Actor Randy Quaid and his wife, Evi, facing allegations of felony trespassing, have made a move to Canada. But, they claim, it’s not to avoid the charges here in Santa Barbara. It’s to avoid a group they allege has been killing celebrity movie stars over the last several years. “Yes we are requesting asylum from Hollywood ‘STAR WHACKERS,’” read a handwritten letter shown to media by the couple’s Canadian immigration attorney after a hearing last Friday in Vancouver.

The Quaids claim that many people — including several actors with whom Randy Quaid has worked — have died at the hands of the group, and that they could be pursued next. Thus, they fled over the border. Their arrest in Canada on the outstanding warrant from Santa Barbara, however, hasn’t helped the eccentric couple stay under the radar in trying to avoid the Star Whackers.

The two missed two scheduled court appearances here Tuesday, one in criminal court, one in civil. The District Attorney’s Office, in a press release Monday, said it will continue to cooperate with Canadian authorities in the Quaids’ request for asylum and will “defer any decision on possible extradition or further actions” until the proceedings in Canada are done.

A superior court judge here, after news of the Quaids’ arrest in Vancouver found its way to the DA’s Office, increased their warrants from $50,000 to $500,000 each. They both face charges of felony vandalism as well as trespassing. In addition, Evi Quaid is facing a resisting arrest charge and probation violation. The two — who have a history of missing court appearances in Santa Barbara, but this time, according to reports, claim they didn’t know they had been charged — allegedly were squatting in an East Mountain Drive home they at one time owned and apparently believe they still own.

Their civil court appearance was to address a request for restraining orders against them from the owner of the Montecito home, Lanette Turicchi. In court documents Turicchi claims that after the Quaids did “considerable destruction and damage” to her and her husband’s property, Evi Quaid showed up at the Turicchi’s Pasadena home and later wrote a semi-threatening letter. The Quaids will be back in Canadian court Thursday.

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