GUILTY PA - Ellen Robb, 49, beaten to death, Montgomery County, 22 Dec 2006

[Neighbor2]

First, by way of intro, I am new to this site and to blogging in general, but I have enjoyed reading all the posts this week. I knew Ellen -- was friends with her through the fact that our daughters were friends. I too shook Raffi's hand at funeral home. I didn't want to, but Olivia was right there and I didn't want to show my real feelings. I am haunted by the brutality of this crime and I really want it solved. I also want Olivia to be somehwere else! She was unbelieveable at the funeral home -- smiling with her friends, seemed very mature and strong. Maybe it hasn't sunk in. I heard she believes her dad, but that was a week ago. How could she still?

In the affadavit on Wed (posted somewhere here), in all the details from the police -- I was struck by the facts about Dr. R's alibi that Fri. morning. He had to have planned to go to that Wawa knowing there would be a timed receipt and video. More importanlty, he purposely parked where he knew he'd get a ticket!! He HAD to have scoped all of this out. So, I think he also scoped out how to get rid of bloody boots and weapon. Maybe he even knew when dumpsters were emptied around Penn. In the pics on the news, I noted that Fri appeared to be trash pick day at their house. (Barrels at street) He could have even put stuff in his own barrel knowing it would be gone by noon! So, is there no way police and blood sniffing dogs can't look at landfills??? Needle in a haystack perhaps, but he was so methodical in planning everything else, you'd think they could narrow it down.

Oh, god, I just don't want him to get away with it. By the way, I heard that Nancy Grace is doing a story on this tonight at 8 - CNN.

 

[Hedidit]

First, by way of intro, I am new to this site and to blogging in general, but I have enjoyed reading all the posts this week. I knew Ellen -- was friends with her through the fact that our daughters were friends. I too shook Raffi's hand at funeral home. I didn't want to, but Olivia was right there and I didn't want to show my real feelings. I am haunted by the brutality of this crime and I really want it solved. I also want Olivia to be somehwere else! She was unbelieveable at the funeral home -- smiling with her friends, seemed very mature and strong. Maybe it hasn't sunk in. I heard she believes her dad, but that was a week ago. How could she still?

In the affadavit on Wed (posted somewhere here), in all the details from the police -- I was struck by the facts about Dr. R's alibi that Fri. morning. He had to have planned to go to that Wawa knowing there would be a timed receipt and video. More importanlty, he purposely parked where he knew he'd get a ticket!! He HAD to have scoped all of this out. So, I think he also scoped out how to get rid of bloody boots and weapon. Maybe he even knew when dumpsters were emptied around Penn. In the pics on the news, I noted that Fri appeared to be trash pick day at their house. (Barrels at street) He could have even put stuff in his own barrel knowing it would be gone by noon! So, is there no way police and blood sniffing dogs can't look at landfills??? Needle in a haystack perhaps, but he was so methodical in planning everything else, you'd think they could narrow it down.

Oh, god, I just don't want him to get away with it. By the way, I heard that Nancy Grace is doing a story on this tonight at 8 - CNN.

Neighbor2

I'm a close friend too. Check your private messages.

 

[ohdear]

I too shook Raffi's hand at funeral home. I didn't want to, but Olivia was right there and I didn't want to show my real feelings. She was unbelieveable at the funeral home -- smiling with her friends, seemed very mature and strong. Maybe it hasn't sunk in. I heard she believes her dad, but that was a week ago. How could she still?

I had to shake his hand at the funeral too- it was creepy and he has a pretty strong grip for how frail he was looking that day. I agree, Olivia appeared to be in denial that day. I hope he gets arrested soon and she can get OUT of that house. I can't imagine how she can sleep there knowing that her mother was so brutally murdered in the kitchen. She has to still be in denial.

FYI, They record calls at the 10 digit number to Upper Merion Police station.

 

[scandi]

I am really glad you local gals are here at WS. You give us a lot even if you don't realize it. For him to have a frail appearing body and yet a very firm handshake and works out at a gym so he is very strong, that gives us a good picture of him.

Scandi

 

[Hedidit]

OK, so you've seen him on TV and his personality....so, is it so hard to imagine that he couldn't pulverize his wife (who he hated for reasons we'll never know but mostly because of money....and believe me, it wasn't like they were a rich family or that he was independently wealthy.) This is a very sad case of husband wacked out (not sure if it is a culture thing....his life at home was ALL ABOUT RAFFI..... Not sure why he ever married to begin with. He has an enormous ego.... Watching him online with you can see how he is enjoying the attention...............

 

[ohdear]

I heard he has a LOT of money. May not be true...but I heard that. During the times that I talked with him, before all of this, I always left feeling weird. He is odd and pretty much anyone you talk to that ever had a convo with him says the same thing. I don't think it is due to his being from another country either as I know other people born and bred in Israel.

