Professor John H. Casarez
Professor Casarez was Soke Murdock's First and Main Instructor July 1979 through October 2024. Professor Casarez passed away in October 2024
John Casarez 6th Dan Early 1980's
This picture was taken in front of John's dojo, Soke Murdock's Initial dojo and beginning of training in the Martial Arts.
Robert "Bob" Fraizer
Bob was an Army Veteran. He was a 7th Degree Black Belt in Okinawan Karate
and had a black belt in Aikido. He also had knowledge of Vietnamese Martial
Arts.
He was a known Artist and did a lot of paintings and murals.
Bob was an antique collector and several artifacts at his
home.
Bob did a lot of artwork for Professor Casarez, painting
Karate and Ninja characters on the windows of his dojo. He also used a sharpie
marker to create a portrait of a Ninja that hung in Professor Casarez’s Dojo
since the early 1981. This portrait now hangs in Soke Murdock’s dojo.
Bob taught several classes per month at Professor Casarez’s
Tri-City School of Martial Arts dojo back in the mid 80’s. He
taught during some of Professor Casrez’s classes.
Bob could kick you in the head even being right next to you.
He had great flexibility even at an older age. Bob used come in complaining of
all kind of health ailments and could be kind of a hypochondriac. You would
have never known that when he was teaching. He liked to grab the inner part of
your leg with a painful grab pinch. He also taught Sensei Murdock several
chokes and neck breaking techniques he learned in Vietnam.
Bob became one of my friends and we talked often.
I trained with him once again in late 2007 at his little
home dojo.
It was always fun to train with him. Bob passed in 2013
Bob was an awesome artist
Bob did a lot of paintings and Murals. The Ninja figures on the dojo windows is what drew me to start training. That eventually lead me into training with Doshi Richard Van Donk, Shihan Ed Martin and several other Bujinkan Instructors. I also trainied at Stephen Hayes's Quest Center in Chapel Hill, NC. I now train with Stephen Hayes at least once a year and different Hall of Fame events.
Lester Cohen, Part-time Instructor, Eskrima, Kali, JKD and Sytema
Lester Cohen and his friend Mike Parsons used to come to
Professor Casarez’s Tri-City School of Martial Arts dojo and teach Eskrima and
Kali classes on John’s off nights in the mid 80's. I trained in his classes along with my
Ju-Jitsu classes. Lester and Mike taught classes there almost two years. Lester
moved to California shortly after that and began teaching there. He also taught
Navy Seals with two other instructors. He and the other instructors did a video
of Navy Seal Knife defenses in the 1990’s. I continued my Eskrima and Kali
training through several instructors at the WHFSC events.
Lester Cohen was a long-time martial artist, instructor, and
attorney with over 45 years of experience across multiple disciplines.
Lester’s Experience: He was practicing martial arts for over
four decades until his Parkinson’s diagnoses which hi Parkinson’s worsened to
the point he couldn’t teach anymore.
Styles & Disciplines: Systema (trained under figures
like Vladimir Vasiliev and in association with related Russian martial arts
circles).
Jeet Kune Do (JKD).
Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) / Eskrima / Kali (including
teaching and training alongside prominent instructors like Dan Inosanto and
Mike Parsons).
Nami Ryu Aiki Heiho (associated with teachers like James
Williams and the Sanrin Dojo lineage).
He has taught classes, seminars, and training groups (such
as in Huntington, WV. and San Diego, California) and influenced other
multi-style practitioners and instructors.
Lester passed early the 2010's due to Pakinson's complications.
Doshi Richard Van Donk
Soke Murdock started training with Doshi in 1997 after meeting him at the World Head of Family Sokeship Council event. He began training in his Ninjutsu black belt video course. This has led to a Shidoshi rank in the Bujinkan and a 30 year friendship with him and his wife Linda. Doshi is my second main instructor.
Doshi Van Donk and Soke Murdock
This picture taken just after Soke Murdock passed the Sakki , 5th degree black blet test in Ninjutsu. Doshi traveled several times a year to Japan to train at Hatsumi's dojo. He was awarded the title of DaiShihan and was one of the many Inheiriters of Ninjutsu once Hatsumi Sensei retired.
Shihan Ed "Papasan" Martin, Bujinkan Budo/Ninpo Taijutsu, Ninjutsu.
I met Ed at the 2000 Tai Kai in Atlanta GA. He taught me
several cane techniques while I was there.
In 2004 he became my main Ninjutsu instructor. I trained
with him on a regular basis until 2007 when I officially went back with Doshi
Van Donk to teach his IBDA system.
I did several seminars over that time period.
I tested for my Yondan 4th degree black belt at
his 2004 seminar at his farm in PA.
Ed was a gentle and wonderful teacher. Ed passed July 2017. I miss him.
Shihan Ed Martin used several Cane techniques in his training
I learned several of his cane techniques at the 2000 Tai Kai and at his farm seminars.
Stephen K. Hayes
several seminars 1999 through 2026, living in Dayton, OH. Area and teaching at his home dojo. These pictures in Cincinnati Ohio in March of 2026.
Romiko Hayes, Stephen Hayes and Soke Murdock
I started training at Stephen’s Quest Center in Chapel Hill,
NC. In 1999. I trained there for nearly three years at the same time I was
under Richard Van Donk training from his home black belt course. I decided to
train there to supplement what I was learning from the videos. Since then, I
have trained in several of his seminars and now train at least once a year with
him.
My Ju-Jitsu Sensei John Casarez started training with him in
the early 80’s which led to him to teaching us Ninjutsu he learned from Stephen
Hayes.
I also bought the Black Belt Magazines, Ninja Magazines and
several of Stephen’s books. I continuously train from the books and videos and
with him at his seminars.
Black Belt Magazine Covers
