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'Polite' surrender in Hells Angels killing

Matthew B. Stannard, Chronicle Staff Writer  

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

(10-07) 16:49 PDT -- It was Sunday afternoon in Bartlesville, Okla. - population 35,000 -when a disheveled man with a tattooed neck walked into the police station and pressed the

 buzzer to summon a dispatcher.

"He said, 'I am not armed, but I am a fugitive, and I'd like to turn myself in,' " recalledBartlesville Police Chief Tom Holland. "Actually, nice young guy; conducted himself very

 politely with us."

The man would not say why he was wanted. But the Bartlesville police were quickly able toestablish that he was Christopher Ablett, 37, an alleged member of the Mongols MotorcycleClub sought in San Francisco on charges that he killed Mark "Papa" Guardado, the head of the Hells Angels' "Frisco" chapter.

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Christopher Ablett, alleged member of the Mongols Motorcycle Club.

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Holland said Tuesday that he had run Ablett through the FBI's National Crime InformationCenter and quickly linked him to the San Francisco case.

"Got a hit out of San Francisco for murder, $5 million bond," Holland said. "He said, 'Yeah,that's me.' "

San Francisco police believe Ablett shot Guardado, 46, after what police describe as a"wrestling match" outside a Mission District bar the night of Sept. 2. Witnesses told police

that the killer rode away on a motorcycle; police later searched the home in Modesto whereAblett lives with his parents and his two children and seized a 2005 Harley-Davidson.

Bartlesville police confirmed that Ablett was unarmed, then photographed him, including a profile shot of his neck tattoo: "MFFM" - initials that stand for, "Mongols Forever, Forever Mongols" - and the figure "1%."

The symbol dates to the early days of outlaw motorcycle clubs, when the notoriety of the1947 Hollister motorcycle rally - which inspired the film "The Wild One" with MarlonBrando - led the American Motorcycle Association to complain that 1 percent of allmotorcycle enthusiasts were giving the other 99 percent a bad name.

The "1%" symbol has since been adopted by some motorcycle clubs that embrace their outlawstatus.

The Mongols and Hells Angels have long been enemies, but San Francisco police have notsaid whether the rivalry was a motive for Guardado's slaying.

Holland said Ablett was not being held at the Bartlesville police station but declined to say towhere he had been relocated.

"We felt it prudent to get him to a more secure facility," he said.

Holland said it was his understanding that Ablett was fighting extradition to California,though neither his court-appointed attorney nor the Washington County prosecutor returned

 phone calls seeking comment. San Francisco police did not immediately return a call.

Why Ablett would be in Oklahoma - nearly 1,800 miles from San Francisco - is unknown,Holland said. Bartlesville is a kind of island, a relatively large town 40 miles north of Tulsathat is surrounded by tiny agricultural communities. Most of the people in town work for ConocoPhillips, which bought out Phillips Petroleum Co. and its Bartlesville headquartersyears ago.

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Holland said his detectives believe there are a couple of former Mongols or sympathizersliving around Bartlesville, perhaps giving Ablett a local connection. But Ablett could just aseasily have friends or family in the area, the chief said - or simply have been passing through.

Surveillance video shows a dark-colored pickup truck dropping Ablett off at the station,

Holland said, but it failed to capture its license plate. Investigators do not know who broughtthe reputed Mongol to town.

"It's probably going to just remain a mystery," the chief said.

 E-mail Matthew B. Stannard at  mstannard@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page B - 5 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/08/BAEL13D57A.DTL