 

[lisafremont]

Welcome, welcome, welcome, ohdear and Neighbor2!!

We have a very lovely and helpful clatch of local people, some of whom are or were acquainted with principals in this case. You are among friends. We are all dedicated to justice here.

I am glad this forum affords the opportunity for you to be in touch with each other. Please know that we are interested in your insights--with respect-- and anything that you are able to tell us.

 

[lisafremont]

I heard he has a LOT of money. May not be true...but I heard that. During the times that I talked with him, before all of this, I always left feeling weird. He is odd and pretty much anyone you talk to that ever had a convo with him says the same thing. I don't think it is due to his being from another country either as I know other people born and bred in Israel.

What kinds of things would you talk about, ohdear?

 

[ohdear]

Welcome, welcome, welcome, ohdear and Neighbor2!!

We have a very lovely and helpful clatch of local people, some of whom are or were acquainted with principals in this case. You are among friends. We are all dedicated to justice here.

I am glad this forum affords the opportunity for you to be in touch with each other. Please know that we are interested in your insights--with respect-- and anything that you are able to tell us.

Thank you!

The conversations I've had with him were mostly about our kids at school related activities. Most conversations with him never lasted long because I always had an uncomfortable feeling and ended it. He is not a social person anyway so you could both be in the same place and it appeared that he wouldn't care if you didn't say anything more than hi. Actually, you wouldn't even have to say something like you would with another person that you knew on a surface level. I know I'm not describing this right.

The church service- minus Dr. Robb's akward eulogy was really beautiful. The regular pastor wasn't there and another pastor who didn't personally know Ellen did an exceptional job addressing grief and anger most of us were feeling at God in a situation such as this...asking us to give our pain to God and telling us that God was crying with us over this. Her brother, Gary's euolgy was so sad, yet so inspiring. He read a part of a letter that Ellen actually wrote to a close friend over 20 years ago when the friends mother passed away during the holidays. It was so touching and eerie at the same time as her words were comforting her friend so long ago...but also addressed us too.

 

[Neighbor2]

Thank you!

The conversations I've had with him were mostly about our kids at school related activities. Most conversations with him never lasted long because I always had an uncomfortable feeling and ended it. He is not a social person anyway so you could both be in the same place and it appeared that he wouldn't care if you didn't say anything more than hi. Actually, you wouldn't even have to say something like you would with another person that you knew on a surface level. I know I'm not describing this right.

I had the exact same experience and so did my husband, in terms of our attempts to carry on a conversation with Raffi.

I am glad that so many people out there are interested in this case. Did anyone see Nancy Grace tonight? She covered this story for over 1/2 her show -- about 40 min, but I don't think it was particulary well done. In fact, she had 2 defense attorneys PLUS Frank Genovese (Robb's atty) talking about how there isn't enough evidence, even though the whole scene, the alibis, etc. etc. are so-o-o obvious. It sickens me to think he may get away with it.

 

[ohdear]

the Bruce Castor and the investigators have much more than they "leaked" in their unusual press release. I think we need to have faith that they are also skilled in game theory as well. Dr. Robb is out and about...walking his dog as usual and actually talking to news reporters acting like he did nothing wrong because he thinks they only have circumstanstantial evidence on him and he's going to be scott free. His reality has always been off anyway.

 

[scandi]

Actually Circumstantial evidence is the best kind to have. It includes forensics and all things tangible I believe. What it doesn't cover is witness accounts which aren't always reliable.

Ohdear, The DA's comments about bringing evidence to him by noon told me they've got a real good handle on the case. I don't think for a quick NY second that Mr Robb will skate, that is if he did kill her which looks very possible to me at this point.

 

[Gracelin]

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=local&id=4909833



UPPER MERION, Pa. - January 5, 2007 - A University of Pennsylvania economics professor who has been named a suspect in his wife's murder will not be teaching when classes start up again Monday.

Also on 6abc:
Discuss This Story | More Local News | Get 6abctogo | RSS Feeds Rafael Robb remains a full, tenured professor at Penn, but under a mutual agreement, another professor will take over the graduate seminar Robb was scheduled to teach on game theory, university spokeswoman Lori Doyle said.

Robb, 56, told police he last saw his wife, Ellen, at their home in an upscale Philadelphia suburb before he drove to work on the morning of Dec. 22. That afternoon, he said he found her body on the floor of the kitchen, where she had been wrapping Christmas presents.

Ellen Robb was beaten to death so severely that investigators initially believed she had been blasted with a shotgun from close range. Detectives believe the scene was staged to look like a burglary.

