GUILTY TX - Ronnie Gammage, 27, Longview, 8 Dec 2012

[granola]

I simply can't believe that the employees did not think there was anything wrong with a vehicle in the lot with tires slit for that long.

Something smells.

I agree, especially if it's the vehicle of a regular and he hasn't shown up in a few days. Just strange.

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

Oh My Gosh.... what a sweet, endearing smile! :smile:

I hope he is found soon!lease:

 

[shefner]

My heart breaks for this family.

Could someone that works at Waffle House be responsible? The one thing that makes me think not is that I believe they would have moved his truck to another location. Is there not any surveillance at this Waffle House?

 

[GateKeeper]

http://www.kltv.com/story/20331915/reward-raised-in-search-for-missing-etx-man

"I was told that he went back in to the Waffle House, and told them that he had a flat," Gammage said. "He went back out to the truck, and they said that was the last time they saw him, around 3am. He would have called me, and said, 'Mom I've got a flat.' He'd have called me if he ran out of gas, if he needed money, anything, he would call me."

Gammage says it's extremely out of character for Ronnie to be somewhere without his truck or his cell phone, but his phone hasn't been answered since the day he went missing.

 

[swanniee11]

I watched the poor video twice ( I can't stomach doing it again, the mother just breaks my heart) they showed his truck with the newscaster and brother leaning towards the back of the the truck as if it was the back tires slashed. I couldn't tell if he had a handicap plate considering he had Muscular Dystrophy and when they showed the interior it didn't have anything hanging from the mirror. So his truck could have been parked anywhere vs. smack dab in front of the doors. IMO. It wouldn't take but less then a minute to slash 2 tires and the vehicle that the person (if there was one) could have been "stalking" him and pulled his/her vehicle right in front of Ronnies and got out, slashed/ got back into their vehicle with in seconds, would not have brought attention to anyone inside the Waffle House. IMO. He went in to tell the "waffle house people" that his tires where slashed, what did they offer to do? If this man went there regularly,you would think they offered to help in some way? Also, he has "furniture" missing from his apt. What kind? A couch would need 2 people, a chair maybe not. Also, someone there should have seen/heard someone moving this stuff out? Again IMO. I'm just sick for this family. My heart breaks. Oh, and does he have a job? ( I'm not expecting anyone to know this btw) what are his hours? He was at the Waffle House at 3am, did he just get off work?

 

[hollyblue]

http://www.kltv.com/story/20331915/reward-raised-in-search-for-missing-etx-man

It was too late to get the flat fixed if he wasn't caring a spare with. One report says a flat...other's that it was all his tires. ??? The only place I can think may have 24 hrs service would be a Walmart or a truck stop with a shop. Or if he had road service, which I doubt.

Would be interesting where his cell pings were with the last call or text. And was it a text or a call? Time was approximately 3AM....breakfast after a night out probably. For other's also.

So he was there, left, went back in and said he had a flat. Why do that? Unless he was seeking a ride rather than fixing the flat. So if so, who did he get the ride from? And...since they were aware he had a flat that night, WHY didn't they think something was off with his truck still there? IIRC, it was parked in the back. ???

Another pic:

 

[hollyblue]

I watched the poor video twice ( I can't stomach doing it again, the mother just breaks my heart) they showed his truck with the newscaster and brother leaning towards the back of the the truck as if it was the back tires slashed. I couldn't tell if he had a handicap plate considering he had Muscular Dystrophy and when they showed the interior it didn't have anything hanging from the mirror. So his truck could have been parked anywhere vs. smack dab in front of the doors. IMO. It wouldn't take but less then a minute to slash 2 tires and the vehicle that the person (if there was one) could have been "stalking" him and pulled his/her vehicle right in front of Ronnies and got out, slashed/ got back into their vehicle with in seconds, would not have brought attention to anyone inside the Waffle House. IMO. He went in to tell the "waffle house people" that his tires where slashed, what did they offer to do? If this man went there regularly,you would think they offered to help in some way? Also, he has "furniture" missing from his apt. What kind? A couch would need 2 people, a chair maybe not. Also, someone there should have seen/heard someone moving this stuff out? Again IMO. I'm just sick for this family. My heart breaks. Oh, and does he have a job? ( I'm not expecting anyone to know this btw) what are his hours? He was at the Waffle House at 3am, did he just get off work?

