PA PA - Ray Gricar, 59, Bellefonte, 15 April 2005 - #8

[SeekingJana]

He'd still have to hook it up, and if it was like mine was, insert a disk and load it.

Hi, could you clarify what you mean by the bolded part?
Do you mean the computer program he bought to erase his HD? Because that's the only thing he would need a disk for as far as we know.
Obviously the search for such a program's abilities would preceed the actual use of the program.
The two events didn't occur simultaneously.


For all we know, he erased his HD with the WW program (or it plus another purchased at another time-- I think he was very careful and those programs were not " great" back then) in Lewisburg.
Just put the program in and let it work. As long as he had battery power to let his drive run, he could erase it anywhere, any time.

 

[Maxim]

Yes. Excellent discussions; a banquet for the brain.

IB is completely speculation, at this point. I hope we find out more . . . sooner; but this is proceeding at a snail's pace. So, I expect to hear when I hear. If the lounge/bar info is accurate, I'd be interested to know whether or not she had an ex-bartender who moved on to Wilkes-Barre.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

I have been trying to get more information on Ivy Butterworth, to no avail right now. Maxim, have you ever known of IB ? I had heard she had a lounge or bar up in the Lewisburg area up till a few years ago ? Do you have a take on that ?

There is an Ivy's Pub along Route 192, with a Mifflinburg address. There is an IB that lived in Mifflinburg, and who does jog: http://www.zillow.com/profile/Arizona-Cowgirl/

She is around my age, late 40's to early 50's.

 

[Lord_Chatterly]

Hi, could you clarify what you mean by the bolded part?
Do you mean the computer program he bought to erase his HD? Because that's the only thing he would need a disk for as far as we know.
Obviously the search for such a program's abilities would preceed the actual use of the program.
The two events didn't occur simultaneously.


For all we know, he erased his HD with the WW program (or it plus another purchased at another time-- I think he was very careful and those programs were not " great" back then) in Lewisburg.
Just put the program in and let it work. As long as he had battery power to let his drive run, he could erase it anywhere, any time.

Hmmm...if it had been me, I would want to make sure I had adequate power to run that program off the disc. Was just the packaging for the disc found back at his home, or the disc also ? I never did get that info correctly.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Hi, could you clarify what you mean by the bolded part?
Do you mean the computer program he bought to erase his HD? Because that's the only thing he would need a disk for as far as we know.
Obviously the search for such a program's abilities would preceed the actual use of the program.
The two events didn't occur simultaneously.

No, with my connection (and in 2005 I had dial up), I had to reload the soft wear if I wanted to get on the Internet with my old computer. I can't just unplug my current computer, plug in the old one, and get on the Internet. If I wanted to switch back, I'd have to use reload the soft wear back in my current computer.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Regarding the blonde, I should point out that LE was able to completely rule out a sighting at 1:30 PM on 4/16/05 in Lewisburg, so this one might be able to be ruled out as well.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Hmmm...if it had been me, I would want to make sure I had adequate power to run that program off the disc. Was just the packaging for the disc found back at his home, or the disc also ? I never did get that info correctly.

Just the packaging.

 

[Lord_Chatterly]

Yes. Excellent discussions; a banquet for the brain.

IB is completely speculation, at this point. I hope we find out more . . . sooner; but this is proceeding at a snail's pace. So, I expect to hear when I hear. If the lounge/bar info is accurate, I'd be interested to know whether or not she had an ex-bartender who moved on to Wilkes-Barre.

Ut oh...Wilkes-Barre again ! And I wonder if that cop from up there could have been IB's ex !!!

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Ut oh...Wilkes-Barre again ! And I wonder if that cop from up there could have been IB's ex !!!

No. The cop, I've been told, was with a municipal force.

 

[SeekingJana]

No, with my connection (and in 2005 I had dial up), I had to reload the soft wear if I wanted to get on the Internet with my old computer. I can't just unplug my current computer, plug in the old one, and get on the Internet. If I wanted to switch back, I'd have to use reload the soft wear back in my current computer.