Prosecutors announced Tuesday that Robb was a suspect in the murder. Robb has denied any involvement in his wife's killing and he has not been charged. Though estranged, the couple was living together with their 12-year-old daughter. But Ellen Robb, 46, recently told her husband that she had hired a divorce attorney and planned to move into a $1,500-a-month apartment on Jan. 1.

 

[Jesstexas]

I just finished reading this whole thread. Some thoughts:

- Putting the dog up to wrap gifts, in and of itself, isn't implausible to me, cuz I do that. But I usually wrap my presents on the floor; Mrs. Robb was wrapping them on her kitchen table. There would have been absolutely NO reason for her to put the dog up and no way for an intruder to break into the house, put the dog up in the daughter's room, and THEN surprise Mrs. Robb. Ridiculous. And since there was no mention of bloody paw prints anywhere, it's safe to assume the dog was put up in the daughter's bedroom before the homicide and not after.

- The murder probably occurred right after he returned from taking his daughter to school and he probably used something from his car or the garage. I wonder if the tire iron in his vehicle is missing? Or did he maybe keep one of those heavy, long, maglite flashlights in his car?

- The bloody shoeprints went out to the garage, but they didn't come back in. He probably took off all the bloody clothes, shoes, everything in the garage and put them in a garbage bag along with the murder weapon. Then he went back in the house and showered, got dressed and went to work. I'm sure they've collected everything in the shower drains in that house and that may be some of the evidence they're keeping mum about.

- He had to have disposed of the garbage bag somewhere between his home and his work and it seems that's quite a distance for investigators to cover. It's a longshot they'll ever find it at this point.

This guy is going down. And soon. My prayers go out to poor little Olivia and all of Ellen's family.

 

[fran]

Wow, for me, this is the first time I've ever seen a case here (WS) that we had so many individuals involved in the discussion that were acquainted to one or more of the main people in a case. Thank you to you all (you know who you are ) for your contribution. I realize what you say may be limited, but thanks for whatever you can contribute.

Most recently it seems that the (husband) perps have gone from making the wife mysteriously disappear to finding her murdered and someone else did it. This is the second high profile wife beating about the head case we've had in recent weeks.

With SP, many people thought he was guilty in part, because Laci was missing. After all, IF it were a burglar, they wouldn't have a reason to remove the body.

Then we have the Michelle Young case but the perp was too stupid to make it even look like a burglary. No forced entry points to the perp being either the husband or at the least, someone the victim knew.

Now we have an amateur criminal TRY to make it look like a break-in by breaking a doorpane. But, as I said he's an 'amateur criminal,' so he didn't know what comes next, ala walking over the glass. Duh!!!

These guys think LE these days just fell off a turnip truck or something. :doh: I think the dear professor should have stuck to what he knew best, academics.

Just my :twocents: and IMHO:

PERHAPS he told LE he touched her face so that IF there were any forensics found around the house that had her blood and his dna or fingerprints, he would be covered.

ALSO, IMHO, he only went to the shopping areas to dispose of evidence AND or establish an alibi AND take up time IF he disposed of stuff in their own trash cans and he was waiting for the trash to be picked up. When he thought he was in the clear, he quickly went to school to turn in the grades, to justify his being out and then returned home to discover his wife.

ALSO, imho, he may have mentioned he set his computer etc down BEFORE he touched his wife just in case there was any blood evidence on them. Also, touching his daughter's door, (possible blood evidence) AND his bedroom and door.

He's already been caught lying to police, per the document referenced here by lisafreemont. He said he had a couple of pairs of work boots, yet LE can't find them. Now he says he doesn't have them anymore. There's a few more points, they just escape me now.

Also, there's a huge misstatement by Prof Robb when he was first contacted by the responding officers. He said something about her 'head being cracked open,' yet these seasoned officers who've seen many of these cases, thought she had been shot. It wasn't until the autopsy they found she'd been beaten. HUGE MISTAKE by the prof.

I agree with many here, I fear for this child. However, IMO, I believe in additon to $$ as a motive, the loss of his child may have prompted him to take this avenue. As many have stated they knew him from his daughter's school etc. That may have been why he was so angry when he destroyed Ellen's face, trying to obliterate her as a human.

What a sad case. Another woman senselessly murdered and IF the prof did it, (which I believe he did), another child left an orphan (when he's arrested, which I believe he will be).

JMHO
fran

 

[LTUlegal]

I've finally gotten through this thread, and I just have to think that le has WAAAAY more than they're letting on in the press release. They HAVE to hold some things "close to the vest" as they say. I believe this, especially because they gave the noon cutoff.


