PA PA - Ray Gricar, 59, Bellefonte, 15 April 2005 - #13

[howardstern]

The were reports of a Mini Cooper seen around the quarry. There were three Mini's in Lewisburg that day, however, and it was one of the others.

Ahh gotcha, thanks!

I'd move the drive to just off the bank of the a bit to the south of where you have it. If you draw a line parallel to the south end of the Packwood House it was about there, perhaps ten yard from the bank.

Will do -- quick question though; do you mind if I could use some of your pictures from that album? Totally understand if you do, figured I would ask before just using them.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Ahh gotcha, thanks!




Will do -- quick question though; do you mind if I could use some of your pictures from that album? Totally understand if you do, figured I would ask before just using them.

I do not mind at all, but please attribute to "J. J. in Phila."

 

[J. J. in Phila]

So besides the irregular settlement of a small estate (given the income level) and suppressed tax form, she has brought up the following: The only ways to dispose of that amount of money over time is by transferring it in CASH in 5 grand increments or less (to keep under the IRS radar) to other parties or transferring it off shore. Even if it was half of his salary, that's something like fifty grand a year that would have to be drawn out in cash and handed to one or more individuals...around a grand a week. Wow... Or of course sent off shore.

This sounds exceptionally promising.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Thought it was available before, Pennlive is running RFG's FBI file (redacted): http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2015/04/ray_gricars_fbi_file_read_the.html#incart_m-rpt-2

 

[J. J. in Phila]

That's what I was thinking. The pictures you provided of the actual site just didn't seem to match where this map was putting the drive. The description for the Packwood Museum ("caddy corner from the park") didn't really make sense in the context of the evidence I've seen.

Do you have any idea why the creator of the map would highlight the "Limestone Quarry"? Did I miss something on that?

I'll be making an updated version of the map when I get a chance, for posterity's sake. Do you see any other areas of interest to add? I'll probably throw in some of the eyewitness locations, but struggling to think of much more. Thanks!

Edit: Decided to make it a late night....would still love some input from everybody, feel free to edit as you please.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=z69ZxbaBvzmM.kMN08HHDqNB0

Incredibly good map.

 

[SuperSmith]

Some money seems to be "unaccounted." RFG had earned a minimum of $110 K per year since his divorce 3.5 years prior to his disappearance. He had less than $25 K in his estate and in 2004 and 2005 he didn't have any source of income (from a single source) above $1300. He didn't have CD's that were generating more than $1300 in interest ($60-$70 k), for example.

For a guy making as much as he was, with his known expenses, and someone preparing for retirement, RFG's financial situation does not make too much sense.

With all due respect what qualifies your opinion over Law Enforcement and the FBI who are on record as indicating that their appeared to be no money missing? As for Lara and her filing that just as easily could be a move to keep her business, well her business. Not sure id want the press, posters like us, or general public knowing what I had just inherited.

Are you qualified professionally to state that there IS or appears money is missing?

Just wondering your qualifications before I give your post any credibility. Thank you in advance

 

[J. J. in Phila]

The documents speak for themselves. I have been through estate settlements as well and I do have an academic background in the area (economics minor).

The expressed opinion of LE is that no forensic audit was done.

I am not certain what is meant be "As for Lara and her filing that just as easily could be a move to keep her business, well her business." The filing could only be made if it was less than $25 k in the estate. It is a matter of public record and I have sensitive about redacting things like addresses and telephone numbers.

 

[SeekingJana]

I wanted to address the issue of news articles only being posted as a link to the article here.

We have " lost" many sources of early info from MSM because it is no longer cached.

Would it be possible for those with an article regarding the case to post the link AND summarize what the article says or quote just a few of the most important sentences?

I know we have strict copyright rules and laws, but like I said, the early info is not accessible through the original links.. It may be in the Internet Archives, I don't know because I'm not great at retrieval of those articles.

 

[SeekingJana]

I have been thinking about the apparently low assets vs. six figure income.

Is it possible that he put the vast majority of his money ( savings, stocks, bonds, whatever he could) into Lara's name shortly before his disappearance for fear of asset seizure under the RICO statute? As far as I know, he was a clean DA, but this is an avenue I've never seen discussed.
I knew a wealthy family who were extremely nice and civic minded. They were also drug and gunrunners with a secret hideout in a vast cave- like home and hideaway that went undetected for 2 generations.
In the end, the entire family lost many gorgeous homes, and their personal items were seized as well. I assume the bank accounts were laundered, but if not, the Feds. got the hard cash assets as well. One brother escaped to Brazil, the other died of a heart attack- they said it was from the stress.

Oh, and an interesting side note- they were known ( before my time) as the men who rigged Sheriff Buford Pusser's corvette to crash. Part of the Dixie gang before that. I dated a policeman who used to take me to their remote " villas" for lack of a better term where he collected free cases of untaxed liquor and beer. The dirty cop almost went to fed. prison. I had no idea what was going on. I was one year over the legal drinking age, but didn't drink or know a thing about it at the time.
I thought the brothers and their sons and daughters were extremely nice and sociable. Very friendly and giving. Long arm of the ( fed) law finally caught up to them. Most local LE was on the take, from what I read.. It was safer.

