Copyright 1995 The Chronicle Publishing Co.
The San Francisco Chronicle
APRIL 29, 1995, SATURDAY, FINAL EDITION
SECTION: NEWS; Pg. A17
LENGTH: 606 words
HEADLINE: Unabomber's Latest Victim Memorialized Campus graffiti in '93 linked to elusive suspect
DATELINE: Sacramento
BODY:
The most recent victim of the Unabomber -- timber industry lobbyist Gilbert Murray -- was eulogized yesterday at a memorial service as a loving man on whom others relied for help.
The service for Murray, who was killed Monday when he opened a mail bomb that arrived at the California Forestry Association, coincided with the revelation that initials now connected to the Unabomber appeared in graffiti on the California State University at Sacramento campus several days before two bomb attacks linked to the suspect in 1993.
At the gathering honoring Murray, his son, Wil, 18, told the 300 mourners that his father was a ''logical, sensible and stubborn'' man who loved his family. ''He taught us about everyday life. . . . I don't know what we'll do without him. He'll always be in our thoughts, our hearts. I miss you, Dad. I love you,'' he said, choking back sobs.
The Rev. David Stare described Murray as a man others relied on, and his family released a statement thanking people for ''all the support we have received in the last few days. Gil touched many lives, both professionally and personally.''
The news about apparent graffiti efforts by the Unabomber -- so named because his early targets included universities and airlines -- came from Sacramento Professor James Hill, chairman of the chemistry department. He said that the initials ''FC'' and the word ''anarchy'' were painted on several buildings before the two 1993 Unabomber attacks.
Shortly after bombs were sent to the Tiburon home of a University of California geneticist, Charles Epstein, and to Yale University computer scientist David Gelernter, those initials and the theme of anarchy were included in a letter to the New York Times. Both men were seriously injured by the bombs.
In recent letters to the New York Times, the bomber, who the FBI says has killed three and injured 23 since 1978, also referred to the terrorist group ''FC'' and advocated anarchy ''because we would like, ideally, to break down society into very small, completely autonomous units.''
Following the June 22, 1993, bombing at Epstein's home, Hill said he was extensively interviewed by the FBI. The agents questioned Hill because the package carried his name and Sacramento campus address as a return address. The ZIP code in the return address was out of date, Hill said. ''They wanted to know everything I knew,'' he said.
Two days after Epstein was hurt in the Tiburon explosion, Gelernter was seriously injured in his office by a mailed bomb. That parcel contained a return address for the chairman of the Sacramento university's computer science department, Hill said.
However, he said, the name used was for the department's prior chairman, who had left the job about a year before. The graffiti that had appeared was routinely removed by campus maintenance personnel, he said.
In the most recent bombing, the package that killed the 47-year- old Murray was addressed to William Dennison at the Timber Association of California. Dennison left the job about a year ago, and the trade group changed its name to the California Forestry Association, although its address remains the same.
Louisiana Pacific Corp., one of the California Forestry Association's member companies, offered a $ 100,000 reward yesterday for information leading to the arrest of the Unabomber.
In addition to his son Wil, Murray is survived by his wife, Connie, and son Gilbert, 16. A trust fund has been established for the sons. Contributions may be sent to the Gilbert Murray Memorial Trust Fund, P.O. Box 624, Sacramento CA 95812.