March 28, 1997

Mass suicide in wealthy Southern California enclave of Rancho Santa Fe casts brutal light on millennialist sect that earned notoriety on West Coast 22 years ago, before disappearing into isolation to teach members that Earth is corrupt and doomed, and only disciplined few can be rescued by UFO; San Diego police say 39 people who died were members of Heaven's Gate, which maintained elaborate Internet site; group is same as UFO-obsessed cult founded in 1975 by Houston couple, Marshall Herif Applewhite, who is among dead, and Bonnie Lu Nettles, whose charismatic preachings were described in New York Times Magazine article in Feb 1976; photo; Applewhite was called Do on Internet site and Nettles, who apparently died more than decade ago, was Ti; most recent posting declared that appearance of comet Hale-Bopp provided 'marker' for arrival of spacecraft to take members 'home' to 'Their World'; teachings combine disconnected elements of Christianity and science fiction, with bodies the 'temporary container' of souls that can eventually separate from human kingdom; tenets quoted in detail; group surfaced three years ago for public lectures to seek out converts; photo of two founders in 1975, when they toured college campuses on West Coast; most followers drifted away in 1976 and rest went underground with couple and were lost to families (L)

Thirty-nine men and women found dead in mass suicide at estate in Rancho Santa Fe, outside San Diego, were members of obscure computer-related cult called Heaven's Gate; detailed videotapes left behind describe their belief that Hale-Bopp comet now streaking across sky would provide ticket to heaven; members, who called themselves angels, are found dressed alike in black clothing and buzz haircuts; they ran business, Higher Source, which designed commercial home pages on Internet; those dead include 65-year-old leader Marshall Herff Applewhite; former member who received videotape drives from Los Angeles with his employer, Nick Matzorkis, and finds bodies, lying neatly on beds around house; all but two have purple cloths over faces; they died at different times over three or more days, apparently after taking phenobarbital and alcohol and putting plastic bags over heads; ages vary and all have identification papers; videotape received by minister in Michigan shows man believed to be Applewhite urging viewers to 'follow quickly'; all but one of 39 appear, calmly discussing plans; photos (M)

New York State Appeals Court rules that car rental companies may not refuse to rent to young adults, apparently making New York the only state in country where 18-year-old will be able to get a car from Hertz, Avis and other major agencies; many rental companies, including largest in business, had set a minimum age of 21 or 25 for renters; but Appeals Court states unanimously that agencies' rules violate 1977 state law that explicitly prohibits companies from refusing to rent to young drivers, provided that they are at least 18; court notes, however, that law allows rental companies to charge higher rates to younger drivers to offset higher accident risk they pose (M)

Profile of Marshall Herff Applewhite, who led 38 followers in California into suicide to begin new extraterritorial live on spacecraft; 65-year-old leader of Heaven's Gate cult lived unremarkable life in Houston in early 1970's as music professor and church choir leader, until he and female companion tranformed themselves with mystifying suddenness between 1972 and 1975; they became Bo and Peep, later Do and Ti, and set off around Midwest and West, beckoning followers to ascend into space; photo; Peter Klebnikov, who researches doomsday cults, says Applewhite went underground until two years ago, when posters began appearing announcing spiritual lectures and warning of apocalypse; Applewhite's father was Presbyterian minister and he studied religion before taking music degree at University of Colorado in Boulder in 1969; he married and had two children before divorcing and moving to Texas, where, according to New York Times profile in Feb 1976, he taught at St Thomas University; he met 44-year-old nurse Bonnie Lu Nettles in 1972 and two came to believe they were earthly incarnation of aliens; she apparently died of cancer in 1985; their proselytizing led about twenty people in Waldport, Oregon, to pack up and move to Colorado in 1975 to rendezvous with space ship; that episode drew national attention (M)

Colony Capital Inc, Los Angeles-based real estate giant that planned to invest $125 million for 51 percent stake in Trump's Castle Casino Resort, decides to pull out of deal; Donald J Trump was to use proceeds to pay for 765-room addition and a revamping of property, which will be renamed Trump Marina Hotel and Casino Resort (S) (New Jersey Daily Briefing)