PA PA - Ray Gricar, 59, Bellefonte, 15 April 2005 - #13

[J. J. in Phila]

He might have been threatened and NOT reported it. Many people who are threatened do not report all the time. After awhile, when you do report, its like the boy who cried wolf. Damned if you don't and damned if you do.

It is RFG's actions that indicate he didn't feel threatened. He drove into areas with sparse population. no cell coverage, and no regular police patrols on both 4/14 and 4/15. That isn't something that someone would do if they feel threatened.

 

[Trackergd]

SPM just filed a petition with the PA Supreme Court to block the action: http://www.wearecentralpa.com/media...f6-f24836e65b8c/PA_Supreme_Court_Petition.pdf

It was a witness protection thing, according to the filing.

Interesting read. I wonder if there is a unusual history of political back stabbing and intrigue in Centre County.

 

[MissJ]

It is RFG's actions that indicate he didn't feel threatened. He drove into areas with sparse population. no cell coverage, and no regular police patrols on both 4/14 and 4/15. That isn't something that someone would do if they feel threatened.

Maybe he thought he could handle whatever came up? Or maybe he thought he was good at watching his back. I did too and it worked for years
until I trusted the wrong person who then attacked me and left me severely injured. If help had not been nearby I might be dead. In the kinds of government jobs where one is in contact with violent people on a regular basis sometimes we become too confident in our ability to handle the situation.:thinking:

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Maybe he thought he could handle whatever came up? Or maybe he thought he was good at watching his back. I did too and it worked for years
until I trusted the wrong person who then attacked me and left me severely injured. If help had not been nearby I might be dead. In the kinds of government jobs where one is in contact with violent people on a regular basis sometimes we become too confident in our ability to handle the situation.:thinking:

He would have had to trust the wrong person, as you phrased it. It wouldn't be someone following him. I have not come even close to ruling out some type of clandestine meeting.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Interesting read. I wonder if there is a unusual history of political back stabbing and intrigue in Centre County.

There were some things directed at Gricar. http://web.archive.org/web/20040716131001/gricarmustgo.com/index.html

Both of these are political in nature. The stuff published is ridiculous.

 

[SuperSmith]

It is RFG's actions that indicate he didn't feel threatened. He drove into areas with sparse population. no cell coverage, and no regular police patrols on both 4/14 and 4/15. That isn't something that someone would do if they feel threatened.

Perhaps he didn't know the full gravity of the situation he was dealing with.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Perhaps he didn't know the full gravity of the situation he was dealing with.

It is possible, but if his acting unusually was a result of a threat to his physical safety, then he should not have been driving in these remote areas.

I will consede that there could be threats that have nothing to do with his physical safety.

 

[JaimeSommers]

Interesting read. I wonder if there is a unusual history of political back stabbing and intrigue in Centre County.

As someone who, until January, lived and worked in Centre County for more than 27 years, I can say with certainty that you better believe it.

 

[snowleopard]

I've heard an inference that RG's brother worked for a CIA contractor....can anyone confirm or deny? Thanks.....

 

[J. J. in Phila]

I've heard an inference that RG's brother worked for a CIA contractor....can anyone confirm or deny? Thanks.....

I don't think so. His brother was a Wright-Patterson AFB, as a civilian employee. He had retired on a disability pension.

 

[snowleopard]

Thanks JJ. If true, it would make things pretty interesting...

 

[MissJ]

Perhaps he didn't know the full gravity of the situation he was dealing with.

Precisely!

 

[Kittybunny]

Hi all, been lurking about on this board for awhile, followed this case quite avidly on the now defunct board whose name I can't even remember. Anyway finally got around to registering here, and without further ado, going to jump right in and ask you knowledgeable folks a few questions, the discussion here has triggered a few thoughts in my mind that I can't remember details on any more.

Regarding the sightings in Lewisburg, it is intriguing that there were sightings on two separate but consecutive days. Which begs the question, IF those sightings are legitimate, a key question would be: where did RG spend the night that one night?

So my questions are:

1. Did they ever find and interview the mystery woman? One could assume he spent the night with her.
2. Did they canvas all area hotels, motels, B&Bs to check and see if Ray had been at any of them? (not just checking his credit card, but an actual in person hey have you seen this guy type of thing)?

