Fred Tokars

Case details

Fredric W. Tokars (also written as Fred Tokars) was tried for the murder of his wife, Sara Tokars, in Georgia and was also charged federally in connection with drug-related money laundering and the murder-for-hire.

Timeline

• November 29, 1992 — Sara Tokars and her sons Ricky and Mikey were returning home from a Thanksgiving visit with Sara Tokars’ parents in Florida when they encountered an armed intruder in their home; the intruder forced them back into the car and shot Sara Tokars in the back of the head at point blank range with a sawed-off shotgun and fled.
• December 6 (year not stated) — Tokars, in the presence of counsel, was interviewed by the police; Tokars admitted his clients were criminals and specifically mentioned Mason and other matters.
• December 12, 1992 — Eddie Lawrence was arrested for writing bad checks.
• December 20 (year not stated) — The police again interviewed Tokars about why he never previously mentioned his connection with Lawrence.
• December 23, 1992 — Police arrested Lawrence and Rower; Cobb County authorities charged Lawrence and Rower with murder; Cobb County authorities named Tokars a suspect; federal authorities disclosed Tokars was under investigation for money laundering as part of an ongoing drug-trafficking probe.
• Christmas Eve (year not stated) — Tokars failed to go on a family outing to Busch Gardens and was found unconscious in his hotel room; the police found a suicide note; Tokars survived the suicide attempt.
• December 23, 1992 (grand-jury reference) — Sara Tokars’ death was the basis for an indictment by a Cobb County grand jury.
• August 25, 1993 — Eddie Lawrence and Toozdae Rower were indicted on murder charges in the death of Sara Tokars.
• June 17, 1994 — A federal grand jury indicted Fred Tokars.
• March 8, 1997 — A jury found Fred Tokars guilty of the murder of Sara Tokars.
• March 12, 1997 — Fred Tokars was sentenced to life in prison.
• Sept. 6, 1996 — United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit provided a “Factual Background” section describing the case.

Background

Fredric W. Tokars had worked in multiple parts of the criminal justice system, including as a prosecutor and a criminal defense attorney.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, Tokars was described as a lawyer in Atlanta involved in criminal activities, including money laundering. The case involved drugs, money laundering, torture, kidnapping, and murder-for-hire, and it was described as having two sections: a narcotics money laundering enterprise and the murder of Sara Tokars (“Sara”).

The offence

Kidnapping and murder of Sara Tokars

Sara Tokars was killed in front of her two young children, Ricky and Mikey.

Sara Tokars and her sons Ricky (then 7) and Mikey (then 4) were returning home from a Thanksgiving visit with Sara Tokars’ parents in Florida when they encountered an armed intruder in their home. The intruder forced the three back into the Tokars’ van, made Sara drive for a mile, then shot Sara’s head with a sawed-off shotgun in front of her two children. The staged appearance initially appeared to be robbery gone bad, but the investigation later focused on a murder-for-hire.

Stipulated testimony indicated that Sara died from a gunshot wound to the head delivered from a distance of approximately one foot or less. Sara’s two small children were in the vehicle at the time of the murder.

Divorce concerns and preparation

Sara Tokars was suspicious of her husband’s infidelity and she hired a private investigator to tail him. She discovered his secret foreign bank accounts and gave copies of incriminating evidence to her sister, Christine Ambrusko (Ambrusko). Sara was returning home from a Thanksgiving visit with her parents in Florida and was afraid she would not get custody of their two sons. Sara was described as making copies of documents and telling her sister to keep them and give them to the police if anything happened to her.

At a political fundraiser reception, Tokars stated that his wife Sara had recently been in his office working on his accounts receivable.

Sara’s neighbor, Sarah Suttler (Suttler), testified that Sara often discussed divorcing Tokars but was afraid she would not get custody of their two sons. In the fall of 1992, Suttler said Sara told her: “I can divorce Fred now because I have the goods on him, and he'll not get my boys ... I have found papers of income tax evasion.”

After the murder, Sara’s sister, Gretchen Ambrusko Schaeffer (Schaeffer), testified that Tokars appeared “very anxious, and he was making loud noises, kind of moaning and saying, 'I'm so afraid' and 'I'm scared,' in a loud tone of voice, very nervous appearing.”

Murder-for-hire arrangement

Lawrence testified that Tokars asked him to kill someone in late July or early August 1992, and in mid-September Tokars asked Lawrence to kill Tokars’ wife Sara because she wanted to divorce him and take everything. Lawrence testified that Tokars said: “Let her have it,” “he could always get that back.”

