The Krishna FilesISKCON on record
Send evidence
Portrait of Tirtha Das
Send evidence about this personRight of reply
MemberRecord TKF-006

Tirtha Das

  • Murder / murder plot
  • Assault
  • Fraud / embezzlement

Legal name Thomas Arthur Drescher

Tirtha SwamiThomas DrescherThomas A. Drescher

Devotee, New Vrindaban community (West Virginia)

Record summary

3 entries — 3 convictions.

Last reviewed
Convicted1991 · Bryant murderConvicted1987 · arsonConvicted1986 · St. Denis murder

Bio

Tirtha Das (legal name Thomas Arthur Drescher) was a devotee at the New Vrindaban community in Marshall County, West Virginia, in the early 1980s (Fourth Circuit, AP). After his first murder conviction, the New Vrindaban community conferred the title of swami on him, and he is also referred to as Tirtha Swami (UPI, WVU Libraries). He has been held in prison since the late 1980s under a West Virginia life sentence, with a consecutive California sentence (UPI). In 2017 a federal magistrate judge recorded that he was serving “a life without mercy sentence for First Degree Murder”, had been in West Virginia Division of Corrections custody since 1987, and had “detainers filed against him for a California murder conviction and an unspecified federal conviction”. He was held at the Mount Olive Correctional Complex from 1995, apart from two weeks in late 2015 after another inmate attacked him; his petition to be moved, in which he said his life was in danger there because of his role in changing the prison system’s religious-diet policy, was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction (federal court, 2017). His place of incarceration after 2017 has not been confirmed.

Sources (7)
  1. [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. [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. [3]UPI, Murdered Krishna leaves trail, Feb 28, 1988
  4. [4]UPI, Hare Krishna hit man convicted, Aug 20, 1991
  5. [5]UPI, Krishna hit man gets life in prison, Dec 4, 1991
  6. [6]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
  7. [7]Drescher v. Ballard, No. 2:16-cv-09517 (S.D. W.Va.): Proposed Findings and Recommendation (17 May 2017, Doc. 5) and Order dismissing the petition (16 June 2017, Doc. 7), May 17, 2017 (document)

Record

3 entries · most established first
Convicted
TKF-006-A

Murder of Steven Bryant (Sulocana dasa), Los Angeles, 1986

CriminalMurder / conspiracy to murderPeriod 1986

Prosecutors alleged that New Vrindaban officials paid Drescher $2,500 of a promised $8,000 to kill Steven Bryant, a former member who had criticized the community's leadership, and that Drescher shot Bryant twice in his parked van in Los Angeles on 22 May 1986 (UPI).

Judge Stanley Weisberg presided over the Los Angeles trial (UPI). Testifying under oath as the prosecution’s main witness at Keith Ham’s federal retrial in April 1996, Drescher confessed to shooting Bryant and said: “You have to understand that in my mind, it wasn’t murder. It was dispatching an undesirable element from the community.” He testified that Kirtanananda Swami (Bhaktipada) authorised both the Bryant and St. Denis killings (“Under the circumstances, it would be best.”) (AP, 1996). In an October 2004 letter Drescher reportedly said he had never personally heard Bhaktipada give him an order to kill Bryant; this is known only from a former member’s history of New Vrindaban, which quotes the private letter.

Extradition from West Virginia (1987–1988). Drescher, already serving his West Virginia life sentence, refused to waive extradition. California’s governor requested his return in April 1987 and West Virginia’s governor issued a rendition warrant on 22 June 1987. At the habeas hearing in Marshall County he called four devotees who said they had seen him at a festival in Columbus, Ohio, around the time of the killing; the state produced a Los Angeles car-rental agreement for 20–22 May 1986 in his name, with his driver’s licence details, which a West Virginia documents examiner said he “probably” signed. The Los Angeles investigator’s affidavit also recounted an unnamed informant’s account that Drescher had confessed to having “contracted with members of the Hare Krishna community to kill the victim”. The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia affirmed the denial of habeas on 18 November 1988, holding that the evidence did not clearly and convincingly show he was absent from California. Los Angeles police brought him to California on 1 December 1988. In March 1990 the California Court of Appeal refused to dismiss the charge under the Interstate Agreement on Detainers, holding that he had waived the 120-day trial limit by asking for repeated continuances (West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, 1988; California Court of Appeal, 1990). In 2017 a federal court recorded a detainer against him “for a California murder conviction”.