Forgot about the furniture being missing which brings more questions. His keys? Either he was taken back to his apt by someone and something happened and they rid of evidence.....or they knew him and where he lived and went in afterwards. A 27 old male wouldn't have much furniture, imo; except a very large TV maybe would be of interest.?

I had never heard of Longview, TX and now it's been mentioned in 3 different cases here within the past month or two.

 

[Donjeta]

If he informed the Waffle House staff that he had a flat I can see how the truck being there wouldn't necessarily cause any alarm. Someone comes in and says there seems to be a problem with a truck in the parking lot and because they're already aware who it belongs to and why it's there they reply, yeah, it belongs to a guy who was here a couple of days ago, hope he gets it fixed or towed soon. And if he's a regular but doesn't come back like usual, well, he probably hasn't got a ride since his truck is still here...

I think most people are more likely to report an apparent abandoned vehicle if they don't know who it belongs to and how long it's been there and think it might have been stolen and abandoned.

Edit: also if they knew that he is disabled it might have served as an explanation why the truck wasn't fixed as promptly as it could otherwise have been.

 

[katydid23]

If you add the furniture in, it sounds like someone set him up by slashing the tires, then offering him a ride home. They get him to the apt. and they loot it. But why go to all that trouble for some furniture? It must have been more like Tv's and computers for someone to go to all that trouble. I bet his furniture was cheap, bachelor pad stuff. I cannot understand what they were looking for/

Maybe they thought he had $ hidden for some reason.

 

[Donjeta]

Was all of his furniture missing or just an item or two? If it's just a few items of little value such as an old couch, it might have been taken not for the money but because there was evidence of a fight someone didn't want found. Bloodstains or something.

Some furniture can also be useful in hiding a body if you have to carry it out in broad daylight.

 

[katydid23]

Was all of his furniture missing or just an item or two? If it's just a few items of little value such as an old couch, it might have been taken not for the money but because there was evidence of a fight someone didn't want found. Bloodstains or something.

Some furniture can also be useful in hiding a body if you have to carry it out in broad daylight.

wow. good thinking. He is a big man so there had to be more than one perp, imo.

 

[hollyblue]

Was all of his furniture missing or just an item or two? If it's just a few items of little value such as an old couch, it might have been taken not for the money but because there was evidence of a fight someone didn't want found. Bloodstains or something.

Some furniture can also be useful in hiding a body if you have to carry it out in broad daylight.

True, but at 6'8" and 265lbs...what type of furniture is that big to hold him?...and what floor?

Thinking of his family.

 

[Donjeta]

A big cupboard or a wardrobe? The weight would not necessarily be a problem if you showed up in a moving van and had one of those roller things, whatever they're called, that are used in shifting heavy items.

 

[TxLady2]

Forgot about the furniture being missing which brings more questions. His keys? Either he was taken back to his apt by someone and something happened and they rid of evidence.....or they knew him and where he lived and went in afterwards. A 27 old male wouldn't have much furniture, imo; except a very large TV maybe would be of interest.?

I had never heard of Longview, TX and now it's been mentioned in 3 different cases here within the past month or two.

Longview is a relatively small town, probably 35 miles east of Tyler. I've been there quite a few times and have been in that Waffle House before. You will see all kinds of people there. Considering all, I don't think it's unusual they wouldn't notice his truck there for several days. I don't think the employees would even know what he drives unless he had parked in front sometimes and they noticed him getting out. Too many trucks that look similar, and every guy in east Tx drives a pickup, and some women do. There may be two waitresses on duty at one time, and a cook and maybe a dishwasher. Busy times they might have three waitresses, but the place is not very big, best I can remember. If he's a regular, they may know him by sight, but not really know much about him. This is MOO, of course.
It really sounds like he may have been targeted by some people that he may have known slightly but not well enough. Maybe he went willingly and then they took him somewhere and hurt or killed him. Whatever, it doesn't sound good at all. He is probably on disability, and may have just gotten his check and cashed it. Could have been "flashing" some money in the restaurant, not realizing that was dangerous. People with mental disabilities don't think of danger, they like everybody and trust everybody.
I feel so sorry for his mom and his brother.

