MD MD - Jonathan Luna, 38, Baltimore, 4 December 2003

[poco]

Another car was involved in my opinion indicating one of two possiblities; an affair in which the husband or boyfriend followed to possible meeting or a meeting with a supposed informant pertaining to a case. Wouldn't be the first prosecutor killed in Balto. and 95 is so easy to access all the areas he drove that night.

He was seen, however, quite a few times along the route, buying gas, withdrawing money from the ATM, stopping at a comfort station and buying food and drinks, etc etc and was apparently alone then.

I'm wondering where he came into contact with the KILLER???

Couldn't have been a husband or BF - how would they have know JL as at his office - how would they know JL planned to meet his "lover" afterwards.... And, even it he was followed by a husband or BF, why did JL take such a strange route???? Plus, it seems like an awful late night when you are expected in court the following morning at 9 1.m.

 

[Toth]

Another car was involved

Quite possibly another car, certainly another driver. I dont think he was the driver who went through the toll booth but paid cash instead of using the electronic windshield pass.
It was a set up, but it was not because he was a prosecutor. I think it may have been just a sex thing. He went to a freeway rest area to meet someone but that was just 'bait'. He was the target. Or something happened after the meeting that was more 'emotional' than 'financial'. He may have thought he was meeting a woman but found out it was a hormone-laden male. Or a woman whose boyfriend robbed her clients.

 

[nanandjim]

What if he got a call from his distressed girlfriend who said that her husband/boyfriend had just beaten her up and she needed his help? What if he was going to pick her up and give her the cash to give a room for the night? Playing on this theory, perhaps the girlfriend had found evidence of Luna (emails, cards or whatever) and beat her up and forced her to call him and get him over there. Hopefully, LE has evidence of who called him. I would think the last person calling him is connected to this crime.

 

[poco]

If he was meeting someone that night (or thought he was), he must have been one HORNY guy - he had to be in court the next morning bright and early - that is what I don't understand - he was just gonna drive all that distance for a QUICKIE????

 

[gsquared]

I read the Washington Post every day and I have been keeping a special lookout for anything on the Luna case but there has been NOTHING.

 

[poco]

I read the Washington Post every day and I have been keeping a special lookout for anything on the Luna case but there has been NOTHING.

Thanks Square, I'm counting on you to keep us posted......

 

[poco]

The reports say he was kneed or kicked in the genitals - there was microscopic bleeding there.

Off the top of my head - the $200 withdrawl, the multiple stab wounds, the knee in the balls, the out of the way place, everything seemingly happening in the car, no duress, Luna travelling alone...

It all adds up to this, IMO...he got some cash and picked up a hooker. For whatever reason, things got ugly and the hooker or her pimp killed him.

Yeah, but still doesn't make sense to me.
1) Like someone else mentioned, he could have picked up a hooker in Baltimore - much closer than home - than drive all the way to King of Prussia or wherever.
2) I still don't get it - he had to be in court the next morning at 0900. He must have been quite horny - especially when he could have gone home to his wife!

Too weird........... I hope we hear something soon.

 

[gsquared]

Was that late night call to his cell phone or home phone? If to his cell, it would be easily traceable. I'm not sure if a local call to a land line is as easily traceable.

 

[poco]

The Philadelphia Inquirer had a story that said that the reports of genital wounds was untrue. He had "light bruising" in that area, consistent with being kicked, but no stab wounds.

I can't buy the hooker theory, simply because there would be no earthly reason for a guy from Baltimore to meet a hooker in Lancaster County. There is apparently some evidence that he had been to that area recently, but there is no "business" explanation for it. Also doesn't make sense that he would work until 11:30, then take off to go meet a hooker for a quickie someplace in PA when he was due in court bright and early the next morning. If he was kidnapped, it must have happend AFTER he stopped for gas in King of Prussia. The clerk said he was fine at that point.