Thanks to anyone who can answer these questions. And for the record, I have no strong opinion on which theory of what happened to Ray might be the right one. I can talk myself into every single one. This is truly one of the most baffling cases I have ever followed.

 

[Trackergd]

As someone who, until January, lived and worked in Centre County for more than 27 years, I can say with certainty that you better believe it.

This further reinforces my opinion that RFG found himself in a hopeless situation of his own making or of political intrigue, but am still left with the three same options as to what happened to him.

I am of the opinion that the laptop and drive are not red herrings.

The smoke residue and ash in the mini point to either someone else driving the car at some point or RFG meeting someone.

RFG was "off his game" for a period of time leading up to his going missing but did not confide in anyone as to the cause which (to me) points to something he could not discuss due to legal constraints or self incrimination. It would rise to a very high level to force him to exit his current life, life as we know it or to have someone else remove him by force. Not many things that would warrant any of these actions.

 

[JaimeSommers]

The smoke residue and ash in the mini point to either someone else driving the car at some point or RFG meeting someone.

RSBM ... I know that RFG didn't smoke at the time he disappeared, but did he ever? If he was a former smoker, I wonder if perhaps -- IF he took his own life -- he was having one last cigarette, maybe to calm nerves and/or maybe because he missed smoking and wanted one last taste?

(Lest you interpret this to mean I err on the side of suicide in RFG's case, I don't. I'm open to multiple theories because we simply just don't know what we don't know.)

 

[SuperSmith]

RSBM ... I know that RFG didn't smoke at the time he disappeared, but did he ever? If he was a former smoker, I wonder if perhaps -- IF he took his own life -- he was having one last cigarette, maybe to calm nerves and/or maybe because he missed smoking and wanted one last taste?

(Lest you interpret this to mean I err on the side of suicide in RFG's case, I don't. I'm open to multiple theories because we simply just don't know what we don't know.)

As we approach a decade of this mystery, statistically speaking, are percentages now not the highest for the foul play scenario?

Suicide at some point almost always produces a body or remains.

Walk away a trail would've been found or he would've been identified.

I'd say the odds are this case is foul play

 

[SuperSmith]

As we approach a decade of this mystery, statistically speaking, are percentages now not the highest for the foul play scenario?

Suicide at some point almost always produces a body or remains.

Walk away a trail would've been found or he would've been identified.

I'd say the odds are this case is foul play

I'll add that the sighting in Lewisburg were mist likely false. People attempted to identify a man they never seen or knew. Case of people wanting to help and feel important. A prime example is the arrested Utah man who looked a lot like Gricar but was not. That was LE in Utah thinking it was him and not some random Lewisburg resident.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

RSBM ... I know that RFG didn't smoke at the time he disappeared, but did he ever? If he was a former smoker, I wonder if perhaps -- IF he took his own life -- he was having one last cigarette, maybe to calm nerves and/or maybe because he missed smoking and wanted one last taste?

(Lest you interpret this to mean I err on the side of suicide in RFG's case, I don't. I'm open to multiple theories because we simply just don't know what we don't know.)

No, from what I've heard. He would smoke a "celebratory" cigar rarely, but not cigarettes. The smell of a cigar is quite different than that of a cigarette.

A lot of the evidence can point to suicide and there may have been a genetic disposition to that.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

As we approach a decade of this mystery, statistically speaking, are percentages now not the highest for the foul play scenario?

Suicide at some point almost always produces a body or remains.

Walk away a trail would've been found or he would've been identified.

I'd say the odds are this case is foul play

Statistically, I think most missing persons cases are voluntary.

A trail can be hidden. We have examples of people, who, with very limited resources, and certainly not as intelligent, educated, or experienced as RFG disappearing.

As for Lewisburg, the witnesses corroborate each other, his scent was detected in the parking lot, and the car was found there. He was there on 4/15/05. at as of about 6:00 PM.

 

[CanManEh]

Has anyone ever looked into his high school or college days the reason i ask is because he was just about done with the DA stuff and I wonder if maybe he had a long time love in his younger days and they after all these years and him being done with the DA job maybe and this is just a thought maybe he met up with this old gf and decided to take off with her ..it would accound for why he is missing still and account for why he was seen with a girl..