OREGON: David Michael Grubbs, Bike Path Murder, Ashland, Nov '11

[shamu22]

@ Caramel sounds like the same man and the dates and age check out, interesting

[Manzanita]

Wow, Caramel... that may be just some brilliant sleuthing. Same name, same home town, right age. I thinking you may be on to something. This story gets weirder and weirder.

There was a very touching story in the local paper today of David Grubbs' mom and his sister and some of his friends all getting a tattoo like one he had. :"(

[Manzanita]

Yes, Caramel, here is a tidbit from a 2005 article that supports it being the same Michael Mollo in the article about the theater piece in Fullerton in 1994:

Lewis said her boyfriend left the hospital with nothing but the clothes on his back. Michael Mollo is a guitar player and singer who has been involved with music since he was a child, his mother said. He has also directed plays and writing a book about his life when he vanished.

http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs...cid=sitesearch

[gooniequeen]

http://m.dailytidings.com/apps/pbcs....emplate=wapart

More about forensic anthropologist Symes arriving Tuesday

"Normally I don't go to the homicide, they bring the homicide to me," Symes said in a telephone interview. "In this case, I'd rather do the work myself."

Symes said he couldn't give an estimated timeline for when he will complete the examination.

"It looks like there is enough sharp trauma there, that we could see a positive ID," he said, referring to what weapon was used.

He said the examination may also reveal the positioning of Grubbs and his attacker during the incident.

[ClaireNC]

Originally Posted by Caramel

Please let me know if I'm over-sleuthing, but I wonder if this Michael Mollo, 43, listed as "of Fullerton" in the story I linked to above about his arrest in Yreka is the Michael Mollo (age at the time 26) in this 1994 article from the L.A. Times: http://articles.latimes.com/1994-07-...ca-15513_1_joe

Hi Caramel, Welcome to the site! Very good sleuthing there. It puts together an interesting picture on this POI (person of interest).

[Caramel]

Letter to editor about Mollo's 2005 disappearance, from his mother:
http://www.dailytidings.com/apps/pbc...ON03/308239990

[Leeza]

I had a heard a rumor almost a week ago that the APD had him identified as a suspect in this case. I have been searching his name a bit and also found some articles that involve a man by the same name in theatre presentations in Fullerton where they used swords. I hope they get substantial evidence and are able to get this solved. My heart goes out to the family and friends of David.

[Leeza]

I am not sure, but I think Michael Mollo is actually from Klamath Falls, Oregon rather than Fullerton. I think he graduated from Klamath Falls high School. Perhaps he went to college in Fullerton?

[Caramel]

As far as I can tell, there are two musical "Michael Mollo"s with southern California ties -- the one in question (middle initial, I think "D") who grew up in Klamath Falls, graduated from Cal State Fullerton, spent a year in San Francisco in the early 90s, returned to Fullerton and was - possibly - half of a popular local musical duo for a while, wrote and directed the (panned by critic(s))Prometheus play at Revolving Door Theatre, and returned to Oregon (and Northern California) in the late 90s. He has been involved with the woman listed in the news stories for at least six or seven years. And he does seem to have a thing for bladed weapons, but -- and this is one of those coincidences that probably don't mean anything -- a statistically surprising lot of people named "Mollo" seem to be sword hobbyists or sword scholars. I Googled: Mollo sword, and got lots of returns, including the seeming leading expert on early 20th century Russian swords, and videos of teenagers named Mollo attacking watermelons with katanas. I've looked at Michael Mollo of Klamath Falls/Fullerton/San Francisco/Ashland/Yreka's family tree back five generations, and none of his relatives seem to be the other sword enthusiasts. So, there, for whatever it's worth, is that.

The other Michael Mollo (middle initial "J") is totally not our guy. He grew up in Pennsylvania, attended USC, and composes music for children's movies and is, I repeat, totally not the guy.

[Manzanita]

The local paper today describes the sword they collected when they arrested Mollo in Yreka as "decorative" -- meaning not sharp, not a real weapon.

