Daruka
Legal name Daniel Reid
- Accountant, New Vrindaban community (West Virginia)
Record summary
1 entry — 1 conviction.
Last reviewedBio
Daruka (legal name Daniel Reid) worked as an accountant at the New Vrindaban community in Marshall County, West Virginia, in the early 1980s, as an assistant to the community’s comptroller (WVU Libraries, The Washington Post). He later testified for the prosecution in New Vrindaban-related trials, including against Thomas Drescher (AP, The Washington Post). No information about his life after the trials has been confirmed.
Sources (4)
- [1]Opinion, United States v. Ham, 998 F.2d 1247 (4th Cir. 1993), Nos. 91-5350, 91-5430 and 91-5870 (appeals of Keith Gordon Ham, Steven Fitzpatrick and Terry Sheldon), Jul 1, 1993 (document)
- [2]The Seattle Times, Death Shadows Landmark Hare Krishna Temple -- Federal 'Demons' Hit Leader Of Center In West Virginia (David Wilkison) — AP report, Apr 17, 1994
- [3]The Washington Post, Hare Krishna Commune Leader Acquitted of Arson, Fraud Charges, Dec 19, 1987
- [4]West Virginia University Libraries, Henry Doktorski, Compiler, Records regarding Kirtanananda Bhaktipada Swami and the New Vrindaban Commune, A&M 4646 — finding aid, Apr 17, 2025
Record
1 entry · most established firstKilling of Charles St. Denis (1983)
According to the Fourth Circuit's account of the trial evidence, Reid decided to kill Charles St. Denis after learning that St. Denis had raped his wife, consulted Kirtanananda Swami (Bhaktipada), and with Thomas Drescher lured St. Denis to his house, where he was killed on 10 June 1983. Reid pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter (AP); Oxygen reported that as part of his plea he led authorities to the body.
- 1986ChargedThe Los Angeles Times reported that he was indicted in July 1986 in Moundsville, West Virginia, with Thomas Drescher, on first-degree murder charges over St. Denis's death.
- 1987ConvictedPleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and testified against Thomas Drescher (AP); the plea had been entered by December 1987 (The Washington Post); Henry Doktorski's timeline dates it to January 1987, at Fairmont. The Los Angeles Times (1990) instead described an accused accomplice in the St. Denis killing as having agreed to testify under immunity. The Fourth Circuit records that "Reid and Drescher were convicted for the St. Denis murder".
Sentence not confirmed.
Sources (7)
- [1]Opinion, United States v. Ham, 998 F.2d 1247 (4th Cir. 1993), Nos. 91-5350, 91-5430 and 91-5870 (appeals of Keith Gordon Ham, Steven Fitzpatrick and Terry Sheldon), Jul 1, 1993 (document) original
- [2]The Seattle Times, Death Shadows Landmark Hare Krishna Temple -- Federal 'Demons' Hit Leader Of Center In West Virginia (David Wilkison) — AP report, Apr 17, 1994 original
- [3]The Washington Post, Hare Krishna Commune Leader Acquitted of Arson, Fraud Charges, Dec 19, 1987 original
- [4]Oxygen.com (NBCUniversal), Krishnas: Gurus. Karma. Murder: Everything to Know About the Hare Krishna Scandal (Jill Sederstrom), Oct 27, 2023 original
- [5]Los Angeles Times, Killing Sparks Federal Probe of Krishna Sect: Group Members Cite Internal Conflicts, Allege Threats After Disenchanted Devotee's Murder (John Dart), Jul 20, 1986 original
- [6]Los Angeles Times, A Tale of Murder Among the Hare Krishnas (David Ferrell), Oct 28, 1990 original
- [7]henrydoktorski.com, Timeline of Important Events for Gold, Guns and God, Killing For Krishna and Eleven Naked Emperors (Henry Doktorski) — author's book page original
Photos
1
Places
1Timeline
Each status change in this record, on one axis, with the periods of the cases Daruka is involved in.
- 1983
- Case period1983–1987 The killing of Charles St. Denis (Chakradhari dasa), New Vrindaban, 1983
- 1986
- ChargedJuly 1986 Killing of Charles St. Denis (1983) The Los Angeles Times reported that he was indicted in July 1986 in Moundsville, West Virginia, with Thomas Drescher, on first-degree murder charges over St. Denis's death.
- 1987
- Convicted1987 Killing of Charles St. Denis (1983) Pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and testified against Thomas Drescher (AP); the plea had been entered by December 1987 (The Washington Post); Henry Doktorski's timeline dates it to January 1987, at Fairmont. The Los Angeles Times (1990) instead described an accused accomplice in the St. Denis killing as having agreed to testify under immunity. The Fourth Circuit records that "Reid and Drescher were convicted for the St. Denis murder".