PA PA - Ray Gricar, 59, Bellefonte, 15 April 2005 - #5

[J. J. in Phila]

Sloane returned to work from medical leave 2 wks after RG disappeared. I think he most likely had "recovered."

Sloane came back sometime in May of 2005. It was noted by Smith on May 27.

http://www.centredaily.com/2005/05/27/3780/bellefonte-police-receiving-fewer.html

IIRC, Sloane was in an accident of some type and had trouble getting to Lewisburg on the weekend of 4/16/05, according to TG.

As noted, Sloane has had ongoing medical problems. He was denied a merit pay increase in 2009 (by Madeira) because of absences.

I can feel for Sloane, personally.

 

[ThePhantom]

Maybe it's as simple as -- Ray had been despondent -- he went into "I'm done with it" mode -- he took his hard drive/computer with him and threw it into the river -- then went somewhere to end it all. I don't like saying stuff like that because I don't want to offend any family members, but -- that's what it "feels" like. I don't know any statistics, but it seems like people who walk away from their lives are trying to avoid something in particular -- like child support, financial/business problems, health/mental concerns. Ray seemed like he was in control enough of his life and above board enough that, had he wanted, he could have easily taken the necessary steps to move elsewhere and start anew. Unless there is something very nefarious that we don't know about -- I don't see why he would need to go into cloak and dagger mode to change his life. Just my thoughts.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Maybe it's as simple as -- Ray had been despondent -- he went into "I'm done with it" mode -- he took his hard drive/computer with him and threw it into the river -- then went somewhere to end it all.

Possible, one of the reasons I'd check the marshland and wooded areas on the east bank of the Susquehanna, opposite Lewisburg. Slamdunk, a fellow blogger, pointed out that there was a line from the car toward the east bank.

I don't like saying stuff like that because I don't want to offend any family members, but -- that's what it "feels" like. I don't know any statistics, but it seems like people who walk away from their lives are trying to avoid something in particular -- like child support, financial/business problems, health/mental concerns. Ray seemed like he was in control enough of his life and above board enough that, had he wanted, he could have easily taken the necessary steps to move elsewhere and start anew. Unless there is something very nefarious that we don't know about -- I don't see why he would need to go into cloak and dagger mode to change his life. Just my thoughts.

No child support, financial/business or health concerns have been found. I really would like to know if RFG walked away prior to looking at potential motives for walking away.

 

[belimom]

Sorry - I'm jumping in here rather late... But something stood out to me (don't know if it has been discussed before): If you have data on a computer that you don't want others to see, you simply replace the hard drive and smash/destroy the old one. He wanted to make a statement to someone that some data he had was destroyed. He had a need to make it public - either to get back at someone (as in, "I hated my job so much I'm smashing my computer") or to make sure someone got the message that some incriminating data was destroyed (e.g., "Okay, it's destroyed. So don't follow me - I'm leaving.").

It just seems like he went out of his way to make sure that computer would be found - destroyed. :twocents:

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Sorry - I'm jumping in here rather late... But something stood out to me (don't know if it has been discussed before): If you have data on a computer that you don't want others to see, you simply replace the hard drive and smash/destroy the old one. He wanted to make a statement to someone that some data he had was destroyed. He had a need to make it public - either to get back at someone (as in, "I hated my job so much I'm smashing my computer") or to make sure someone got the message that some incriminating data was destroyed (e.g., "Okay, it's destroyed. So don't follow me - I'm leaving.").

It just seems like he went out of his way to make sure that computer would be found - destroyed. :twocents:

The inquiries were about how to erase the drive, and they were made about a year to 16 months prior to his disappearance.

Also, if it was incriminating data, it could have been easily copied. There would be no way to say "The data is destroyed," to someone and the someone to know.

 

[ThePhantom]

It feels to me like he was saying, "there, the computer is gone, I've closed that loose end. Now I can leave." He only had a short amount of time until his retirement, so -- it doesn't make sense he would just walk with so little "official" work time left. It seems more like -- he was done (with life?). I know that probably doesn't make sense -- but -- just observing Ray's case from a distance, that's what it looks like. I think he could have easily had the freedom to make a complete life change without having to sneak off -- unless he is a very passive aggressive person -- and/or -- didn't give a whit about anyone who was currently in his life. I think this was more about him and his own issues, rather than running away from other people. Having trouble getting this out right but hoping you can understand.

 

[PaulR]

Sorry - I'm jumping in here rather late... But something stood out to me (don't know if it has been discussed before): If you have data on a computer that you don't want others to see, you simply replace the hard drive and smash/destroy the old one.

Smashing a hard drive isn't as easy as it looks, and it also requires that you take it apart to get at the platters (which are hard to get to.) Wiping software is easy to run.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Smashing a hard drive isn't as easy as it looks, and it also requires that you take it apart to get at the platters (which are hard to get to.) Wiping software is easy to run.

Wiping it is easy, but sometimes ineffective. Wiped data can be recovered. I've read accounts of drives being in salt water for a week and having near full recovery of data.

BPD Chief Weaver said, around the 4th anniversary, he thought the drive was erased first and then tossed.

 

[sneezy]

just a thought...could the asking about wiping a drive and the actual wiping of the drive be 2 SEPARATE things?

say RFG was working a case that dealt with info on a computer...and RFG is just thinking about possible case scenarios and asks a friend (who might know a little more about computers that he does) casually if you wanted to destroy a hard drive/erase a hard drive...and at that time it ONLY pertained to a case he was working on....

