-degree murder in 1997 and sentenced to life imprisonment after two prior hung-jury trials.) and Charles 'Chuck' Diaz (Convicted of four counts of first-degree murder on May 5, 2004.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
More cases in California

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICGrondalski family murdersWikipedia · 2026-07-10
  2. PRESSHells Angels members held in murdersupi.com · 2026-07-10
  3. PRESSCourtroom cheers sentence of biker who killed 4 peopledeseret.com · 2026-07-10

Record history

First published
JUL 11, 2026