Nice that he could plunk on a hat, & grab a cup o' joe on his way to catch his wife's funeral!:sick:

 

[ANeighbor]

Ellen told the realtor that she could expect to receive $4,000 per month in support from her husband. This would include both alimony and child support. She would have received that figure from a lawyer based on financial information Ellen had given him/her. In order to have moved into an apartment by January, Ellen must have been near the finalizing stages of implementing an order to receive that money - or she must have had reliable access to other funds in the interim. However, the real point is that to be paying out $4,000 per month, he has to be earning a LOT more than the average Joe!

 

[ANeighbor]

"The conversations I've had with him were mostly about our kids at school related activities. Most conversations with him never lasted long because I always had an uncomfortable feeling and ended it. He is not a social person anyway so you could both be in the same place and it appeared that he wouldn't care if you didn't say anything more than hi. Actually, you wouldn't even have to say something like you would with another person that you knew on a surface level. I know I'm not describing this right."


Yes, I've had the same experience. He is very awkward, and rather socially inept. It makes me wonder how he teaches. I would think that in order to teach, one would need to communicate well?

Someone mentioned the fact that he got a ticket when he went to the WAWA. It was my thought also that he had deliberately parked in a place where he could get a ticket, so as to document his whereabouts at that time. Surely he has worked in that area long enough not to park where he can get ticketed - and why bother to drive to the WAWA when the same drinks were available at his office? AN

 

[Jesstexas]

Someone mentioned the fact that he got a ticket when he went to the WAWA. It was my thought also that he had deliberately parked in a place where he could get a ticket, so as to document his whereabouts at that time. Surely he has worked in that area long enough not to park where he can get ticketed - and why bother to drive to the WAWA when the same drinks were available at his office? AN

Yes, and considering that he's somewhat of a spendthrift, that is all the more implausible. Speaking as one myself, you buy your soda wherever it's cheapest (I imagine the machines are cheaper than the store) and you certainly wouldn't park at an expired meter to get one.

For being such an "educated" man, his alibi seems very poorly thought out.

 

[Hedidit]

Wow, for me, this is the first time I've ever seen a case here (WS) that we had so many individuals involved in the discussion that were acquainted to one or more of the main people in a case. Thank you to you all (you know who you are ) for your contribution. I realize what you say may be limited, but thanks for whatever you can contribute.

Most recently it seems that the (husband) perps have gone from making the wife mysteriously disappear to finding her murdered and someone else did it. This is the second high profile wife beating about the head case we've had in recent weeks.

With SP, many people thought he was guilty in part, because Laci was missing. After all, IF it were a burglar, they wouldn't have a reason to remove the body.

Then we have the Michelle Young case but the perp was too stupid to make it even look like a burglary. No forced entry points to the perp being either the husband or at the least, someone the victim knew.

Now we have an amateur criminal TRY to make it look like a break-in by breaking a doorpane. But, as I said he's an 'amateur criminal,' so he didn't know what comes next, ala walking over the glass. Duh!!!

These guys think LE these days just fell off a turnip truck or something. :doh: I think the dear professor should have stuck to what he knew best, academics.

Just my :twocents: and IMHO:

PERHAPS he told LE he touched her face so that IF there were any forensics found around the house that had her blood and his dna or fingerprints, he would be covered.

ALSO, IMHO, he only went to the shopping areas to dispose of evidence AND or establish an alibi AND take up time IF he disposed of stuff in their own trash cans and he was waiting for the trash to be picked up. When he thought he was in the clear, he quickly went to school to turn in the grades, to justify his being out and then returned home to discover his wife.

ALSO, imho, he may have mentioned he set his computer etc down BEFORE he touched his wife just in case there was any blood evidence on them. Also, touching his daughter's door, (possible blood evidence) AND his bedroom and door.

He's already been caught lying to police, per the document referenced here by lisafreemont. He said he had a couple of pairs of work boots, yet LE can't find them. Now he says he doesn't have them anymore. There's a few more points, they just escape me now.

Also, there's a huge misstatement by Prof Robb when he was first contacted by the responding officers. He said something about her 'head being cracked open,' yet these seasoned officers who've seen many of these cases, thought she had been shot. It wasn't until the autopsy they found she'd been beaten. HUGE MISTAKE by the prof.

I agree with many here, I fear for this child. However, IMO, I believe in additon to $$ as a motive, the loss of his child may have prompted him to take this avenue. As many have stated they knew him from his daughter's school etc. That may have been why he was so angry when he destroyed Ellen's face, trying to obliterate her as a human.

What a sad case. Another woman senselessly murdered and IF the prof did it, (which I believe he did), another child left an orphan (when he's arrested, which I believe he will be).

JMHO
fran

Great commentary, Jesstexas. I think you are right on all accounts. All accounts.