Lawrence testified that Tokars stated: “that he worked too hard, he went to school at night, and she never did anything. All she ever did was spend his money, and that he wasn't going to give it to her. He would kill her first.”

Lawrence also testified that Tokars said about the children: “They will be alright. They will get over it. They are young. They will get over it.”

Lawrence testified that Tokars “just wanted it done” and said: “she was putting pressure on him and he wanted to kill her. That was what he wanted to do, he wanted her dead.”

Tokars first indicated that the murder should occur in his office but Lawrence would not agree. Tokars then decided it should happen in their home so it would look like a burglary. Tokars offered to pay Lawrence $25,000 plus a portion of the life insurance proceeds.

In August of 1989, Tokars had increased the life insurance proceeds on Sara from $250,000 to $1,750,000. Tokars pressured Lawrence to kill Sara and threatened to destroy Lawrence’s business if Lawrence would not comply.

Lawrence contacted Curtis Rower (“Rower”) and offered him $5,000 to commit the murder; Rower agreed. On the Monday or Tuesday prior to Thanksgiving of 1992, Tokars told Lawrence that Sara would be going to Florida and that he wanted her killed when she came back.

Tokars arranged an alibi by being scheduled to be in Alabama meeting with a prisoner at that time. Sara’s father testified that Sara and the two children drove to Florida, arrived on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, and that Tokars flew into Tampa the same day. Tokars returned home on Saturday and requested that Lawrence meet him the next day. Lawrence met Tokars at his law office, and Tokars informed Lawrence that Sara had already left Florida and would arrive in Atlanta around 8:00 or 9:00 p.m.

During the same day, many phone calls involved telephones associated with Tokars, Lawrence, Sara’s father, and a Montgomery hotel. Lawrence picked up Rower around 7:00 p.m. Rower was equipped with a sawed-off shotgun. Lawrence left Rower at the Tokars’ residence and instructed him to kill a white female about age forty.

Sara’s vehicle drove off the road; Rower got out and ran toward Lawrence. They then drove to Atlanta because Rower wanted to buy some drugs. Rower testified that when Sara arrived home he made her get back into her vehicle and leave to take him to Atlanta, and that after they pulled over Lawrence approached, grabbed the gun, and it went off.

Investigation

Police initially suspected that the incident was a bungled robbery or kidnapping with a potential link to a disgruntled client of Tokars’ criminal practice. Investigators quickly found a real-estate developer, Eddie Lawrence, with whom Fred Tokars had a business connection, and found the shooter, Curtis Rower, through Lawrence.

A police officer called Tokars at Sara’s father’s home to inform him of the arrest of Lawrence and Rower; Tokars replied “okay.” Sara’s father, Dr. Ambrusko, recalled Tokars had no reaction to the news and asked Tokars to tell the family about Lawrence; Tokars stated he did not believe Lawrence was involved. Neal Wilcox (Sara’s brother-in-law) testified that during a conversation with Tokars later in the evening, Tokars kept repeating he was worried about the police making a deal, and Tokars claimed the police were using the men to get to him and he was worried about the police making a deal for their testimony against him.

A money launderer, Wilbert Humphries, was in custody in Montgomery, Alabama, in November of 1992 and was surprised to receive a visit from Tokars on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. At the jail, Tokars asked Humphries to sign some papers; Humphries attempted to talk with Tokars about the case, but Tokars “talked to me very brief like he was in a hurry or something.” The meeting lasted only about ten minutes.

On the Monday following the murder, Sara’s cousin Mary Rose Taylor contacted Sara’s sister Christine Ambrusko asking her to find the papers of Tokars that Taylor had asked Sara to copy. Taylor found the documents, copied them, and delivered them to the police. The documents reflected offshore bank accounts in the Bahamas and a Class B licensed bank issued by Montserrat.

Police and federal agents searched Tokars’ residence with Tokars’ consent and seized Tokars’ calendars for 1988, 1989, and 1990.

Arrest and charges

Eddie Lawrence and Toozdae Rower

Eddie Lawrence was arrested on bad-check charges on December 14 (year not stated). Lawrence was later arrested on December 12 for writing bad checks, questioned about Sara’s murder, denied involvement, was released, and then was charged for writing another bad check. While Lawrence was again in custody, a private investigator for Tokars questioned him about the murder.

On December 23, Lawrence and Rower were arrested and charged with murder.

Tokars

On December 23, Cobb County authorities named Tokars a suspect in Sara’s homicide. Federal authorities disclosed that he was also under investigation for money laundering as part of an ongoing drug-trafficking probe.