The woman formerly referred to as his girlfriend, is now being referred to only as someone he as known for a long time. She was quoted in the article today as saying "he could never do something this horrific", and says that he was in Yreka at the time David Grubbs was murdered.

http://www.dailytidings.com/apps/pbc...WS02/112030306

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I certainly don't want the wrong guy to be saddled with this, but it would be such a relief to think the person who did it is off the streets.

[Manzanita]

Just a thought about swords...

I have always thought it is more likely this was a machete. Most swords that people have are merely decorative. I have an adult kid myself who has several decorative swords. They are popular with boys, especially those that like fantasy stories -- Tolkien, King Arthur stories, ninja and pirate themed graphic novels.

So, I know lots of people have decorative swords, and they even like to swing them around in the air at fantasy enemies. These are the kids in Lithia park with insulation foam and duct tape over PVC pipe play-battling with their "boffers" -- this is a very benign group of boys who are not rushing into what looks to them like bland maturity. Peter Pan kids having fun.

However someone who is mentally ill and likes swinging swords around could very easily come by a machete. It's semi-rural here and people have them laying around in garden sheds and tool chests all the time. They can be very sharp and are easily sharpened. A mentally ill person who likes swinging swords around and hears voices telling him to kill somebody (or whatever drives a schizophrenic to violence -- which is NOT to say all schizophrenics are violent) could easily get their hands on such a weapon. Like little boys playing shoot-em-up for whom a bent stick of a certain shape becomes a gun -- this seems like an easy thing to have happened.

[gooniequeen]

Originally Posted by Caramel

As far as I can tell, there are two musical "Michael Mollo"s with southern California ties -- the one in question (middle initial, I think "D") who grew up in Klamath Falls, graduated from Cal State Fullerton, spent a year in San Francisco in the early 90s, returned to Fullerton and was - possibly - half of a popular local musical duo for a while, wrote and directed the (panned by critic(s))Prometheus play at Revolving Door Theatre, and returned to Oregon (and Northern California) in the late 90s. He has been involved with the woman listed in the news stories for at least six or seven years. And he does seem to have a thing for bladed weapons, but -- and this is one of those coincidences that probably don't mean anything -- a statistically surprising lot of people named "Mollo" seem to be sword hobbyists or sword scholars. I Googled: Mollo sword, and got lots of returns, including the seeming leading expert on early 20th century Russian swords, and videos of teenagers named Mollo attacking watermelons with katanas. I've looked at Michael Mollo of Klamath Falls/Fullerton/San Francisco/Ashland/Yreka's family tree back five generations, and none of his relatives seem to be the other sword enthusiasts. So, there, for whatever it's worth, is that.

The other Michael Mollo (middle initial "J") is totally not our guy. He grew up in Pennsylvania, attended USC, and composes music for children's movies and is, I repeat, totally not the guy.

the family tree i found has him as Michael Louis Mollo and i have cross referenced this with his Mother's name from the letter to the people of Ashland in 2005.

[Caramel]

Then, by "I think "D"," I suppose I meant "L". Same genealogy. I just wasn't sure I recalled the initial correctly. Apparently my lack of confidence was justified.

[gooniequeen]

everything gets stranger and sadder the more i look.

MM's younger brother passed away in 1980 (4 years old) MM would have been 11 at the time. Cause of death according to this obituary -

Christoper Mollo, 4, died when a heavy table saw fell on him

also appears that the parents were living separately (mom in Klamath falls / dad in san francisco)

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...GRid=37526497&

[gooniequeen]

http://www.heraldandnews.com/law_enf...a_id=122642071

June 25, 2005 Klamath Falls Herald News Court report.

Michael Louis Mollo, 37, third-degree theft, guilty plea, 30 days in jail. Another count of third-degree robbery that accused him kicking and hitting Christian Utley while stealing a lighter on Dec. 27 was dismissed.

http://www.heraldandnews.com/law_enf...a_id=122642071

Published December 28, 2004

Michael Louis Mollo, 36, 2957 Eberlein Ave., third-degree robbery; held in lieu of $10,000 bail.

[Snoopster]

Originally Posted by gooniequeen

everything gets stranger and sadder the more i look.