Status history
  1. 1986ChargedA complaint charging him with Bryant's murder, with the special circumstance of financial gain, was filed in Los Angeles Municipal Court on 5 June 1986, and a warrant for his arrest was issued the same day (California Court of Appeal, 1990).
  2. 1988ChargedUPI reported in February 1988 that he had been charged with Bryant's murder.
  3. 1991ConvictedA Los Angeles County jury convicted him of first-degree murder with a special allegation of murder for financial gain; the Fourth Circuit records that he was "tried and convicted in California for the Bryant murder". An earlier trial had ended with the jury deadlocked 8–4 for acquittal (UPI).
Outcome

Sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, consecutive to his West Virginia life term (UPI).

His response

Denied guilt at his Los Angeles trials; his defence argued that the prosecution's main witness was a more likely suspect (UPI). As a prosecution witness at Keith Ham's 1996 retrial he confessed to shooting Bryant (AP). [5]

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)PDF · 11 ppDrescher v. Ballard, No. 2:16-cv-09517 (S.D. W.Va.): Proposed Findings and Recommendation (17 May 2017, Doc. 5) and Order dismissing the petition (16 June 2017, Doc. 7)PDF · 8 pp
Sources (12)
  1. [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. [2]UPI, Murdered Krishna leaves trail, Feb 28, 1988 original
  3. [3]UPI, Hare Krishna hit man convicted, Aug 20, 1991 original
  4. [4]UPI, Third trial looms in Hare Krishna case, Nov 8, 1991 original
  5. [5]UPI, Krishna hit man gets life in prison, Dec 4, 1991 original
  6. [6]NBC News, Former US Hare Krishna leader dies in India at 74 — AP report, Oct 24, 2011 original
  7. [7]The Boston Globe, Swami Bhaktipada, at 74; former Hare Krishna leader — AP report, Oct 24, 2011 original
  8. [8]henrydoktorski.com, Henry Doktorski reviews the film Krishnas: Gurus. Karma. Murder., Oct 24, 2023 original
  9. [9]Associated Press, Hare Krishna member says he acted at leader's behest — AP, Martinsburg; reprinted by the Cult Education Institute, Apr 18, 1996 original
  10. [10]California Court of Appeal, Drescher v. Superior Court, 218 Cal. App. 3d 1140, 267 Cal. Rptr. 661 (Cal. Ct. App., 2d Dist., Div. 3, No. B045127) — via CourtListener, Mar 16, 1990 originalcopy on this site
  11. [11]Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, State ex rel. Drescher v. Hedrick, 180 W. Va. 35, 375 S.E.2d 213 (W. Va. 1988, No. 18268) — via CourtListener, Nov 18, 1988 originalcopy on this site
  12. [12]Drescher v. Ballard, No. 2:16-cv-09517 (S.D. W.Va.): Proposed Findings and Recommendation (17 May 2017, Doc. 5) and Order dismissing the petition (16 June 2017, Doc. 7), May 17, 2017 (document) original
Convicted
TKF-006-B

1983 apartment-building fire — federal arson trial

CriminalFraud / embezzlementPeriod 1983

In the same federal trial in which Kirtanananda Swami was acquitted, Drescher was convicted of maliciously burning a vacant apartment building in July 1983 to collect insurance, and cleared of conspiracy and mail-fraud counts (The Washington Post, UPI).

Status history
  1. 1987Charged
  2. 1987ConvictedConvicted by a federal jury in Clarksburg, West Virginia, of maliciously burning the building; cleared of conspiracy and mail-fraud counts (The Washington Post, UPI, Hinduism Today). The California Court of Appeal recorded in 1990 that "on December 15, 1987, he was convicted of an arson-related charge in federal court in West Virginia and sentenced to a consecutive term of 10 years".
Outcome

Ten years, consecutive to his West Virginia life sentence (California Court of Appeal, 1990). In 2017 a federal magistrate judge noted a detainer against him for "an unspecified federal conviction".

