Deceased/Not Found MD - Heather Grogg, 33, & Danielle Tyler, 18, Carroll Co, 6 Apr 2020 *arrest*

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CuriousQuiet1 said:
It must be because the murder scene is West Virginia. The FBI website says the Pittsburgh office is responsible for all of WV.

So obviously the FBI has some evidence that the missing women are for sure connected to the murder, otherwise Baltimore FBI would be responsible.

"3311 East Carson Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
pittsburgh.fbi.gov
(412) 432-4000

Covers 25 counties in western Pennsylvania as well as the entire state of West Virginia"
Click to expand...
Thank you for finding that information. I also wondered about why the Pittsburgh FBI was involved.
 
Brandie said she last spoke to her sister on April 3.

“She seemed fine at first,” Brandie said. “But then seemed a little stressed. She wanted to see me face-to face, but I told her we’d have to wait. With everyone being quarantined because of coronavirus, we decided it’d be better to wait.”

Brandie told Dateline it’s not like Heather to stop communication with everyone and she would never leave her children. Heather is the mother of four children, ages 14-18.

“If she’s out there and reading this, she can come home now,” Brandie said. But Brandie adds that she’s worried there’s a reason why Heather can’t get in touch with them.

Another Maryland resident, Danielle Tyler, is also missing. Brandie told Dateline Heather mentioned that Danielle was someone who came to the house, but that was all.

The last time Sherry spoke to her granddaughter was on April 6 by text.

“She texted me and said, ‘MeMaw, I think I’m going to turn my phone off for a bit. I’m just tired of the drama,’” Sherry told Dateline. “I told her that wasn’t a good idea because I needed to stay in touch with her. She knows how much I worry.”

She added that the text was out of character for Danielle.

“She would never let me worry like this,” Sherry said. “And this was her graduation year and she was so proud. And she knew I was proud. She wouldn’t just run off.”

Sherry told Dateline that Danielle is a high school senior who is supposed to graduate this year, but the commencement ceremonies were pushed back because of coronavirus. She said Danielle had been taking video production classes and is hoping to become a videographer.

Sherry said that not long after her last text conversation with Danielle, she was contacted by Maryland State Police homicide detectives looking for Danielle. They encouraged Sherry to file a missing persons report. Dateline reached out to Maryland State Police for comment but they deferred questions to FBI Pittsburgh.

Spokesperson Catherine Policicchio told Dateline that FBI Pittsburgh is working closely with law enforcement partners to investigate threats to the community.

“The safety and welfare of those involved and the integrity of any investigation are always the first priorities for the FBI,” she said. “At this time, we are not able to release any additional information. We do also want to assure the community that there is no wider threat to public safety at this time."

Anyone with information is urged to call FBI's Pittsburgh Field Office at (412) 432-4000

Families worried about two missing Maryland women Heather Grogg and Danielle Tyler who have ties to murder suspects
 
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Knox said:
Brandie said she last spoke to her sister on April 3.

“She seemed fine at first,” Brandie said. “But then seemed a little stressed. She wanted to see me face-to face, but I told her we’d have to wait. With everyone being quarantined because of coronavirus, we decided it’d be better to wait.”

Brandie told Dateline it’s not like Heather to stop communication with everyone and she would never leave her children. Heather is the mother of four children, ages 14-18.

“If she’s out there and reading this, she can come home now,” Brandie said. But Brandie adds that she’s worried there’s a reason why Heather can’t get in touch with them.

Another Maryland resident, Danielle Tyler, is also missing. Brandie told Dateline Heather mentioned that Danielle was someone who came to the house, but that was all.

The last time Sherry spoke to her granddaughter was on April 6 by text.

“She texted me and said, ‘MeMaw, I think I’m going to turn my phone off for a bit. I’m just tired of the drama,’” Sherry told Dateline. “I told her that wasn’t a good idea because I needed to stay in touch with her. She knows how much I worry.”

She added that the text was out of character for Danielle.

