GUILTY PA - Jessica Padgett, 32, Northampton County, 21 November 2014

If you use the search drop-down on his facebook page to find "Pictures of" him there's a lot of extremely disturbing photos of him with all sorts of animals he's killed on trips- beautiful zebras, wild cats, etc. But the most disturbing one is of him posing with the corpse of an ape or monkey (I'd clarify which but it was so upsetting I'm not going to look at his page again)- it looks so human, and there's something very odd in the way he poses with his kills. I understand why people hunt and I don't take a huge moral stand against it if it's done humanely and the animals are consumed, but this is the facebook page of someone who really loves to kill things just for fun.

Not defending him at all, but adding some insights on the world of hunting. The images of his hunting successes is very common among hunters. I don't see anything unusual in the pictures. Yes, some people might find them disturbing, but hunters would not. The primate picture and pictures of zebras, wild cats, etc. look like they were taken on a hunting trip to South Africa in 2007. This was probably a once in a lifetime opportunity and most any hunter would make sure that trip is well documented in photos. If you watch any of the shows on Outdoor Channel, images such as those in the pictures are very common.

Edit to add: He wasn't even the person who posted those pictures. They were posted by his wife on her FB page and she tagged him.
 
I knew a guy that seems similar to GG. He was my landlord in the early 90's. He (and his wife and kids) had this huge estate. He showed me this incredible huge room with two story windows...but full of stuffed and mounted animals he had killed. He had everything there...zebras, tigers etc. He was so proud of the room. I could only stay in the room a few seconds...looked around and had to leave. It devastated me. He was a guy who would hire helicopters and illegally kill animals by flying over them, he did that in several countries. He had convictions...fraud etc. He absolutely loved hunting, guns and was, overly, joyful about his kills. The estate was newly built because the original one burned down...come to find out HE burned it down because it was on the historical register and he wanted to renovate but couldn't...so burned it down :( He got arrested for that crime a year after I lived there (guest house). He got arrested because he bragged to people about the arson...LE finally had enough evidence to arrest and convict him on it.

The man was a highly sexual person (always tried to talk about it with me, no thanks), passionate about killing...and seemed to think he was above the law. I moved out after 6 months because his daughter was trying to flee him...wife came into their house with a gun to shoot him....long story...but I got the heck out of dodge.

They didn't seem to have a clear income to support their lifestyle. He went on a couple of those hunting trips to other countries while I lived there.Something felt shifty about it when he talked about them. He wasn't a smart, well thought out man.

Anyway sorry for the long post. I'm just not understanding the utter joy that trophy hunters get, to me...every life is valuable.
 
I knew a guy that seems similar to GG. He was my landlord in the early 90's. He (and his wife and kids) had this huge estate. He showed me this incredible huge room with two story windows...but full of stuffed and mounted animals he had killed. He had everything there...zebras, tigers etc. He was so proud of the room. I could only stay in the room a few seconds...looked around and had to leave. It devastated me. He was a guy who would hire helicopters and illegally kill animals by flying over them, he did that in several countries. He had convictions...fraud etc. He absolutely loved hunting, guns and was, overly, joyful about his kills. The estate was newly built because the original one burned down...come to find out HE burned it down because it was on the historical register and he wanted to renovate but couldn't...so burned it down :( He got arrested for that crime a year after I lived there (guest house). He got arrested because he bragged to people about the arson...LE finally had enough evidence to arrest and convict him on it.

The man was a highly sexual person (always tried to talk about it with me, no thanks), passionate about killing...and seemed to think he was above the law. I moved out after 6 months because his daughter was trying to flee him...wife came into their house with a gun to shoot him....long story...but I got the heck out of dodge.

They didn't seem to have a clear income to support their lifestyle. He went on a couple of those hunting trips to other countries while I lived there.Something felt shifty about it when he talked about them. He wasn't a smart, well thought out man.

Anyway sorry for the long post. I'm just not understanding the utter joy that trophy hunters get, to me...every life is valuable.
Sex. Money. Hunting. Murder. It's all about power, IMO.
 
I knew a guy that seems similar to GG. He was my landlord in the early 90's. He (and his wife and kids) had this huge estate. He showed me this incredible huge room with two story windows...but full of stuffed and mounted animals he had killed. He had everything there...zebras, tigers etc. He was so proud of the room. I could only stay in the room a few seconds...looked around and had to leave. It devastated me. He was a guy who would hire helicopters and illegally kill animals by flying over them, he did that in several countries. He had convictions...fraud etc. He absolutely loved hunting, guns and was, overly, joyful about his kills. The estate was newly built because the original one burned down...come to find out HE burned it down because it was on the historical register and he wanted to renovate but couldn't...so burned it down :( He got arrested for that crime a year after I lived there (guest house). He got arrested because he bragged to people about the arson...LE finally had enough evidence to arrest and convict him on it.