MM's younger brother passed away in 1980 (4 years old) MM would have been 11 at the time. Cause of death according to this obituary -



also appears that the parents were living separately (mom in Klamath falls / dad in san francisco)

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...GRid=37526497&

The table saw fell on him?? Now that just gives me the shivers!

[g2ashland]

Originally Posted by scaryworldwelivein

http://www.gateway2ashland.com/david-grubbs.html

Thanks for linking to our site. This page (short url: http://g8wy.me/david-grubbs-latest ) is constantly being updated with any and all information we can find regarding the investigation, memorials, meetings and donation opportunities. If there is any information you would like, anything you would like added to the page, or anything you feel that could be done better, please let us know @ support@gateway2ashland.com

[Leeza]

According to the most recent article in the Tidings, the police have apparently ruled out Mollo as a suspect.
http://www.dailytidings.com/apps/pbc...NEWS/112050309

[ObscureClaire]

He has been ruled out - which means it is still not a good idea to be alone in Ashland after dark. He was in Yreka at the time of the murder. I feel for him. It seems he is a creative sort who has decompensated over the last 20 years. This latest event will make things worse for him.

[Caramel]

Or before dark, right?

[Leeza]

There is another request for help from people who were in the area of the murder.
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs...WS07/112050332

Perhaps they will find something useful in the video footage. Let's hope so. And I do not think it is safe to be out there alone after dark or even close to dark.

[ingra1327]

Surveillance video has led police to ask to speak to three "persons of interest" in David's murder.

A female who was on the bike path at about 5 p.m. in the area of the Mountain View Cemetery wearing a pink jacket and walking two dogs.
A person riding a bicycle on the bike path in the area of the cemetery around 5 p.m.
A person in the area of the cemetery on the bike path around 5:15 p.m.

http://kdrv.com/page/232617
http://ashland.or.us/News.asp?NewsID=2420

[Snoopster]

Ashland Police say as the days go by, the leads are fewer and fewer. So, they advise anyone with any information to please give them a call at 541-482-5211 or their anonymous tip line at 541-552-2333.

http://kdrv.com/page/232617

Sounds to me like are starting to run out of leads.

Let's hope that the forensic anthropologist can narrow down the type of murder weapon...and that will lead to more leads.

Have they released any snippets of video recordings to the public yet? I presume that would be if things really started to lag in the investigation as they probably don't want to give away all of the views/sources of videos that they have collected.

Someone must suspect something!!

I truly believe that the perpetrator was unknown to David (or at least that David wasn't the specific target, but rather just A target, when any target would do). I also suspect that this person was in a psychotic state. So wouldn't this person have been agitated just prior and possibly after? Wouldn't they have gotten blood on their clothes? (Unfortunately I presume the scene was quite messy.) Surely someone, someone somewhere, must have a lead??? No one deserves this kind of death.

Getting frustrated on behalf of David Grubb's loved ones and the people in Ashland.

[scaryworldwelivein]

Originally Posted by Manzanita

I have a relative who works at the high school, and she said there was a student who may have seen something. He was in the cemetary (about a block-length down the bike path from the crime scene) texting a friend. You certainly can't see the crime scene from there, but he did say he saw a "weird looking" guy going one way and then abruptly another, he seemed very erratic -- the student said he was feeling pretty wary of the guy, but it was getting quite dark and he was not close enough to really identify the person. He later checked his cell phone and the text he sent to his friend was at 5:24 pm -- which would have been about exactly the right time.

manzanita, did they report this to the police??????

[Manzanita]

Yes, it was reported to the police. At first they didn't follow up with the kid, but later they did. I guess it didn't help them enough though... sad.

When I was a kid there was a murder sort of like this... out-of-blue, random, in a small town where things like that didn't happen, on a well-traveled path in the late afternoon, a teenage girl. It was so traumatic it seemed impossible that it wouldn't be solved. It was a small town where everyone knew everyone else. But, it never was solved... now over 40 years ago. Her surviving siblings are still hoping the killer will be identified someday.

I was thinking tonight this may end up the same way. Very depressing. I can't imagine what David Grubbs' family and friends are feeling -- mostly the great loss, but then on top of that, no one held accountable. Unfathomable.

I hope it doesn't turn out like that.