“She would never let me worry like this,” Sherry said. “And this was her graduation year and she was so proud. And she knew I was proud. She wouldn’t just run off.”

Sherry told Dateline that Danielle is a high school senior who is supposed to graduate this year, but the commencement ceremonies were pushed back because of coronavirus. She said Danielle had been taking video production classes and is hoping to become a videographer.

Sherry said that not long after her last text conversation with Danielle, she was contacted by Maryland State Police homicide detectives looking for Danielle. They encouraged Sherry to file a missing persons report. Dateline reached out to Maryland State Police for comment but they deferred questions to FBI Pittsburgh.

Spokesperson Catherine Policicchio told Dateline that FBI Pittsburgh is working closely with law enforcement partners to investigate threats to the community.

“The safety and welfare of those involved and the integrity of any investigation are always the first priorities for the FBI,” she said. “At this time, we are not able to release any additional information. We do also want to assure the community that there is no wider threat to public safety at this time."

Anyone with information is urged to call FBI's Pittsburgh Field Office at (412) 432-4000

Families worried about two missing Maryland women Heather Grogg and Danielle Tyler who have ties to murder suspects
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting this.

I've wondered what the connection with Rippon, WV is, or was that just a random location to dump a body and set it on fire?

The outcome for this is likely not going to be good.
 
Latest update of MSM
Still missing Heather and Danielle


FBI Searching For Missing Maryland Mother Heather Grogg And Teen Danielle Tyler; Disappearance May Have Ties To Jonathan Riddle's Murder

Danielle Tyler is 5-foot-3 and 110 pounds with blonde hair and green eyes. She has snake bite piercings on either side of her lower lip and a small nose ring in both sides of her nose. Known to wear wrist accessories bracelets hair ties, she always carries her backpack. She has a black one and red one. She carries her wallet, flat iron, makeup, etc.

Heather Grogg is 5-foot-2 and 175 pounds with red or blonde hair with blue eyes. She has a lip piercing below her lower right lip.

“This investigation is not over and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in coordination with other law enforcement agencies continues to follow leads in this case,” said Jefferson County Sheriff Pete Dougherty.

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office at (412) 432-4000, your local FBI office, Maryland State Police, or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. You can also call 911.

More @ link
10cc TOS/WS
 
Good info. in this article.....

"deputies responded just after 7:30 a.m. March 18 to a suspicious death and body on fire in the area of Ward Clipp Road and Smith Road in the Kabletown area of Jefferson County, records said.

Upon arrival, Sgt. Holtz observed a partially burnt male lying on the ground, with small flames coming from the midsection, according to the criminal complaint.

During the course of the investigation, it was determined the victim was alive and in Westminster, Maryland, the night before his body was discovered in Jefferson County, police have said.

Just two days later, additional investigations revealed a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu was involved in this homicide, according to court records. The vehicle was located at a home in Westminster.

Sgt. Holz is said to have briefly spoken with Merrell when the vehicle was located. Merrell allegedly appeared “extremely nervous” and had a small cut on his right hand. Police said the vehicle was seized and a search warrant was obtained.

“A bloodstain was located on the passenger doorsill,” the complaint said."

Police make fourth arrest in Jefferson County fire death
 
stattlich1 said:
Thanks for posting this.

I've wondered what the connection with Rippon, WV is, or was that just a random location to dump a body and set it on fire?

The outcome for this is likely not going to be good.
Click to expand...
Wondering the same thing. You go through some rural parts of Maryland to get to that location. I wonder if they thought crossing a state line would some how throw off LE? They don't seem like criminal masterminds.
 
If one of the missing persons were found and an identification was made a week ago. I think the FBI would make an announcement. Hopefully the person making that comment is just repeating a rumor.
 
stattlich1 said:
Good info. in this article.....

"deputies responded just after 7:30 a.m. March 18 to a suspicious death and body on fire in the area of Ward Clipp Road and Smith Road in the Kabletown area of Jefferson County, records said.

Upon arrival, Sgt. Holtz observed a partially burnt male lying on the ground, with small flames coming from the midsection, according to the criminal complaint.