Tokars was charged with federal counts of racketeering, conspiracy, money-laundering, and using a telephone in commission of a murder for hire. The kidnapping and shooting of Sara Tokars was described as the basis for some federal charges, including the racketeering count.

A Cobb County grand jury charged Tokars, Lawrence, and Rower with Sara’s murder. A federal grand jury indicted Tokars.

Trial

United States Court of Appeals — factual background

A United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit opinion dated Sept. 6, 1996 included factual background describing drugs, money laundering, torture, kidnapping, and murder-for-hire and describing two sections, including the murder of Sara Tokars (“Sara”).

Trial testimony concerning money laundering enterprise

The opinion described drug dealers Jessie Ferguson (“Ferguson”) and Julius Cline (“Cline”) and testified that in July 1985 Ferguson moved to Atlanta and met Mason, with Cline also moving to Atlanta.

The background described multiple club-related ventures, including a VIP Club and other venues, and it described Tokars’ role in incorporating businesses used in laundering drug proceeds and his teaching money laundering courses for a Georgia Police Academy and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Academy.

The background also included testimony about Tokars’ interactions with various individuals, including Baynard, Silver, and law enforcement officials, and described discussions about offshore banks and leaving no paper trail for laundering drug money.

The opinion also described a scene in which Ferguson placed a 9-millimeter handgun on the table, placed it down Jones’s throat, and threatened to kill him, and later Ferguson physically tortured Jones for two to three hours. Ferguson then put Jones in the bathroom and Jones escaped.

The opinion described other acts involving threats and coercion, including how Harris was advised after being arrested that he could “set someone up,” and Harris testified Tokars said that Harris could not set up Cline because “if you do Julius [Cline], it will role [sic] down and get James [Mason] because everybody knows James doesn't have any money, and he gets his money from Julius.”

The opinion described Tokars’ representation of individuals, his handling of corporate structures, and his involvement in matters tied to Diamonds and Pearls, Atlanta House Clubs, Inc., and other related clubs.

Murder trial jury findings

On March 8, 1997, the jury found Fred Tokars guilty of the murder of Sara Tokars.

Four days later, the same jury found the state had proved beyond a reasonable doubt several aggravating circumstances permitting a death sentence but nonetheless exercised its discretion to impose a life sentence on Tokars.

The trial was described as televised live on Court TV.

Sentencing

On March 12, 1997, Fred Tokars was sentenced to life in prison.

The case also described earlier federal sentences of life without parole, including four life sentences without parole in a federal prison, and that federal sentences were upheld on appeal before the state murder trial occurred.

Appeals

Federal appellate review resulted in federal sentences being upheld on appeal, followed by a Georgia superior court trial.

Other details

Suicide attempt and suicide note (Christmas Eve)

Tokars’ unsuccessful attempt at suicide produced a note later used as a trial exhibit.

The note began: “I am sorry for the pain and sorrow my lifestyle has inflicted upon you. I never wanted Sara or anybody to die or get hurt. I am a weak person and cannot stand the pain and sorrow any longer. So I want to end it.”

It included the following verbatim lines: “Please make sure my little Mike and Rick are taken care of.” “I took the lie detector test only because I knew that I was innocent.” “Yesterday little Ricky ask me who was the best person in Moms family—I hesitated and he said Joni.” “I want Joni to take care of Rick & Mike.” “I want Andy to take care of my money for the education of all Tokars and Amibrisko children.” “Please make sure all children have a chance to go to college.” “I also want to keep our house in Canada as its my real beginning.” “Please call Bob Brenner and tell him that I love him and have always admired him.” “Mike and Rick have been sheltered from the press so far. Let them see everything and draw their own conclusions. They will see I could never hurt Sara or anyone else.” “The Press killed me. Please explain to my friends my weakness and let them know what happened.” “I can't live w/ all this pressure. I'm sorry for all the pain and suffering that I have caused everyone.” “But I loved Sara, never hurt her, and I have now died for her.” “I love you Sara, Rick, Mike. Give my judge's badge to little Ricky. Give my DA's badge to little Michael.” “Make sure they know how hard I worked for them both.” “The torture has weakened me to the point where I can't take it anymore. I want to die.” “I'm very sad. Please help my children, Norma, Andy, and my family.”

The note was introduced with: “Dear Rick, Mike, Norma, Andy and Friends and Family:”

and included: “UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Fredric W. TOKARS, James H. Mason, Defendants-Appellants. United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. Sept. 6, 1996.”