PA PA - Ray Gricar, 59, Bellefonte, 15 April 2005 - #4

Hbgchick · May 19, 2006

First of all, THANK YOU MODS for spotlighting this case! It's been near and dear to many of us since day one.

And WHAT is this about a book left open on his desk to "Vacancy of District Attorney"? What's that mean? What kind of book? Can someone describe that more fully?

I also believe that the woman seen with Ray Gricar was not Patty Fornicola. Men (and women too, probably - don't mean to sound sexist here) often take their wives/SOs and their mistresses that they're cheating with to the same places, so it would not surprise me if Patty were with Ray one day, and this mystery woman was with him the next in the same shop.

Patty has a very distinctive appearance and the description of the other woman is nowhere near Patty's. I feel terribly for Patty - not only does the man she loves disappear, but now all of these rumors about another woman. But I also know (from experience, unfortunately) that no matter how much you think you know someone things are not always as they seem.

Lili · May 19, 2006

Hbgchick said:
.....And WHAT is this about a book left open on his desk to "Vacancy of District Attorney"? What's that mean? What kind of book? Can someone describe that more fully?

All I can tell you is that on the news as the newscaster was talking about the case, he said that in Ray's office, there was an open book on his desk, turned to a section about "vacancy in the DA's office." They showed an open book. The title on the right page was "District Attorney." It was the way it was left from his visit to his office the night before, according to the news article.

It was Johnstown's WJAC-TV's 6:00 p.m. news. I have not found a link that shows that clip...

Usher737 · May 19, 2006

I know some people have been critical of the Dateline piece on Ray. I watched it last night and I thought it was alright. I think any national attention on this case is wonderful and can be potentially helpful. They could not put all the details in their segment. I liked seeing the area he vanished from especially the river. I hope this generates some new leads.

He also was featured on the CBS show "Without A Trace" and then The Early Show on Friday morning. Here is a link to The Early Show.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/31/earlyshow/main1458699.shtml

gatetrekker44 · May 19, 2006

because they showed the actual laptop that was retrieved as well as the hard drive that was found SEPARATE from the actual laptop. And what struck me about it was the the fact that the hard drive appeared to be in much better shape than the laptop itself(like maybe someone removed it and used it in another computer to see what was on it). The hard drive just didn't appear to have been in the water as long as the laptop. And I found it hard to believe that LE was not able to retrieve ANY info from it(like maybe it had been deliberately erased?).
I believe more than ever that Ray met with foul play-and I am stil not discounting a link with the murder of Jonathan Luna-especially since CBS recently did a piece about witness intimidation where drug and murder cases are involved-and Philadelphia(my original home town) was one of the cities cited as actually doing someting about it. Maybe someone is trying to send a message that if they can't get to the witnesses they're going after the LE persons involved!

bykerladi · May 19, 2006

Its pretty hard to erase a hard drive - you have to have special programs and stuff that aren't available to the general public.

Or were they able to get info off the hard drive but are claiming they got nothing so they don't tip off the perps (whether its him or his murderers)?

gatetrekker44 · May 21, 2006

is to simply drill a hole in it-this effectively renders the drive useless. And from what I could see there didn't appear to be any hole drilled into itget rid .
The only other way I know of to get rid of the info would be to expose the drive to a strong magnet. Are there any computer whiz kids out there who know more about this subject? :waitasec:

izzyB · May 21, 2006

thanks for the interesting computer posts. when these were discovered sometime ago i totally took LE at its word that there was no way to get anything from the hard drive. of course this was BEFORE we learned that they had not even interviewed some eye-witnesses and were not monitoring ray's bank account! and i do not believe a pic was made available to the public at the time, but i could be wrong on that. so i just assumed that LE was telling us the truth.

now here come posters that actually know something about hard drives and say "wait a minute".

i am more and more believeing in a LE cover-up of something. new life or drug king hit.

does anyone in the area know if the drug kings ray had just had the "presser" about right before he disappeared have had their trial by now and if so, what was the outcome?

Lili · May 21, 2006

I just posted a new article from the Centre Daily Times in the Media thread. One paragraph states:

"My jurisdiction goes up to the river," Yost said. "All that happened in my jurisdiction is he parked his car here. Now if someone threw (the laptop into the river) from the shoreline, it would be my jurisdiction. If it was thrown from the bridge, then it would be Pennsylvania State Police in Milton. So it kind of moves across jurisdictions pretty quickly."

Well, that laptop didn't just crawl into the river on it's own!

bykerladi · May 21, 2006

The magnet would have the be VERY powerful, a regular little magnet wouldn't work. I found some interesting threads on how to kill a hard drive:

http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=357507&hl=
http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68372
http://www.neowin.net/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t349254.html
http://www.howtofixcomputers.com/bb/sutra158627.html

Needless to say, it appears that in order to destroy the DATA on a hard drive, you need to actively attempt to destroy it.