JJ, I'm sorry, I don't mean to seem to be argumentative.
However, I've never heard of the connection not being set up, stored in the modem, and used without any start up disk.
Were you by any chance using some form of AOL? I know they gave out free account disks for a few years.. Other than that, I can't think of any type of connection that required a disk to work.

Did you know how to set up your modem/ ISP connection? I can see using their start up disk if maybe you didn't know how to configure the set up yourself, or if you were using the free AOL accounts ( I think they expired after 30 days each but a lot of people did use them to have free Internet)..

I've been on the Internet since around 1993, with a laptop being the first PC I had, and although my first connections were dial up and were through AOL ( dumb me), all I had was a separate phone line dedicated to the computer, a modem that dialed my local ISP phone number, and a power cord.

Now, as in 2005, just a wireless home network, the card, and a power cord when I am stationary. My house is 4500 sq feet and I have great Internet on all floors and areas ( well, I don't know about ALL areas such as BRs, closets, garages) but you KWIM.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

JJ, I'm sorry, I don't mean to seem to be argumentative.
However, I've never heard of the connection not being set up, stored in the modem, and used without any start up disk.
Were you by any chance using some form of AOL? I know they gave out free account disks for a few years.. Other than that, I can't think of any type of connection that required a disk to work.

No, I don't use AOL. My software can only be loading in one computer at a time. I have to unload the software in my current if I want load it in another computer; I need to load it from a disk. I have DSL, and I have to do exactly the same thing.

I cannot load it into my old computer and switch back and forth, between my old and new computers.

Now, as in 2005, just a wireless home network, the card, and a power cord when I am stationary. My house is 4500 sq feet and I have great Internet on all floors and areas ( well, I don't know about ALL areas such as BRs, closets, garages) but you KWIM.

The laptop was not set up for wireless, so that was not an option.

 

[cj327]

Just speculating here.

Is it known if RFG traveled much? And to where?
IF he walked away, I would imagine he would have had to leave this country. It seems like he would have gone someplace with which he was at least a slightly familiar. But probably not a long-time favorite vacation place because that would be kind of obvious. Also, not with relatives, of course, not even overseas relatives. Maybe a place he had just been to once or twice, maybe only briefly, but a place that he was enchanted by nonetheless.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Just speculating here.

Is it known if RFG traveled much? And to where?
IF he walked away, I would imagine he would have had to leave this country. It seems like he would have gone someplace with which he was at least a slightly familiar. But probably not a long-time favorite vacation place because that would be kind of obvious. Also, not with relatives, of course, not even overseas relatives. Maybe a place he had just been to once or twice, maybe only briefly, but a place that he was enchanted by nonetheless.

He was a Russian major in college; I'm fairly certain that he would have learn the language.

He had cousins in Slovenia, and he had visited them. I'm told that the family photos in his office included those cousins.

He expressed an interest in the UK at one point and liked to vacation in Vermont.

You may also wish to look at this: http://www.centredaily.com/2011/02/14/2518751/southfield-sighting.html

 

[SeekingJana]

No, I don't use AOL. My software can only be loading in one computer at a time. I have to unload the software in my current if I want load it in another computer; I need to load it from a disk. I have DSL, and I have to do exactly the same thing.

I cannot load it into my old computer and switch back and forth, between my old and new computers.




The laptop was not set up for wireless, so that was not an option.

OK, then, you are using a special type of software which is out of the ordinary for a person to use.
How can you assume that Ray ( or anyone else) would have used the same or similar program just to log onto the Internet?
You do know that getting onto the Internet is much faster than you previously said then, correct?

Yes, it has been established that Ray's HD didn't have a wireless card.

If this model laptop was his " old" laptop, did he have a newer model issued to him? Do we know that. Not sure that it matters. We know the FBI did forensics searches on 2 computers at least. Ms. Arnold tells us that his work PC was accessed in his office. She has been puzzled as to who had the log on password. I've thought most likely an IT person just accessed it.

 

[SeekingJana]

He was a Russian major in college; I'm fairly certain that he would have learn the language.

