LOS ANGELES, April 17 -- Police say they have located the wife of slain North Hollywood bank robber Larry Phillips, along with an undisclosed amount of money and a cache of automatic weapons and military paraphernalia. Jeanette Teresa Frederico had disappeared after the Feb. 28 foiled bank robbery and shootout, and police had been searching for her for some time.
Police arrived as the men were running from the bank, leading to a violent shootout that was played live on television. Authorities had said earlier this month that their investigation of the incident would reach a dead end unless they could find her. Police said Thursday that they have interviewed Frederico, and all information to date indicates that Phillips and fellow bank robber Emil Matasareanu acted independently in the foiled heist. A lawsuit filed in Los Angeles last week on behalf of Matasareanu's two sons alleges that there were six men involved in the robbery. Police said that among the property seized Thursday was an AK-47 rifle, an HK-91 with a scope, a fully automatic Commando AR-15, two 9mm pistols and a .38-caliber Smith and Wesson. Also recovered were miscellaneous rifle parts for AK-47s and AR-15s, approximately 2,000 rounds of ammunition, do-it-yourself hand grenade kits, several AK-47 100 round magazines loaded with armor-piercing bullets and several U.S. Army-style helmets with ballistic shields. Police declined to say where they located Frederico or the weapons. ---
Copyright 1997 by United Press International. All rights reserved. ---