 

[TxLady2]

Was all of his furniture missing or just an item or two? If it's just a few items of little value such as an old couch, it might have been taken not for the money but because there was evidence of a fight someone didn't want found. Bloodstains or something.

Some furniture can also be useful in hiding a body if you have to carry it out in broad daylight.

It would take 4 strong guys to carry out a couch if a body that big was in it. Hope the PD goes over that apt. with fine-tooth comb. Wonder if they've talked to other residents there, asked if anyone heard fighting, yelling, maybe gunshots. My problem is, sometimes they don't take these things seriously enough and let valuable time get away before they do a thorough investigation.
But to answer your first question, I doubt if everything was missing, or the brother would have told the reporter that it was cleaned out, more or less.
Both the mother and the brother appear to be scared out of their minds with worry. I feel terrible for them.

 

[mck16]

Longview is a relatively small town, probably 35 miles east of Tyler. I've been there quite a few times and have been in that Waffle House before. You will see all kinds of people there. Considering all, I don't think it's unusual they wouldn't notice his truck there for several days. I don't think the employees would even know what he drives unless he had parked in front sometimes and they noticed him getting out. Too many trucks that look similar, and every guy in east Tx drives a pickup, and some women do. There may be two waitresses on duty at one time, and a cook and maybe a dishwasher. Busy times they might have three waitresses, but the place is not very big, best I can remember. If he's a regular, they may know him by sight, but not really know much about him. This is MOO, of course.
It really sounds like he may have been targeted by some people that he may have known slightly but not well enough. Maybe he went willingly and then they took him somewhere and hurt or killed him. Whatever, it doesn't sound good at all. He is probably on disability, and may have just gotten his check and cashed it. Could have been "flashing" some money in the restaurant, not realizing that was dangerous. People with mental disabilities don't think of danger, they like everybody and trust everybody.
I feel so sorry for his mom and his brother.

I just live a few miles from Longview and was actually going in today to do some shopping. This WH is on a major road with businesses all around it. It is not far from a major mall in the area. I don't know what I could accomplish by going into the restaurant, but if anyone can think of anything, please let me know.

Longview is a city with just under 100,000 population. It is an oil city about 80 miles from the Louisiana border. jmo

 

[texasgirl2]

Do we know if he lived in an apartment or a house? I am just wondering if he lives in a secluded area or if it's possible that his neighbors saw something? This is a weird case. I was thinking that he could just be hurt somewhere after trying to walk home because of his truck tire(s) being flat. But with his tire(s) slashed and the furniture missing...this just doesn't sound good at all.

I hope they find him soon!!

 

[GateKeeper]

So was it from the moms interview that we got the info about the missing furniture?

 

[GateKeeper]

Missing Longview man had reported robbery

Days before a Longview man was reported missing, he told police he was robbed and his wallet taken.

“He was mugged on Nov. 28 at a service station — right there from the apartments where he lived,” Frankie Gammage said. “He was on mental disability — and (he has) muscular dystrophy — he couldn’t run, he doesn’t know how to fight or protect himself. He didn’t have good judgement of people.”

Ron Gammage lives alone in Parkway Gardens apartments and is able to function in spite of his mental disability but is not employed, his mother said.

http://www.news-journal.com/news/po...cle_6299a88c-3bb0-5457-b687-079145212160.html

 

[dillysmom11]

However, Gammage’s mother, Frankie, who is offering $5,000 for information that leads to finding her son, said she believes the robbery is linked to his disappearance.

No doubt. My 21 year old nephew has Aspergers, he is VERY trusting but well capable of living and working on his own. This breaks my heart.