The man was a highly sexual person (always tried to talk about it with me, no thanks), passionate about killing...and seemed to think he was above the law. I moved out after 6 months because his daughter was trying to flee him...wife came into their house with a gun to shoot him....long story...but I got the heck out of dodge.

They didn't seem to have a clear income to support their lifestyle. He went on a couple of those hunting trips to other countries while I lived there.Something felt shifty about it when he talked about them. He wasn't a smart, well thought out man.

Anyway sorry for the long post. I'm just not understanding the utter joy that trophy hunters get, to me...every life is valuable.

I know someone like this as well, minus all the illegal stuff, but including the house/room that looks like you've stepped right into a Cabela's store and his exorbitant inexplicable wealth at a young age. I don't think all of the hunting he did/does is completely legal, and witnessed once such event on his property one time. If he was on FB, I think it would be exactly like GG's. I think average people just can't understand the appeal of this, but it certainly doesn't make someone more likely (or less likely) to murder a human being in cold blood. IMO.
 
I know someone like this as well, minus all the illegal stuff, but including the house/room that looks like you've stepped right into a Cabela's store and his exorbitant inexplicable wealth at a young age. I don't think all of the hunting he did/does is completely legal, and witnessed once such event on his property one time. If he was on FB, I think it would be exactly like GG's. I think average people just can't understand the appeal of this, but it certainly doesn't make someone more likely (or less likely) to murder a human being in cold blood. IMO.

Yes, of course you are correct. The man I knew hadn't murdered a human (as far I as knew) but he did have the same sense of elation and joy. The pictures of GG with his "kills" show a very proud and happy person. Same look on the "kill" photos of the guy I knew. Although as Jaimesommers says above. Those qualities certainly are about power.
 
This murder is truly baffling, if in fact Jessica had no reason to fear this man prior to being attacked. I kind of wish we would hear some background on their relationship.
 
Once he got back from dropping her car off he had all the time he needed to do whatever he pleased. Sexually assault her, clean up, maybe dig a hole (if it wasn't already dug), bury her, start covering up. Investigators always know more than what is released to the public. They say it was sexually motivated. That is the only motive they have given. And they have not elaborated on their meaning. And it sounds like he sang like a canary when faced with all they had on him. Could it be, that the sexual component...(and Lord knows I hate to say this!!), that he told them it was a consensual relationship (albeit based on victim abuse for years) and he was raged that she married her long time boyfriend and things had changed? I know it is heart wrenching to even think this but we've all heard crazier things.
 
Once he got back from dropping her car off he had all the time he needed to do whatever he pleased. Sexually assault her, clean up, maybe dig a hole (if it wasn't already dug), bury her, start covering up. Investigators always know more than what is released to the public. They say it was sexually motivated. That is the only motive they have given. And they have not elaborated on their meaning. And it sounds like he sang like a canary when faced with all they had on him. Could it be, that the sexual component...(and Lord knows I hate to say this!!), that he told them it was a consensual relationship (albeit based on victim abuse for years) and he was raged that she married her long time boyfriend and things had changed? I know it is heart wrenching to even think this but we've all heard crazier things.

BBM: I respectfully disagree. He had to know that alarm bells would be sounding once she did not return to work. And assuming he lured here there on the premise of her needing to fax something, he had no idea if she told someone at work she was going there at lunch. The most logical place to start looking is the last known place a person would be or headed to. That's why I found the middle of the day scenario curious at first, until Dion pointed out that she would have her child/ren with her at other times (and/or her husband).
 
SurfieTX...very true. Maybe not all the time in the world, but a bit more time to finish cleaning up... given the timeline he just didn't have enough time. And you are correct, once he returned home he didn't have as much time as I originally was thinking to casually take his time. He had to hurry. Someone knew she was there? Makes me think even more there was no sexual assault that day (just doesn't seem like enough time). But in the past. Investigators have only said there was a sexual motive/element (without elaborating). GG has said this did not happen due to an attack. So taking out speculation on non-known facts (drug related, illegal activity she came across) and listening to what investigators have said, was it a crime of jealousy with the new marriage?
 
SurfieTX...very true. Maybe not all the time in the world, but a bit more time to finish cleaning up... given the timeline he just didn't have enough time. And you are correct, once he returned home he didn't have as much time as I originally was thinking to casually take his time. He had to hurry. Someone knew she was there? Makes me think even more there was no sexual assault that day (just doesn't seem like enough time). But in the past. Investigators have only said there was a sexual motive/element (without elaborating). GG has said this did not happen due to an attack. So taking out speculation on non-known facts (drug related, illegal activity she came across) and listening to what investigators have said, was it a crime of jealousy with the new marriage?