He had cousins in Slovenia, and he had visited them. I'm told that the family photos in his office included those cousins.

He expressed an interest in the UK at one point and liked to vacation in Vermont.

You may also wish to look at this: http://www.centredaily.com/2011/02/14/2518751/southfield-sighting.html

I wonder if a person who wants to get away for reasons unknown to us would go to the people in a photo in their own office.
Talk about " hiding in plain sight".
Only thing is, I wonder who has the resources to go to Slovenia to look for him?
Maybe a certain person who has just come into money with life insurance proceeds.
It's surely not like she's spent the money on a memorial service for Ray.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

OK, then, you are using a special type of software which is out of the ordinary for a person to use.
How can you assume that Ray ( or anyone else) would have used the same or similar program just to log onto the Internet?
You do know that getting onto the Internet is much faster than you previously said then, correct?

I'm using an inexpensive Internet provider, The software only gets loaded on one computer at a time. I have a built in modem of both computers, but I still have to have the software.

If this model laptop was his " old" laptop, did he have a newer model issued to him? Do we know that. Not sure that it matters.

No the new computer was the ones he did the searches on.

We know the FBI did forensics searches on 2 computers at least. Ms. Arnold tells us that his work PC was accessed in his office. She has been puzzled as to who had the log on password. I've thought most likely an IT person just accessed it.

I think that would be likely.

 

[SeekingJana]

Patty and perhaps others have said that the drowned laptop was Ray's OLD laptop. That he had no work-related material on it. Only personal things.
This is stated as factual not speculation.

The knowlege that the found laptop body was an old county issued laptop has always caused me to think that there was a newly issued or purchased work laptop.
Most people won't use the designation " his old work laptop" unless there is a newer work laptop to make the distinction have meaning. They would simply say " His work laptop" or "his laptop" if it was the only one he had.

I have always assumed he had:
1) a home desktop PC which the police tell us they have searched and on which the searches on " What the effects of water are to a hard drive" were made.
2( The OLD work laptop he hadn't turne back in to the county yet.
3) A newer work laptop
4) A work desktop

I guess I was wrong and there is no newer second work related laptop then. I'm not sure we know at this point. Maybe the police aren't trying to be obruse. Maybe I assumed that a DA would have up to date work equipment, whether he purchased it or the county purchased it.
For some reason though, the drowning of county equipment takes on a : "more serious burden" if it was the only laptop he had... JMO of course.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Patty and perhaps others have said that the drowned laptop was Ray's OLD laptop. That he had no work-related material on it. Only personal things.
This is stated as factual not speculation.

It was the County that identified the laptop. They had the serial numbers and the numbers match. It was used as the home computer until late 2004 or early 2005, but it might have had work product on it.

The County did not keep a record of the drive serial numbers.

I have always assumed he had:
1) a home desktop PC which the police tell us they have searched and on which the searches on " What the effects of water are to a hard drive" were made.
2( The OLD work laptop he hadn't turne back in to the county yet.
3) A newer work laptop
4) A work desktop

As far as know, there was no "new" laptop; the laptop was from 2003-04.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

They just ran the Dateline promo.

 

[quixote]

Hi. I'm new here, but have looked through this thread with much fascination. I'm impressed with the mix of curiosity and intelligence displayed here. By way of disclosure, I'm a Penn State graduate ('90), who was in State College when Mr. Gricar was in office. While I was out of that part of the state when he disappeared, I was aware of the story, and some of my old roommates and I would mention it from time to time. When the whole terrible story about Jerry Sandusky broke with the Grand Jury report, I (only half-jokingly) sent them an e-mail entitled "Now we know what happened to Ray Gricar." While I don't know if the mystery behind his disappearance will ever be solved, I hope to actively follow your thoughts and observations. I don't know if I will be able to "bring anything to the table," but if I can, I will be grateful to share it here. I also saw the "Dateline" commercial earlier tonight. Perhaps the Sandusky case will bring further attention to Mr. Gricar's disappearance.