The investigation into the murder of Marina Habe involved the examination of several individuals, ranging from immediate social contacts to suspected serial offenders.
This page documents the persons of interest identified in official law enforcement records and investigative literature.
These profiles are provided for research purposes to illustrate the scope of the original inquiry; inclusion here does not imply a definitive link to the crime.
Profiles in this Section:
- John Hornburg (Last Known Contact)
- “Spanky” Rothbard (Manson Family Lead)
- John Norman Collins (Serial Offender Lead)
- Unidentified Boyfriend (Military Lead)
John Hornburg: Last Known Contact
John Hornburg was a childhood friend of Marina Habe and the last person confirmed to have seen her before her disappearance in the early hours of December 30, 1968. While the families had been acquainted for over a decade, Habe’s family maintained that the relationship was platonic.
Investigative Significance
In the absence of a released police report, the following elements of Hornburg’s involvement remain central to the documented record:
- Uncorroborated Testimony: There are no known independent witnesses or physical evidence to verify the exact time of Habe’s departure or the events that occurred within the residence.
- Standard Protocol: Following the discovery of Habe’s body on January 1, 1969, the investigation transitioned to a homicide case. Under standard law enforcement protocol, the last person to see a victim alive becomes a primary subject of interest to establish a definitive timeline.
- The “Staged Car” Hypothesis: Researchers have examined the possibility that Habe’s car was returned to her driveway by a third party. This hypothesis suggests the vehicle was placed there to create the appearance of a safe arrival, potentially delaying the initiation of a missing person search.
Post-Investigative History
Following the murder, Hornburg relocated to Arizona. He remained out of the California jurisdiction until 1989, when he returned to Los Angeles to manage his family’s business.
During the initial investigation and subsequent years, Hornburg was never charged with a crime. Author Tom O’Neill, who investigated the case, noted that Hornburg declined multiple requests for interviews regarding the events of that night.
Investigative Lead: Spanky
Aside from immediate acquaintances, investigators examined individuals with potential ties to local counter-culture groups and the Manson Family. One such lead involved an individual known by the moniker “Spanky.”
Origin of the Lead
The name “Spanky” first entered the public record regarding the Habe case in a 1988 L.A. Magazine article. A homicide detective cited a “drug-dealing outlaw biker” by that name as a potential suspect. At the time of the article’s publication, the individual was reported to be deceased.
Identification and Research
For several decades, the identity of “Spanky” remained unconfirmed in public research, leading to various theories:
- Kirk “Spanky” Smyth: Often cited in internet research due to his 1980s prison history. However, no official documentation links Smyth to the 1968 Habe investigation.
- The Rothbard Identification: In 2025, new information identified the individual as a man surnamed Rothbard. Author Tom O’Neill (Chaos) confirmed through family interviews and research that Rothbard was the specific “Spanky” referenced by investigators.
Connection to the Manson Family
The interest in Rothbard stems primarily from statements made by Manson Family associate Bill Vance. During an interview with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD), Vance alleged that a biker named Spanky was responsible for the murder.
Author Ed Sanders also noted in The Family that certain members of the Manson group claimed knowledge of Marina Habe, though specific names were not provided in his initial reporting.
Investigative Conclusion
Despite the focus by some detectives, the evidence remains circumstantial:
- Lack of Physical Evidence: Tom O’Neill’s research into Rothbard’s associates and family did not yield physical evidence or a direct confession linking him to the crime scene.
- Reliability of Informants: Investigative journalists and authors, including Maury Terry (The Ultimate Evil), have characterized the evidence against Spanky as “weak,” noting it relied heavily on uncorroborated statements from peripheral figures.
John Norman Collins: The Co-Ed Killer
During the initial investigation, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) collaborated with external jurisdictions to determine if Marina Habe’s murder was the work of a serial offender. This led to the profiling of John Norman Collins.
Rationale for Investigation
Investigators identified several points of “victimology” and modus operandi (MO) that aligned with a series of murders occurring in Michigan and California between 1967 and 1969:
- Victim Profile: Collins primarily targeted “co-eds” (female college students). Marina Habe was a 17-year-old student at the University of Hawaii at the time of her death.
- Nature of Assault: The crimes attributed to Collins involved abduction followed by a combination of stabbing, strangulation, and blunt force trauma.
- Geographic Overlap: While most of Collins’ suspected crimes occurred in Michigan, he was also a suspect in the July 1969 murder of Roxie Ann Phillips in Monterey, California.
Investigative Findings
- Physical Description: At the time of the Habe murder, Collins was 21 years old. This age range matched the description provided by Marina’s mother, who reported seeing a young man in the driveway during the abduction.
- Evidence Limitations: Despite the similarities in the nature of the crimes, detectives were unable to place Collins in the Los Angeles area on the specific night of December 30, 1968. No physical evidence, such as DNA or forensic links from the vehicle, was ever recovered to connect him to the Habe crime scene.
Legal Status
John Norman Collins was convicted in 1970 for the murder of Karen Sue Beineman in Michigan and received a life sentence. Although California authorities sought to extradite him for the Phillips case, the request was ultimately denied as he was already serving a life term. He was never charged in relation to the Marina Habe case.
Unidentified Boyfriend
In addition to John Hornburg, the investigation explored the possibility of another individual in Marina Habe’s social circle. This lead originated primarily from statements provided by the Habe family.
Family Statements and Descriptions
According to reports from Marina’s mother and stepbrother, Marina was romantically involved with an individual whose identity was not publicly disclosed. The following details were provided to investigators:
- Background: The individual was described as being in the military at the time of the disappearance.
- Nature of Relationship: Family members characterized the relationship as “serious,” noting that Marina may have been seeing him concurrently with her social outings with John Hornburg.
- Potential Motive: Detectives evaluated whether jealousy played a role in the abduction, specifically if the individual reacted to Habe spending the evening of December 29 with Hornburg.
Investigative Status
Despite these family accounts, this individual remains an “Unknown Subject” (UNSUB) in the public record:
- Lack of Corroboration: No independent witnesses, logs, or physical evidence have surfaced to identify this person or place him in Los Angeles during the 48-hour window of the crime.
- Verification Gap: Aside from the family’s testimony, there is no mention of a specific name or military unit in the available summaries of the 1968/1969 investigation.
- Research Limitation: Without a confirmed identity, his whereabouts and potential involvement remain a matter of speculation rather than verified data.