I was thinking "not that day but in the past" as well but then there's this:

"Authorities say 53-year-old Gregory Graf may have sexually assaulted Jessica Padgett, 33, Friday afternoon, before or after shooting her in the back of the head and hiding the corpse on the Allen Township property he shared with the woman’s mother. "It appears to me that the motive here was a sexual assault motive," Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli told reporters Wednesday. "There's definitely a sex angle to this crime. That is still being developed in terms of the particular nature of it."

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/cri...ls-buries-stepdaughter-cops-article-1.2025955

Something has lead them to believe the assault may have happened that afternoon. Either something GG said or something they found on the scene. And I honestly hate to say it but there's no way it happened BEFORE he shot her. I'll leave it at that. UGH.
 
^ There is a piece missing to this case. The DA's way about his wording is telling.
"There's definitely a sex angle to this crime. That is still being developed in terms of the particular nature of it."

IMO There are two separate aspects here. Two separate questions. 1.) For what reason did he PLAN to kill her and 2.) where does the sexual element come to play? The two may actually not be related. There may never have been contact before and he assaulted her post mortem because he's sick and there was opportunity.
I don't know. Just a piece missing and I can't wrap my head around it.
 
^ There is a piece missing to this case. The DA's way about his wording is telling.
"There's definitely a sex angle to this crime. That is still being developed in terms of the particular nature of it."

IMO There are two separate aspects here. Two separate questions. 1.) For what reason did he PLAN to kill her and 2.) where does the sexual element come to play? The two may actually not be related. There may never have been contact before and he assaulted her post mortem because he's sick and there was opportunity.
I don't know. Just a piece missing and I can't wrap my head around it.

Or he did it to make sure it looked like a sex crime, never intending to be the one caught for her murder. Wonder if he originally intended to dispose of her somewhere else and something happened to thwart his plans. Maybe he was intending to move the body once the heat was off, but never had the opportunity.
 
Much as I hate to say this, but given the timeframe, is it possible that Graf shot Jessica as soon as she entered the house, then parked her car and returned to take pictures of her? It seems that this would be a form of sexual assault, even if she was no longer alive.
 
Much as I hate to say this, but given the timeframe, is it possible that Graf shot Jessica as soon as she entered the house, then parked her car and returned to take pictures of her? It seems that this would be a form of sexual assault, even if she was no longer alive.

Excellent point. I'm hung up on the wording of the DA ...sexual element. and still determining... Like they are not quite sure what the heck he did.
 
If this was NOT premeditated, can anyone think of any reason his truck would have been dropped off earlier in the morning either at or near the mechanic's shop? Besides needing a truck repair, or intending to murder someone at your home and be in need of a getaway car after you drop their car off, I can think of no reason.

The only thing I can think within the realm of possibility is that he actually DID have an appointment to get the truck repaired, and the auto shop is saying he didn't to wash their hands of this whole mess for some reason. (Or it has been misreported in the media).
 
Much as I hate to say this, but given the timeframe, is it possible that Graf shot Jessica as soon as she entered the house, then parked her car and returned to take pictures of her? It seems that this would be a form of sexual assault, even if she was no longer alive.

Well he certainly was fond of showing off his hunting skills, wasn't he?
 
If this was NOT premeditated, can anyone think of any reason his truck would have been dropped off earlier in the morning either at or near the mechanic's shop? Besides needing a truck repair, or intending to murder someone at your home and be in need of a getaway car after you drop their car off, I can think of no reason.

The only thing I can think within the realm of possibility is that he actually DID have an appointment to get the truck repaired, and the auto shop is saying he didn't to wash their hands of this whole mess for some reason. (Or it has been misreported in the media).

From what I've read LE did speak to the garage he said he was taking his truck to, and they confirmed there was no appointment that day. He lied, plain and simple. MOO.
 
From what I've read LE did speak to the garage he said he was taking his truck to, and they confirmed there was no appointment that day. He lied, plain and simple. MOO.

Or the garage did. (Just a theory! No reason to think that other than trying to make sense of this)

I will eat my words if I'm wrong, but I just do not think this was any kind of crime of passion, and I think any sex angle was just a cover up to throw the scent another way, in his assumption he'd never be a suspect, so when/if her body was discovered they'd be looking for who usually kidnaps/murders women off the streets--sex offenders. I believe the original plan was probably not to leave the body on his property. And I believe she never saw this coming since it was a gunshot to the back of the head. He didn't want her to know, in her final moments, he was the one who ended her life.

Of course this is all a theory, MOO and all that. I could be way off.
 
I have never dropped my car at a garage or near a garage, even with the hopes to call later on and hope they can squeeze me in that day or the next without speaking immediately to the garage. Also be without a car. I agree that is a lie. Even if hypothetically she got there and he tried to assault her his quickest answer was to shoot her immediately? Just doesn't add up for me. The assault could be staged. He could have killed her for another reason and then as an afterthought assaulted her. Still something isn't adding up. Some detail is missing. Usually the simplest answer is the correct answer. What is that??
 

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