70s (i think) scifi film - green lightsaber like alien weapon used in killings

[Syco54645]

all i remember is that this person finds a downed ufo and finds a green rod that is like a lightsaber.  he then goes and mutilates people and turns into a serial killer with this thing.  the us government is sent in to take him out, but he defeats them with his new found toy.  eventually the town sheriff goes after him.

what was this called????

thanks for looking

-Syco54645

[LilCerberus]

The Return (1980)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081421/

[Syco54645]

looks about right.  thanks!

[soylentgreen]

The Return (1980)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081421/

Holy Crap....What a cast!!  Jan-Michael Vincent, Cybill Shepherd, Martin Landau, Raymond Burr and Neville Brand!!!
...and Susan Kiger, a regular in my Skinemax late-night viewing shenanigans. 

I feel like I should know this film(it's Greydon Clark, after all), but I can't for the life of me recall it.  How did this slip below my radar? 

I see the Wheats were involved in the screenplay.  Their AFTER MIDNIGHT is one of my favorite anthology films.