Drescher v. Ballard, No. 2:16-cv-09517 (S.D. W.Va.): Proposed Findings and Recommendation (17 May 2017, Doc. 5) and Order dismissing the petition (16 June 2017, Doc. 7)PDF · 8 pp
Sources (5)
  1. [13]The Washington Post, Hare Krishna Commune Leader Acquitted of Arson, Fraud Charges, Dec 19, 1987 original
  2. [14]UPI, Murdered Krishna leaves trail, Feb 28, 1988 original
  3. [15]Hinduism Today, New Vrindaban Legal Update, May 1, 1988 original
  4. [16]California Court of Appeal, Drescher v. Superior Court, 218 Cal. App. 3d 1140, 267 Cal. Rptr. 661 (Cal. Ct. App., 2d Dist., Div. 3, No. B045127) — via CourtListener, Mar 16, 1990 originalcopy on this site
  5. [17]Drescher v. Ballard, No. 2:16-cv-09517 (S.D. W.Va.): Proposed Findings and Recommendation (17 May 2017, Doc. 5) and Order dismissing the petition (16 June 2017, Doc. 7), May 17, 2017 (document) original
Convicted
TKF-006-C

Murder of Charles St. Denis (1983)

CriminalMurder / conspiracy to murder, AssaultPeriod 1983Place New Vrindaban

The Fourth Circuit's account of the trial evidence states that Daniel Reid and Drescher lured Charles St. Denis to Reid's house on 10 June 1983, shot and stabbed him, and buried him. A Marshall County, West Virginia, jury convicted Drescher of first-degree murder (UPI, WTOV9). Testifying at Keith Ham's 1996 retrial, Drescher admitted killing St. Denis in 1983 with another man and said Bhaktipada had authorised it (AP).

Status history
  1. 1986ChargedThe Los Angeles Times reported that he was arrested on 27 May 1986 in Kent, Ohio, on a West Virginia warrant over St. Denis's disappearance, and was indicted in July 1986 in Moundsville, with Daniel Reid, on first-degree murder charges.
  2. 1986ConvictedA Marshall County, West Virginia, jury convicted him of first-degree murder and he was sentenced to life imprisonment; the California Court of Appeal (1990) dates the conviction to December 1986 and calls the sentence "life without mercy," i.e., life without the possibility of parole, and a federal court recorded in 2017 that he was serving "a life without mercy sentence for First Degree Murder". The Fourth Circuit records that he was "tried and convicted in West Virginia for the St. Denis murder". UPI dates the conviction to December 1986; AP gives 1987.
Outcome

Life imprisonment in West Virginia (UPI); the Los Angeles Times reported in 1990 that he was serving life without parole. At Keith Ham's 1996 retrial he admitted killing St. Denis with another man (AP).

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)PDF · 11 ppDrescher v. Ballard, No. 2:16-cv-09517 (S.D. W.Va.): Proposed Findings and Recommendation (17 May 2017, Doc. 5) and Order dismissing the petition (16 June 2017, Doc. 7)PDF · 8 pp
Sources (10)
  1. [18]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. [19]UPI, Hare Krishna hit man convicted, Aug 20, 1991 original
  3. [20]UPI, Krishna hit man gets life in prison, Dec 4, 1991 original
  4. [21]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
  5. [22]WTOV9, Service held for man murdered in 1983, Jun 14, 2016 original
  6. [23]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
  7. [24]Los Angeles Times, A Tale of Murder Among the Hare Krishnas (David Ferrell), Oct 28, 1990 original
  8. [25]Associated Press, Hare Krishna member says he acted at leader's behest — AP, Martinsburg; reprinted by the Cult Education Institute, Apr 18, 1996 original
  9. [26]California Court of Appeal, Drescher v. Superior Court, 218 Cal. App. 3d 1140, 267 Cal. Rptr. 661 (Cal. Ct. App., 2d Dist., Div. 3, No. B045127) — via CourtListener, Mar 16, 1990 originalcopy on this site
  10. [27]Drescher v. Ballard, No. 2:16-cv-09517 (S.D. W.Va.): Proposed Findings and Recommendation (17 May 2017, Doc. 5) and Order dismissing the petition (16 June 2017, Doc. 7), May 17, 2017 (document) original

Photos

1
  • Photo of Tirtha Das

Places

1

Timeline

Each status change in this record, on one axis, with the periods of the cases Tirtha Das is involved in.

