PA PA - District Attorney Ray Gricar Mysteriously Disappeared - Bellefonte 15 April 2005 #18

[J. J. in Phila]

Subject to change and ongoing.

Post Disappearance Timeline

This is the timeline for events that happened after the first week of the disappearance.

4/21/05 $5000 reward offered in RFG case. Around this time, family website started.

5/17/05 Primary Election for DA, Madeira (R) vs. Arnold (D) in the Municipal Election

5/27/05 "Southfield sighting"

Early July, 05 PEF polygraphed

7/29/05 Laptop found in Susquehanna

9/2/05 LG granted trusteeship.

September 05 LG polygraphed, drive discovered in the Susquehanna (announced 10/31/05)

11/8/05 MTM defeats JKA

December 05 FBI reports that cannot recover the data

January 2006 Madeira sworn in, Weaver becomes chief of BPD, Bosak begins covering the story for the CDT, JKA removed by MTM.

5/13/06 Bosak publishes "Missed Leads" in the CDT, Dateline story on RFG, emphasizing the "Mystery Woman."

5/17/06 MTM announces the will be reviewed by the The Pennsylvania State Police – Criminal Investigation Analysis Unit (PSP-CIA)

September 06 Reward expires.

October-November, 06 PSP-CIA review completed (it is believed that they discovered the computer searches)

July 2007 JKA publishes Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury on-line.

2/26/08 Bosak shows links with Wiley and 20/20 Vision.

7/1/08 Buehner/McKnight press conference, MTM responds on 7/3/08; drive sent to Kroll.

August 2008 Bosak leaves the CDT but starts the Just Gricar blog on the CDT website in September.

October 2008 Kroll could not recover the data. It was announced that RFG had been asking about how to remove the data from the laptop, and may have bought software to erase the data.

2/9/09 JJ starts Sporadic Comments, later called Sporadic Comments on Ray Gricar on the CDT website

Mid-February 2009 Just Gricar ends.

4/15/09 MTM announces the computer searches

11/8/09 MTM defeated for reelection by SPM

January 2011 SPS fired as ADA by SPM; PEF had transferred several weeks before

3/31/10 SPM announces review panel.

2/28/11 Disappeared does episode "A Family's Curse;" some additional information comes out

3/31/11 Gamin, then of the P-N does story that Sandusky was being investigated. No link to RFG in that story.

4/1/11 SPS’s PM on RFG’s involvement in the 1998 case.

6/30/11 LG files petition to declare RFG dead.

7/25/11 LG petition granted.

11/5/11 Sandusky presentment released, RFG mentioned in regard to Victim 6

12/16/11 Second Dateline story on RFG

December 2011 JKA says that RFG removed the case from her; Scheffler states that he recommended charges

4/14/12 RFG's redacted FBI file released.

4/15/12 Gamin publishes a story in P-N on RFG noting the number of lady friends he had.

6/22/12 Sandusky convicted on 45 count including 3 of the 4 regarding Victim 6.

7/12/12 Freeh Report released.

October 2012 SPS arrested for drugs

11/1/12 Spanier indicted; RFG's actions regarding Victim 6 plays a prominent part in the presentment

July 2013 SPS takes a plea bargain

11/5/2013 SPM reelected DA, unopposed

November 2013 Decision to move the case to the PSP, not announced until 2/14

September 2014 Sporadic Comments ends

March 20, 2017 Spanier convicted.

April 2017 SPM loses Democratic primary.

April 2021 Rebecca Knight begins The Final Argument podcast. Releases parts of the police file.

June 7, 2021 After losing appeals, Spanier serves 58 day in Centre County Prison.

May 2022 Most recent episode to date of The Final Argument posted.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Time line on the hard drive

c. 2003 : County issues RFG the laptop.

January 2004: RFG announces he will not be running for reelection in 2005. Indicates that he will not be seeking another office nor joining a law firm.

Later in 2004: RFG gets erasure hardware. Also talks to public defender Deborah Lux about how to erase data. May also have asked coworkers.

c. Christmas 2004: RFG gets home desktop computer.

March or April 2005: RFG does computer searches on the desktop for "water damage to a notebook computer,"how to fry a hard drive" and similar searches.

4/15 and/or 4/16/05: At least one witness sees RFG in the Mini, "fiddling" with a laptop.

Sunday, 4/17/05: Police go to the house to get desktop. PEF asks them if they want the laptop as well. She goes to retrieve it, finds that the case is there, but is empty. Everything else is there, i.e. power cord.

April 18-22: Police check the office for the laptop. It is publicly revealed to be missing on 4/21 or 4/22.