During the course of the investigation, it was determined the victim was alive and in Westminster, Maryland, the night before his body was discovered in Jefferson County, police have said.

Just two days later, additional investigations revealed a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu was involved in this homicide, according to court records. The vehicle was located at a home in Westminster.

Sgt. Holz is said to have briefly spoken with Merrell when the vehicle was located. Merrell allegedly appeared “extremely nervous” and had a small cut on his right hand. Police said the vehicle was seized and a search warrant was obtained.

“A bloodstain was located on the passenger doorsill,” the complaint said."

Police make fourth arrest in Jefferson County fire death
Click to expand...
Another article mentioned it was a passerby who called the police, and the body was 40 feet from the road. If the police responded at 7:30 the call would have been a little before that. Sunrise was about 7:20 that day so twilight but still mostly dark when the passerby saw something. Anybody driving by or out for a run or out taking care of the cows at the farm at that crossroads would be alarmed by a fire in the woods. I'll bet if they hadn't set the fire it would have been hours or maybe even days before he was found.

Police respond, know it is a very recent crime due to the condition of the scene. Take the fingerprints, find the name and address of the victim. Pull data from traffic cameras and neighborhood doorbell cameras, find a car going to that location at 5 a.m.? 6 a.m.? Early enough in the morning that any traffic on those roads would be unusual. Get the license plate of the only car in the area at pre-dawn and find out the car is registered to someone who lives in the same town as the victim and is a convicted felon recently out of prison. Suspect #1. Call the home of the victim and find out from his wife he went to a party last night and hasn't come home yet. Where is the party...at the home of someone with a history of being in trouble with the law. Suspect #2. Suspects 1 and 2 don't want to go away for life so they implicate suspect #3.

Sounds like very good police work so far. MOO
 
RIPPON – Three Maryland men have been arrested and charged as suspects in connection with the kidnapping and brutal slaying in Rippon of a 33-year-old man from Taneytown, Md.

Jonathan T. Riddle’s burning body was spotted on March 18 laying in isolated woods next to Ward Clipp Road in Rippon, according to Jefferson County police and court records.

A passing motorist saw Riddle’s body and called police about 7:35 a.m.

A Jefferson County deputy put out still-flickering flames with a fire extinguisher after arriving at the roadside crime scene.

Police believe Riddle, whom a medical examiner determined died from several stab wounds and blows to the head, was still alive when he was taken to the rural Rippon location, according to court records.

A pool of blood on Ward Clipp Road with stains leading to where Riddle was pulled into the woods caused police to believe he was still alive when he was brought there.

Deputy Detective Sgt. Steven Holz who responded to the murder scene, conducted an investigation with help from FBI agents, who identified Riddle from fingerprint records, and police from Maryland.

With several witnesses looking on and at least two other accomplices, Sanford stabbed Riddle twice in the torso during an argument that broke out, according to Jefferson County court documents.

Leaving behind parents, four brothers and other family members, Riddle was a husband and father to two step-children, according to his obituary notice. He enjoyed camping, going on cruises and traveling.

Where his body was discovered in Rippon remains a patch of charred ground just beyond a cut wire fence beside the roadway. Two large feathers are planted in the spot to mark the site.

Two charged, one held in Rippon killing
 
stattlich1 said:
Just two days later, additional investigations revealed a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu was involved in this homicide, according to court records. The vehicle was located at a home in Westminster.