Showing 9 of 9
Charged Jun 5, 1986 Murder of Steven Bryant (Sulocana dasa), Los Angeles, 1986Charged July 1986 Murder of Charles St. Denis (1983)Convicted December 1986 Murder of Charles St. Denis (1983)Charged 1987 1983 apartment-building fire — federal arson trialConvicted Dec 15, 1987 1983 apartment-building fire — federal arson trialCharged February 1988 Murder of Steven Bryant (Sulocana dasa), Los Angeles, 1986Convicted Aug 20, 1991 Murder of Steven Bryant (Sulocana dasa), Los Angeles, 1986 Case · 1983–1987 · The killing of Charles St. Denis (Chakradhari dasa), New Vrindaban, 1983Case · 1986–1994 · The murder of Steven Bryant (Sulocana dasa), Los Angeles, 1986
19821984198619881990199219941996
  1. 1983
  2. 1986
    • Case period1986–1994 The murder of Steven Bryant (Sulocana dasa), Los Angeles, 1986
    • ChargedJun 5, 1986 Murder of Steven Bryant (Sulocana dasa), Los Angeles, 1986 A complaint charging him with Bryant's murder, with the special circumstance of financial gain, was filed in Los Angeles Municipal Court on 5 June 1986, and a warrant for his arrest was issued the same day (California Court of Appeal, 1990).
    • ChargedJuly 1986 Murder of Charles St. Denis (1983) The Los Angeles Times reported that he was arrested on 27 May 1986 in Kent, Ohio, on a West Virginia warrant over St. Denis's disappearance, and was indicted in July 1986 in Moundsville, with Daniel Reid, on first-degree murder charges.
    • ConvictedDecember 1986 Murder of Charles St. Denis (1983) A Marshall County, West Virginia, jury convicted him of first-degree murder and he was sentenced to life imprisonment; the California Court of Appeal (1990) dates the conviction to December 1986 and calls the sentence "life without mercy," i.e., life without the possibility of parole, and a federal court recorded in 2017 that he was serving "a life without mercy sentence for First Degree Murder". The Fourth Circuit records that he was "tried and convicted in West Virginia for the St. Denis murder". UPI dates the conviction to December 1986; AP gives 1987.
  3. 1987
    • Charged1987 1983 apartment-building fire — federal arson trial
    • ConvictedDec 15, 1987 1983 apartment-building fire — federal arson trial Convicted by a federal jury in Clarksburg, West Virginia, of maliciously burning the building; cleared of conspiracy and mail-fraud counts (The Washington Post, UPI, Hinduism Today). The California Court of Appeal recorded in 1990 that "on December 15, 1987, he was convicted of an arson-related charge in federal court in West Virginia and sentenced to a consecutive term of 10 years".
  4. 1988
  5. 1991
    • ConvictedAug 20, 1991 Murder of Steven Bryant (Sulocana dasa), Los Angeles, 1986 A Los Angeles County jury convicted him of first-degree murder with a special allegation of murder for financial gain; the Fourth Circuit records that he was "tried and convicted in California for the Bryant murder". An earlier trial had ended with the jury deadlocked 8–4 for acquittal (UPI).

Documents

2
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)PDF · 11 ppDrescher v. Ballard, No. 2:16-cv-09517 (S.D. W.Va.): Proposed Findings and Recommendation (17 May 2017, Doc. 5) and Order dismissing the petition (16 June 2017, Doc. 7)PDF · 8 pp

Do you have evidence about Tirtha Das?

Send documents, photos or your own account. It’s encrypted on your device before it’s sent.

Send evidence