7/30/05: Fishermen find laptop on the north side of the bridge in Lewisburg. Serial numbers match county records for the one RFG issued. Hard drive is missing.

8/05: Media reports of hard drive found. Hard drive does not match the one for the computer.

9/05: Hard drive discovered in river bed by a woman skipping stones with child. It is the type that fits the laptop, but has no separate recorded serial number.

10/05: LE reveals discovery of drive, sent it to the FBI.

12/05: LE announces FBI cannot recover data.

10-11/06: Possibly as part of the PSP-CSI review of the case, RFG's home computer "hard drive" searches discovered. Not publicly release.

07/1-7/4/08 "Dueling press conferences." McKnight/Buhner vs. MTM/Pa District Attorney Association. MTM takes Buehner suggestion and send hard drive to Kroll.

10/08 MTM reports that Kroll cannot recover the data. Also reveals that RFG had purchased erasure software and had asked others how to get rid of the data on the laptop.

4/15/09 LE announces that RFG had done the searches on his home desktop.

So, two separate hard drives were found in the water, one month apart to the day?

 

[J. J. in Phila]

So, two separate hard drives were found in the water, one month apart to the day?

Reported and found are not necessarily the same things. It may have been found days or weeks before it was reported. The second one was found in early September and not reported until late October.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Since she was one of the beneficiaries, here is PEF's timeline for 4/15.

Patty Fornicola’s (PEF) Timeline 4/15/05

All times are on 4/15/05; times are approximate.

8:30 AM PEF arrives at work.

11:12 AM PEF receives the call from RFG.

c. 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM PEF at lunch.

c. 4:40 PM Returns home

c. 5:20 PM Goes to gym (possibly the YMCA)

6:58 PM PEF calls RFG's cell phone from the house phone

c. 8:00 PM PEF calls her brother. Asks if he thinks it is normal for RFG not to respond.

8:33 PM- 11:05 PM PEF keeps calling the cell phone. (8:33 PM, 8:54 PM, 9:57 PM, 11:05 PM)

11:36 PM Calls Bellefonte Police.

Two additional calls to cell phone from the house at 1:48 AM and at 8:24 AM on 4/16/05.

Do you know if PEF made one or multiple calls around 6:58, before calling her brother? TIA

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Do you know if PEF made one or multiple calls around 6:58, before calling her brother? TIA

Only one was listed.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

One thing that we have seen is that LE has held back evidence that points to voluntary action, e.g. the computer searches, the untraceable bank account.

 

[Sweetluv]

J. J...What is your theory why LE would hold back that evidence?
IMO, I lean towards voluntary as well.
Taking a hooky day, driving around in your car one last time, maybe even lighting up a cig in your car to throw everyone off..as well as the computer search and account. I still wonder why you wouldn't wait until retirement and just move...unless you felt threatened (?)

 

[J. J. in Phila]

J. J...What is your theory why LE would hold back that evidence?
IMO, I lean towards voluntary as well.
Taking a hooky day, driving around in your car one last time, maybe even lighting up a cig in your car to throw everyone off..as well as the computer search and account. I still wonder why you wouldn't wait until retirement and just move...unless you felt threatened (?)

Because they didn't want people saying voluntary, because a few of them thought is was somehow bad.

There are several reasons not to wait, including his heirs getting a large check, that they would get if he "died" in office without claiming a pension.

 

[Black Diamond]

One thing that we have seen is that LE has held back evidence that points to voluntary action, e.g. the computer searches, the untraceable bank account.

Can you elaborate on the untraceable bank account. It’s not listed in the timelines you posted. Thanks.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Can you elaborate on the untraceable bank account. It’s not listed in the timelines you posted. Thanks.

It is in the police report. It is dated 4/21/05.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Since finances have come up, note that RFG paid $10 K in capital gain taxes. At that point, the capital gain tax rate was 15%, meaning his capital gain was in excess of $66.5 K. That is the profit on what ever asset he liquidated. In other words, if RFG bought something for $20 K, and sold it for $86.5 K, he would have a $66.5 K capital gain. He would have had a total of $86.5 K - the $10 K in taxes, for $76.5 K.

Note that, if the house was RFG's residence for at least a year prior to selling it, the first $250 K of capital gains was exempt from taxation. The house was sold for less than that (about $202 K), so it should have been completely exempt.

 

[OddOneOut]

It is in the police report. It is dated 4/21/05.

The unknown savings account does not make any sense. Businesses keep records of transactions. The bank should have a record of where they sent the money. Those records should have been available in 2005; though, they were probably destroyed or put on microfilm years ago.

 

[Betty P]

The unknown savings account does not make any sense. Businesses keep records of transactions. The bank should have a record of where they sent the money. Those records should have been available in 2005; though, they were probably destroyed or put on microfilm years ago.