Then when he actually did it, it was more around the time he was getting ready to retire and he just recalled the conversation from before....and acted upon that information...

just a thought. may be separating the two incidents could change a line of thinking.....:waitasec:

 

[J. J. in Phila]

just a thought...could the asking about wiping a drive and the actual wiping of the drive be 2 SEPARATE things?

say RFG was working a case that dealt with info on a computer...and RFG is just thinking about possible case scenarios and asks a friend (who might know a little more about computers that he does) casually if you wanted to destroy a hard drive/erase a hard drive...and at that time it ONLY pertained to a case he was working on....

Well, he asked multiple people 12-16 months prior to his disappearance, at least two. One person would definitely not be case related. He had erasure software around that point. Within the month prior to his disappearance, he did the searches about destroying the drive. It sounds like it is more than idol conversation.

Then when he actually did it, it was more around the time he was getting ready to retire and he just recalled the conversation from before....and acted upon that information...

just a thought. may be separating the two incidents could change a line of thinking.....:waitasec:

Now, all that said, maybe. I'm not convinced that the destruction of the drive is related to the reasons why RFG disappeared.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

I have done a number of blogs on the Gricar case. In anticipating the anniversary, I have indexed and categorized more than 80 of them. The categories include theories and evidence.

If you are interested, you can find them here: http://tiny.cc/SCORGCDT

 

[GoodAim]

Sorry if I'm posting ideas that have already been discussed over the years!

If planning to leave his life and to start a new one for whatever reason(s)...

If he purposely, on 2 days, parked, drove, reparked more than several times in his Mini was it to be sure he would be noticed there? IIRC he was observed doing that on Friday, and sitting in his car, and also by museum staff on Saturday. Personally, I always notice Minis just because they are so colorful and toy-like. Think about how often a person goes totally unnoticed; it almost seemed like he was keeping a HIGH profile for some reason.

2. If the side of the bridge near the museum and antique store had a pedestrian walkway on the downstream side and was the easier and more likely side to jump from, then how did his laptop wind up UPSTREAM? Could his short rides and reparking the car have been to toss the laptop and/or hard drive upriver?

He would know after he went missing that his laptop case and accessories would be found with the laptop missing. If he had yet another laptop, is it possible that the hard drive from the work computer was thrown in the river even earlier to ensure data wasn't retrievable after he went missing and the river was searched?

Just a couple of ideas. Hope they haven't been endlessly tossed around already!

 

[J. J. in Phila]

The only strong information I have is on RFG moving his car on Friday, 4/15/05, both across from the Packwood House (early afternoon), and in the parking lot across from the Street of Shops (about 5:00-5:30 PM).

There was one press account of RFG moving his care on Saturday, 4/16/05, but it came from DZ and the author of the piece (Renner) thought that DZ could have been confusing the Friday sightings with the ones from Bennett, et al. on Saturday.

 

[GoodAim]

J.J. --- I'll take a look at your blogs which should fill me in on all I don't know about the case. Thanks.

 

[ThePhantom]

Hi J.J., I was just wondering what inspired you to pursue the Gricar case. I personally feel he may have committed suicide, though I'd rather make myself believe he walked away from his life. I don't think he was murdered being as he choose to go to his destination and it's doubtful any of his nemesis (if he had any) would have known he had gone there.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Hi J.J., I was just wondering what inspired you to pursue the Gricar case. I personally feel he may have committed suicide, though I'd rather make myself believe he walked away from his life. I don't think he was murdered being as he choose to go to his destination and it's doubtful any of his nemesis (if he had any) would have known he had gone there.

I said in my first blog.

Many years ago, I was a public office holder in central and west central Pennsylvania. I've had friends that were and are office holders. While mine were always on the local level, I have a fair amount of respect for people that hold public office. You don't get a lot of money and you take a lot of heat. I respected Mr. Gricar's years of service, especially when he could have made a lot more money in private practice.

Initially, I considered the possibility that RFG was targeted because of his public work. That is what first drew me to the case. I felt a connection to Mr. Gricar.

While I now think that this particular scenario is a bit unlikely, I would regard that as an attack on the system of government, which makes it much worse than just murder. I became frustrated when it wasn't solved.

I thought it was probably suicide when I first heard about the story. I was also a body to be fished out of the Susquehanna by the summer of 2005. I didn't treat suicide as inferior until the second half of 2006, and still have not ruled it out.

 

[ThePhantom]

Okay, thanks, very informative -- and -- ahem, I'll go back and read your blog, starting from the beginning. This is indeed yet another one of those cases that just lurks in one's mind with never a firm solution or theory.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Okay, thanks, very informative -- and -- ahem, I'll go back and read your blog, starting from the beginning. This is indeed yet another one of those cases that just lurks in one's mind with never a firm solution or theory.

A good place to start is the indexes, especially the evidence.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Thank you JJ for all of your work and input on this case. I have followed it since it was featured onthe television show Haunting Evidence. It is fascinating and I truly expected it to be solved by now.

JJ - what did you think of the psychic evaluations that Carla Barron and John Oliver came up with regarding Ray being basically stalked/overpowered/murdered?

Will go catch up on the past blogs.....

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Thank you JJ for all of your work and input on this case. I have followed it since it was featured onthe television show Haunting Evidence. It is fascinating and I truly expected it to be solved by now.

JJ - what did you think of the psychic evaluations that Carla Barron and John Oliver came up with regarding Ray being basically stalked/overpowered/murdered?

Will go catch up on the past blogs.....

I'm not a big fan of psychics and those cases, it didn't add anything to the case. The police did go to the areas with cadaver dogs, IIRC, and it didn't yield anything.