Lili · May 23, 2006

The trial just started for the dealer involved in the big drug bust just before Ray Gricar disappeared:

Trial opens for alleged leader of drug ring

Prosecutors call N.J. man 'major' dealer

By Pete Bosak

pbosak@centredaily.com

BELLEFONTE -- The trial of a man prosecutors call a "major" dealer of crack cocaine and heroin throughout Centre County began Monday, the culmination of a years-long investigation of a drug ring allegedly led by 25-year-old Taji J. Lee.

Lee, of New Jersey, was indicted by a state grand jury last year on charges he distributed $1.5 million worth of heroin and cocaine through Centre County. He was arrested after an undercover officer arranged to purchase 400 baggies of heroin, worth about $7,500, from him.

...snip...
Defense attorney Ron McGlaughlin, in his opening statement, attacked the credibility of the prosecution's key informant, Kenyon Ebeling, saying that while she was working with police, she continued to use and sell heroin.

"I believe the jurors have to look at the police conduct in this case, to see if it falls to the level of entrapment," he said. "I believe the evidence shows that while she was working for police, she was dealing and using heroin. The case is in large part about the confidential informant."

The rest of the story:

http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/14644243.htm

izzyB · May 24, 2006

thanks for the update and link lili. i asked b/c i was wondering if anything "else" had happened to the prosecution team. IF ray's disappearance had been linked to this group, well what did it accomplish in the long-term. they may have gotten the man that indicted them, but they are still on trial now.

i really believe that ray has started a new life.

christine2448 · May 24, 2006

izzyB said:
does anyone in the area know if the drug kings ray had just had the "presser" about right before he disappeared have had their trial by now and if so, what was the outcome?

There is tons of information about the drug stuff going on and the supposed corruption at yardbird.com

Lili · May 25, 2006

:woohoo:
Ok, I got an email back, about the book open in Ray's office:
"Yes there is some truth to this. For the story, see tomorrows Centre Daily Times or read us on-line at www.centredaily.com.
Ive been researching this and finally have the story ready for publication.

Thanks for reading,
Pete"
Thanks Pete!

christine2448 · May 25, 2006

Lili said:
:woohoo:
Ok, I got an email back, about the book open in Ray's office:
"Yes there is some truth to this. For the story, see tomorrows Centre Daily Times or read us on-line at www.centredaily.com.
Ive been researching this and finally have the story ready for publication.

Thanks for reading,
Pete"
Thanks Pete!

Great job Lili!!!!! Can't wait to read. I have been so busy...I could spend hours researching this stuff, just don't have time right now. I appreciate you posting links, contacting people for info, your awesome! Thanks again!:blowkiss:

christine2448 · May 25, 2006

In yet another odd twist in the disappearance of former Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar, his nephew confirmed Wednesday that a legal book containing information on replacing a district attorney was found on the desk of an assistant district attorney the day after Gricar vanished.

Assistant District Attorney Mark Smith, wondering where the book came from, grasped both covers and turned it upside down, in hopes of finding what page it had last been opened to, Tony Gricar said he was told by police.

The book opened to the statute detailing how to replace a dead or retired district attorney, Tony Gricar said.

With rumors about the book swirling through the courthouse and beyond this week, Tony Gricar said he'd placed a call to borough police to find out why the information, which he's known for some time, is coming out now.

MORE HERE

christine2448 · May 25, 2006

Snip from Centerdailey.com midday report

NOW there's a book mystery in the Ray Gricar case. Read Pete Bosak's update today on a part of the probe that we're just finding out about.

We asked over the weekend what is next? Who thought it would be a book?

Of course, the police don't have to tell us anything, so they didn't in this case.

izzyB · May 25, 2006

if this indeed the case this just makes me think that ray was engineering his own disappearance.

Hbgchick · May 25, 2006

Well, as much as I hope this may be a clue as to where to find Ray (or his body) I have to say that he WAS planning on retiring at the end of his term. It could be that someone was innocently researching the procedure that they would all be going through anyway very soon.

christine2448 · May 25, 2006

Hbgchick said:
Well, as much as I hope this may be a clue as to where to find Ray (or his body) I have to say that he WAS planning on retiring at the end of his term. It could be that someone was innocently researching the procedure that they would all be going through anyway very soon.

Good point! LOL :doh: :doh: :doh: Didn't even cross my mind!

Hbgchick · May 25, 2006

christine2448 said:
Good point! LOL :doh: :doh: :doh: Didn't even cross my mind!

Lol...yeah. Like I say, I really wish it would turn up something, but am afraid it's unrelated to his disappearance.

PA PA - Ray Gricar, 59, Bellefonte, 15 April 2005 - #4

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