Is there any evidence such a thing existed? Ray had a decent income, but it wasn’t enough that he could have stashed millions in an offshore account without engaging in bribery or something.

Is that a rumor being promoted by the people who didn’t want to fully investigate his disappearance?

Is it possible that, when LE never resolves a “missing person” case they never have to reveal any proof of evidence uncovered in their investigation?

 

[OddOneOut]

Is there any evidence such a thing existed? Ray had a decent income, but it wasn’t enough that he could have stashed millions in an offshore account without engaging in bribery or something.

Is that a rumor being promoted by the people who didn’t want to fully investigate his disappearance?

Is it possible that, when LE never resolves a “missing person” case they never have to reveal any proof of evidence uncovered in their investigation?

For answers to your question, see post #190 above.

 

[Trackergd]

It is in the police report. It is dated 4/21/05.

And why the Forensic Accountant I had look at the case said that things did not add up. I forget her exact words, but it was like "something stinks".

 

[Betty P]

For answers to your question, see post #190 above.

Yes, I read Post 190 above. I just see a vague statement. There should be more information about this alleged savings account.

The report was made by Pennsylvania State Police. It was a "missing persons" report which, I assume, didn't require the Pennsylvania State Police to dig any deeper into Ray's finances or, if they did, weren't required to report anything on it.

Penn State Police would have the authority to determine the name of that account and details related to it. They should be able to provide information about where the account was, how much money was in it, whether money was withdrawn from it later on, etc.

If Penn State Police labeled this a "missing persons" situation, did that allow them to not pursue an investigation into the account? Did it allow them to not reveal that information to the public? Who was in charge of the Penn State Police back then?

Also, was anything ever investigated or revealed about Ray's communications with former FBI head Louis Freeh? It's been said that his vacation to Massachusetts several months prior to his disappearance included a meeting with Freeh. Ray's significant other noted that he took his work laptop on that trip, something he normally didn't do.

See no evil: DA Ray Gricar drops the ball - Rock the Capital

Young victims surrounded Jerry Sandusky in 1998 Why didn’t DA …

www.rockthecapital.com

Penn State Cover Up Ends With Leak Of Louis Freeh's Top-Secret Report Card; He Flunked And Penn State Wants Their $8.3 Million Back

By Ralph Cipriano for BigTrial.net WJAC-TV reporter Gary Sinderson went on the air in Johnstown tonight with a big scoop: somebody leaked...

www.bigtrial.net

 

[minazoe]

you know speaking of being distraught, this is an uncomfortable state that causes anxiety, disassociation, inability to concentrate, obsessive thoughts..could it be mania? or situational? I still have so many questions.

let's face it, Ray was freaking out about something..something was the catalyst.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Is there any evidence such a thing existed? Ray had a decent income, but it wasn’t enough that he could have stashed millions in an offshore account without engaging in bribery or something.

Is that a rumor being promoted by the people who didn’t want to fully investigate his disappearance?

Is it possible that, when LE never resolves a “missing person” case they never have to reveal any proof of evidence uncovered in their investigation?

The evidence was just posted. It is not a rumor.

Any account would have t be under his SNN or a tax id number, if he was incorporated (I've never heard he was). It is likely a foreign account.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

you know speaking of being distraught, this is an uncomfortable state that causes anxiety, disassociation, inability to concentrate, obsessive thoughts..could it be mania? or situational? I still have so many questions.

let's face it, Ray was freaking out about something..something was the catalyst.

And it can play into any of the voluntary theories.

He was suffering from depression, which led to suicide. He was focusing on walking away, which led to preoccupation and stress.

Foul play, though it could indicate going into a stressful situation that led to foul play. For example, he was getting paid off for something or he was going to end a relationship with another woman.

One possibility that we can partly dismiss is some sort of threat to his physical safety. He never contacted LE and he traveled in areas without full time police and poor, or no, cell phone coverage.

 

[Black Diamond]

Snipped

Also, was anything ever investigated or revealed about Ray's communications with former FBI head Louis Freeh? It's been said that his vacation to Massachusetts several months prior to his disappearance included a meeting with Freeh. Ray's significant other noted that he took his work laptop on that trip, something he normally didn't do.

The only place I have noticed that connection made is the Final Argument podcast. Her reason for making that connection was that Ray visited Vermont once and that’s where Freeh was living at the time Ray went there. This was years before Freeh was selected by PSU to perform his investigation. She provided no evidence that they met and a very weak theory on why they would do so, in my opinion. I have never seen or heard any evidence that Ray ever met with Freeh. If there is something out there besides Final Argument podcast making this connection it would be very interesting if you could link it.