Sgt. Holz is said to have briefly spoken with Merrell when the vehicle was located. Merrell allegedly appeared “extremely nervous” and had a small cut on his right hand. Police said the vehicle was seized and a search warrant was obtained.
Click to expand...
RSBM

So within a few days of the murder West Virginia police knock on Merrell's door in Maryland but don't have evidence to arrest him. When they do have evidence he is no longer in Maryland. Suspicious? When they can't find him in Maryland the Westminster PD probably remembers the address in Virginia where they found him last time he was wanted for a felony so check there and minutes later he is in custody. I hope whatever friend or relative he has in Virginia Beach has figured out it is bad news when he comes to visit.
 
scapa said:
Was Grogg involved in the crime? Wad she the bait that lured Riddle to the flat where he was attacked? They do seem to have known each other, though he was married with step-kids, and seems to have been both stable and employed:

‘Inseparable’: Widow of murder victim Jonathan Riddle remembers him as fun-loving, family-oriented

Merrell seems to have a violent history — sentenced in 2017 to 20 years for kidnapping at knifepoint, all but 5 suspended...
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Merrell and Sanford have long police records for people their age. Grogg lived with Sanford (and Emily Day) and was a friend of Riddle. MSM reports Riddle went to Sanford's apartment to visit Grogg on the night of March 17, the day before he was found in West Virginia. Danielle was dating Merrell and they were both in the apartment that night.

Here is another article with more disturbing news. Emily Day gave out latex gloves to "those involved" before the stabbing so they wouldn't get DNA on them. Obviously premeditated and planned.

Police say Westminster woman provided gloves in effort to help defendants get away with murder
 
Knox said:
With several witnesses looking on and at least two other accomplices, Sanford stabbed Riddle twice in the torso during an argument that broke out, according to Jefferson County court documents.

Two charged, one held in Rippon killing
Click to expand...

The above quoted line indicates there were two other accomplices, (we know who they were) AND several witnesses. What a mess. I bet HG and DT are included in the 'witnesses'.

And the post about Emily Day giving out latex gloves, sounds like it could have been a setup to kill Riddle. I mean, who hands out gloves in the heat of battle?

BTW, I really despise that Baltimore Sun being behind that paywall! Feel free to show me how to get around it :)
 
stattlich1 said:
The above quoted line indicates there were two other accomplices, (we know who they were) AND several witnesses. What a mess. I bet HG and DT are included in the 'witnesses'.

And the post about Emily Day giving out latex gloves, sounds like it could have been a setup to kill Riddle. I mean, who hands out gloves in the heat of battle?

BTW, I really despise that Baltimore Sun being behind that paywall! Feel free to show me how to get around it :)
Click to expand...
I can't see anything but headlines at Baltimore Sun from Firefox on my PC but I can read whatever I want if I use Internet Explorer. On my tablet I can read 3 articles (I think...maybe 4 or 5) per month for free using Firefox, but the right sidebar of "Latest News" at the Balt Sun website shows me headlines from July 2019. I would like to pay for quality journalism and I think they are good, but the issues with the website across platforms has kept me from signing up.
 
stattlich1 said:
sounds like it could have been a setup to kill Riddle.
Click to expand...
RSBM

I can't come up with motive. The murder seems brutal, usually that means it is personal. But if it was personal why have so many people involved? It wasn't a crime of passion if they are standing around handing out gloves beforehand. MM, ERD, and DS all have records including possession with intent to distribute so it is likely drugs are involved. Maybe JR threatened to tell the police about drugs? Or they thought he was stealing drugs or money? Or they thought HG was stealing and maybe JR defended her?

What is JB's role? From what we know he didn't stab JR in front of "several witnesses", only DS did (while MM was holding JR down). JB wasn't arrested until DS was in jail so DS has to have implicated JB. MM isn't in custody until the day after JB is arrested so MM wasn't the one telling LE that JB did anything.

Could there have been more than 4 people in that car that drove to West Virginia? Maybe HG and DT were in the car when it left and not in the car when it got back, hence the "critically missing"? That seems like a stretch to have 6 people in a Chevy Malibu for hours.
 
MM is charged with 1st degree murder and kidnapping
DS is charged with 1st degree murder and kidnapping
JB is charged with 1st degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit murder.

Why does JB get the extra charge?? Pure speculation on my part, LE has evidence to put MM and DS away but JB was only the driver of the car so the extra charge is because they can't pin the murder on him. If they threaten him with conspiracy he might cooperate to get the charges reduced.

I could be way off. Maybe JB gets the extra charge because he planned it ahead of time?

MOO
 
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