I am inclined to believe that he owed somebody alot of money. He met them near King of Prussia with the cash he had picked up in Delaware, but they were not satisfied. Two of them got control of him and his vehicle at that point and got on the Turnpike at the Valley Forge on ramp. Another guy followed in another car. During the hour or so it took to get to the Denver exit, he was stabbed. They got off at Denver, dumped him in the creek (which is visible from the turnpike) and hopped into the other car and were home shortly thereafter.

If his intended destination was King of Prussia, he could have expected to make the round trip in about 3 hours if he went 80 or so. I think he planned to meet the guys, give them a "down payment" and get back to Baltimore in time to catch a couple hours of sleep and still show up in court on time.

I tend to agree with you - that he owed money to someone - I did hear he had debts, maybe credit card, I don't recall, up to $25,000 - was he into gambling?? What was he spending all this money on??

There was a phone call that he received at home that made him return to his office - then there was a call to his office - what was that about???

Here is a timeline ---- also talks about the phone calls----
http://pages.prodigy.net/kris.baker/luna.html

 

[SieSie]

Bumping this - wonder why we haven't heard anything more yet.

 

[nanandjim]

I read on CN2000 that the investigators have found the pen knife that made the injuries on Luna's body. They are now investigating the possibility of suicide. I don't buy suicide.

 

[mindys]

One of the shows did an update on this case mid-week. They said there is a female FBI agent being investigated, they are not saying wether there was an affair between them, (it was implied), but that she was giving him a lot of information on cases. I'll look for a link.

Edited to add, from the 2/13 Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38588-2004Feb13.html

 

[LovelyPigeon]

Luna's penknife found, he was likely stabbed with it:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.luna13feb13,0,3735468.story?coll=bal-local-headlines

 

[poco]

Loan application

In recent days, investigators have again turned their attention to the unsolved disappearance of about $36,000 introduced as evidence in a bank robbery trial that Luna prosecuted in September 2002. Authorities have not linked the missing cash to Luna or to his death, but investigators now are examining a loan application that Luna filled out online about the time of the trial.

The loan application was for about $30,000, and it was canceled not long after the period when the evidence money was discovered missing, according to a federal law enforcement source. Authorities have determined that at the time of his death, Luna had credit card debts of about $25,000 -- and that he had as many as 16 credit card accounts, some that he held without his wife's knowledge.

Hmmmmmmm, interesting..... Very coincidental, IMO.

 

[SieSie]

I don't buy that it was suicide at all. I'm glad they're looking at every angle, but surely with him paying for gas for 2 vehicles, another blood type being found in the car... they must know there was someone else there and that it was indeed murder. Need way more information before I can even begin to contemplate this tragedy.

 

[poco]

I heard later Siesie that the buying of gas for two cars was not true - he only bought gas for one car - I can't remember where I read it, but I did!

 

[gsquared]

Wow. If he stole evidence money, maybe it was to pay off a loan shark and wasn't enough. That could get you killed, but so far as I know, the mob doesn't use pen knives.

 

[SieSie]

I heard later Siesie that the buying of gas for two cars was not true - he only bought gas for one car - I can't remember where I read it, but I did!

K, Poco, thanks for that update. I'm from Lancaster County where his body was found - I live in Michigan now, though. The rest of my family is still there, but I still haven't heard much about this case except for when they first found his body.

 

[poco]

K, Poco, thanks for that update. I'm from Lancaster County where his body was found - I live in Michigan now, though. The rest of my family is still there, but I still haven't heard much about this case except for when they first found his body.

WOW Siesie, I'm from Lancaster Co, too, but live in Florida now. Of course, my whole family still resides up there!!! Brrrrrr - too cold for me (of course, Michigan is probably even colder).

 

[SieSie]

WOW Siesie, I'm from Lancaster Co, too, but live in Florida now. Of course, my whole family still resides up there!!! Brrrrrr - too cold for me (of course, Michigan is probably even colder).

No kidding Poco?! Cool! I was born and raised there, but moved to Michigan when I was 19 (about 16 years ago). What school district did you go to? I lived in the Hempfield school district, but graduated from a private school on Lincoln Hwy. East.

Maybe we grew up together?! LOL!