MI MI - Ronald & Christine Jabalee, both 58, New Baltimore, 6 Oct 2006

[Summerskye1]

Upon closer inspection (but blurrier!) it may be a capital cursive R.

That was my impression too. A capital cursive "R". Here's the mugshot photo.

 

[Marie]

I thought the same thing, why is the name James in brackets? Could that the husband of Claudia?

It is custom to put the first name of the spouse in brackets. So yes, James Seta is the husband of Claudia Seta.

 

[Bobbisangel]

Okay, here's the first reversed (negative) image of one of the photos.

And this is the second one. I think the 2nd one is easier to see.

It looks like the first letter is a capital S and the second letter looks like an e to me but she had trouble writing it and it went side ways. The first part of the e is under the rest and then it looks like she looped the rest of the e over the first part. The rest is just to smeary to read. Don't know what Se could be in a whole word. I hope LE find out who did this horrible crime.

 

[Bobbisangel]

That was my impression too. A capital cursive "R". Here's the mugshot photo.

Who is the guy in the mugshot? Is that someone that LE is looking at?

 

[Bobbisangel]

Tell me if you think the first letter of the tattoo looks like a cursive L.

If we could access the police report (sometimes those are online free), they usually notate any tattoo's. He sure looks rough around the edges. What if he came home to ask for money(or help). He kills his brother, she interrupts and is pulled from the stairs out of her shoes and is subsequently killed.

I guess that doesn't explain the gas can though. Are there any unmatched fingerprints? Or would an absence of foreign prints indicate someone that has been there before, i.e. the brother. Were there any carpet fibers on the gas can?

I hope their family is looking at this as seriously as we are.

Edited because Roger is the brother of Ron, not the son. :blushing:

I wonder why LE think that the killer brought a gas can with him? Most people have an empty gas can in their garage and so it could have belonged there but maybe got thrown around in the fight with the killer. I wonder if they checked for fingerprints on the gas can or the handle? I would think they would if they think the killer handled the gas can.

The brother could have come over wanting money from his brother especially if he knew LE was breathing down his neck. Maybe he wanted a hefty bundle and his brother told him no that he wouldn't help him. If the brother was higher then a kite who knows what might have happened. Him and his brother could have gotten into it and the wife heard and came out into the garage and he ended up killing them both. The brother sure wouldn't want anything written that could lead to him. He might have just taken off after the murders without taking anything unless he knew where his brother kept money in the house. If you know where someone keeps money in the house you could go in and get it without anyone noticing. I'd be looking hard at the outlaw brother. People do insane things when they are into drugs...and especially to family.

 

[Summerskye1]

Maybe I missed this in one of the articles linked above, but this article says:
No one is yet arrested or charged for the bludgeoning/stabbing deaths of the Jabalees, both 58, found by a co-worker in the garage of their upscale home on Washington Street Oct. 7. Police said a man and fellow enthusiast of classic cars had met with Mr. Jabalee to discuss a vehicle the preceding evening, but no one else had seen the couple alive after that.

http://www.macombdaily.com/stories/102206/loc_20061022005.shtml

I would love to know more about the classic car enthusiast. Was he just scoping out the place? How did they meet? Oh, so many questions!

:clap: Good find, Taximom!

I found something that could very possibly link the Jabalee family to the sale of stolen cars. I searched the Offender Tracking Database of the Michigan Department of Corrections, and I found the following:

EDWARD JABALEE, white male, brown hair, brown eyes, 5'9" and 190 lbs, born 02/12/1964 (so his current age would be 43 - old enough to be a cousin, maybe a brother purposely omitted from the Obituary, or even a nephew if Richard (Sharon), Robert (Mary), or Roger were older siblings or had their children very young). Edward died in prison on 8/29/1998 when he would have been only about 34.

He was serving 2 10-years sentences for violating MCL 257.254, which prohibits:

False statement in application for certificate of title or in assignment of title; possession of stolen vehicle; penalties.


Any person who shall knowingly make any false statement of a material fact, either in his or her application for the certificate of title required by this act, or in any assignment of that title, or who, with intent to procure or pass title to a motor vehicle which he or she knows or has reason to believe has been stolen, shall receive or transfer possession of the same from or to another, or who shall have in his or her possession any vehicle which he or she knows or has reason to believe has been stolen ... is guilty of a felony...

I also noticed that he was convicted of this offense in Ingham County, MI, which is home to the City of Lansing. I know from personal experience that Lansing frequently hosts car show events where lots of people put their fancied-up old cars on display and sometimes for sale. Lansing also hosts events that draw dozens and dozens of bikers.

 

[Summerskye1]

Who is the guy in the mugshot? Is that someone that LE is looking at?

He's the brother of the male homicide victim. I posted the following earlier on this thread, quoting Reannan:

I was wondering if the neck tattoo on the brother who's been arrested might be associated with one of those Motorcycle Gangs mentioned earlier in this thread. Or with any rival gangs.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Reannan
Cops are working on uncovering what the motive for this crime could have been.

Ron's brother, Roger, has been arrested in connection with a narcotics trafficking ring and is being held on $1.6 million bond. Additionally, cops are wondering if New Baltimore motorcycle gangs, such as the Outlaws, the Devil Deciples, or the Vigilianties, could have been involved in the gruesome murder. One motive that has been ruled out is robbery: Ron and Christine were both wearing all of their jewelry, and Ron's wallet was found in his pocket.

 

[Summerskye1]

I wonder why LE think that the killer brought a gas can with him? Most people have an empty gas can in their garage and so it could have belonged there but maybe got thrown around in the fight with the killer. I wonder if they checked for fingerprints on the gas can or the handle?

Do classic cars require special fuel? Do motorcycles? Maybe the police think that someone the family knew came by the garage using the pretext that they needed to borrow a specific kind of fuel.

 

[JanetElaine]

Then there's this:
http://www.jevic.com/news/2/73.html

Jevic Transportation opened a facility in Detroit in Oct 2006. Maybe the killer wore a uniform w/a patch from the company, or some kind of sign on the car/truck from which he came. The press release is dated 10/26/06, but that doesn't mean workers weren't on-site before that.

That's it from me tonight. I hope someone can make sense of this soon.

Hmmm... I really 'like' this Jevic suggestion... When I look at the 2nd reversed image Summerskye made the third character does look like a 'v' going through the next one (an 'i'? 'L'?)

I wonder if they ever did any business with this Jevic company?

 

[Beyond Belief]

Hmm i wonder vin sale just not written well

 

[Camper]

Had to go to bed last night.

PErhaps wife came out when she heard arguing etc, and brought the knife with her to protect them.

HOW was the contact arranged to have the car enthusiast meet with the murdered husband?

You can bet that LE is taking a hard and educated look at THAT tatoo.

WHERE is the murder weapon, was it found at the scene?? DID it match any kitchen knives in the home? IF it WAS found and IF it did match their own knives, then the murderer most likely did NOT bring it with the intention of killing.

This to me means that the murderer wanted some sort of emergency aid, and the male victim was not willing to give it, indicating MAJOR MAD by the asker, and speaks to me that a member of the family did the killing.

Brings up the point that perhaps tatoos should have their own ID ability, registering them online rather like fingerprints are.

.



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[less0305]

S. Seven?

I thought it looked like Seven also. That was my first instinct and when looking at it after all these suggestions, I still see Seven.

 

[Taximom]

Believe me, I'm not putting anyone's suggestion down, but if you had to write "seven" and you were dying, wouldn't you just write the number? Please don't read this the wrong way-I'm seriously just asking nicely. I don't know what I'd do-maybe she couldn't think like that at that point so she did write out "seven". Please know I'm just brainstorming like all of you. No offense meant to anyone's idea's. :blowkiss:

 

[Taximom]

Do classic cars require special fuel? Do motorcycles? Maybe the police think that someone the family knew came by the garage using the pretext that they needed to borrow a specific kind of fuel.

I didn't go back to check but I think one of the links I posted said his interest was "hot rods". I don't know if they require special fuel or not, but that gave me a different impression than what I'd read before as "classic cars".

 

[JanetElaine]

Believe me, I'm not putting anyone's suggestion down, but if you had to write "seven" and you were dying, wouldn't you just write the number? Please don't read this the wrong way-I'm seriously just asking nicely. I don't know what I'd do-maybe she couldn't think like that at that point so she did write out "seven". Please know I'm just brainstorming like all of you. No offense meant to anyone's idea's. :blowkiss:

Hmmm... I have said in here that I don't think it's *insert someone's suggestion here*. I didn't think that would be conceived as offensive, I just figured it would help our search - I mean if everyone agrees with everyone I always feel less progress is being made. Even if it's just being devil's advocate, someone more or less has to disagree... to me these aren't things that are about 'me', but about throwing as many possibilities out there and then filtering through them, eliminating. Or am I wrong about this? Just let me know and I'll be more politically correct from now on... lol

 

[Taximom]

Hmmm... I have said in here that I don't think it's *insert someone's suggestion here*. I didn't think that would be conceived as offensive, I just figured it would help our search - I mean if everyone agrees with everyone I always feel less progress is being made. Even if it's just being devil's advocate, someone more or less has to disagree... to me these aren't things that are about 'me', but about throwing as many possibilities out there and then filtering through them, eliminating. Or am I wrong about this? Just let me know and I'll be more politically correct from now on... lol

I just wanted to make sure what I wrote didn't come off like "I'm right, you're wrong". I haven't seen that here, but I wanted to be careful!

 

[CarpeDiem]

Believe me, I'm not putting anyone's suggestion down, but if you had to write "seven" and you were dying, wouldn't you just write the number? Please don't read this the wrong way-I'm seriously just asking nicely. I don't know what I'd do-maybe she couldn't think like that at that point so she did write out "seven". Please know I'm just brainstorming like all of you. No offense meant to anyone's idea's. :blowkiss:

You make really valid points, her fingers were broken too.

 

[Summerskye1]

...I live in West Michigan and I've heard of the motorcycle gangs that LE spoke of. Yikes. Was this family involved with them and that's why LE mentioned them? If not, I wonder why LE threw that out there. Hmmmmm......

I second the YIKES! Remember last year, when a farmer in southwest Ontario discovered 4 cars in his field with the bodies of 8 men inside? Canadian police believed the murders were an "internal cleansing" of the Toronto Bandidos motorcycle gang. The farm where those 8 bodies were found is 90 miles northeast of Detroit.

 

[Taximom]

Does anyone remember the Gauger case? I'll have to look it up, but I think Detroit motorcycle gang members killed them but they lived in IL or IN. The son was convicted even though he had nothing to do with it. (Memory is foggy, but I think that's correct.) They were also bludgeoned and stabbed, like the Jabalee's.

I'm pretty those bikers are in prison, so it wouldn't be THEM specifically. Maybe other members though.

I'll go search for details.

Never mind, the biker gang was the "Outlaws" from Wisconsin; and the Gauger's throats were slit.

 

[dark_shadows]

Are there 2 people in Detroit named "Ron Jaabalee"? I found this link to a former band member.


The Stand


Respectfully,
dark_shadows