Anyway, thoughts of that family and RICO made me think of how they literally hid cash as well as contraband ( I know RG wasn't trafficking in drug or alcohol contraband- that was his best friend, S. Sloane's crime a bit later on, more or less, LOL.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Respectfully, as always, snipped.

I have been thinking about the apparently low assets vs. six figure income.

Is it possible that he put the vast majority of his money ( savings, stocks, bonds, whatever he could) into Lara's name shortly before his disappearance for fear of asset seizure under the RICO statute? As far as I know, he was a clean DA, but this is an avenue I've never seen discussed.

I don't think anything like that was shortly before his disappearance. In the year prior to his disappearance, RFG had very low interest (at least from a single source).

One think that I would be considering is that there was some informal type of estate planning on RFG's part, that paying off PEF's mortgage and buying the Mini and putting it in her name was part of that. That would point to something voluntary (walkaway or suicide).

Transferred assets might not have been safely proteced from RICO.

 

[Trackergd]

Respectfully, as always, snipped.



I don't think anything like that was shortly before his disappearance. In the year prior to his disappearance, RFG had very low interest (at least from a single source).

One think that I would be considering is that there was some informal type of estate planning on RFG's part, that paying off PEF's mortgage and buying the Mini and putting it in her name was part of that. That would point to something voluntary (walkaway or suicide).

Transferred assets might not have been safely proteced from RICO.

I'm curious about any mortgage there may have been. I seem to remember reading or seeing a picture of the home with a caption that seemed to indicate it had been in the family for at least two generations. That may suggest it was passed down.

 

[Trackergd]

The accountant asked me if we had a good time line for this case that listed every detail. If someone has the link, please post it

I asked her about the possibility the money was put into one or more insurance policies. She made some calls and commented late yesterday that the consensus of her consultants was "who puts as much as fifty grand a year into an insurance policy unless they are very rich and are setting up a family financial legacy for future generations, know they are dying or think they might die?" That, to me does not seem consistent with what we currently know of RFG's character. I have to keep in mind that what I get from the accountant is just hard and cold numbers and information without the personal side that all of us are looking at.

 

[Trackergd]

With all due respect what qualifies your opinion over Law Enforcement and the FBI who are on record as indicating that their appeared to be no money missing? As for Lara and her filing that just as easily could be a move to keep her business, well her business. Not sure id want the press, posters like us, or general public knowing what I had just inherited.

Are you qualified professionally to state that there IS or appears money is missing?

Just wondering your qualifications before I give your post any credibility. Thank you in advance

This is why I have engaged an expert to look at the large package of RFG's public financial data I purchased from the county. I have her looking at the data in a "quid pro quo" arrangement where I supply her with the documents, she gets to use it in her forensics accounting thesis and I (we) get the findings. She is currently a professional accountant and is finishing up her Masters in forensic accounting.

It removes any personal opinion any of us have and gives us a professional view as she consults with other professionals in the field to help her with her analysis and thesis.

It would also put this part of the investigation to bed so we are not re-hashing it. I assume that this is the fair and balanced approach. I cannot bias the results as she is doing it for free with no prior knowledge of the case.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

The accountant asked me if we had a good time line for this case that listed every detail. If someone has the link, please post it

I asked her about the possibility the money was put into one or more insurance policies. She made some calls and commented late yesterday that the consensus of her consultants was "who puts as much as fifty grand a year into an insurance policy unless they are very rich and are setting up a family financial legacy for future generations, know they are dying or think they might die?" That, to me does not seem consistent with what we currently know of RFG's character. I have to keep in mind that what I get from the accountant is just hard and cold numbers and information without the personal side that all of us are looking at.

What would she like on it? I have some things and pull some stuff together quickly.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

I'm curious about any mortgage there may have been. I seem to remember reading or seeing a picture of the home with a caption that seemed to indicate it had been in the family for at least two generations. That may suggest it was passed down.

It was the childhood home of the Fornicolas and was assessed at $63 k.

There were three children so, possibly PEF bought her two brothers' shares and financed those ($41 k). It is also possible her mother remortgaged it and she took over the mortgage ($51 k overall, but she would been paying on it for a few years). Either way, I would suspect that the mortgage was well below $63 k.

The Mini was between $17 and $26 k.

 

[Trackergd]

It was the childhood home of the Fornicolas and was assessed at $63 k.

There were three children so, possibly PEF bought her two brothers' shares and financed those ($41 k). It is also possible her mother remortgaged it and she took over the mortgage ($51 k overall, but she would been paying on it for a few years). Either way, I would suspect that the mortgage was well below $63 k.

The Mini was between $17 and $26 k.

Great information. I will pass it along to the accountant. Any time line you want to pull together that would help her determine events for at least two years prior to RFG going missing and anything after would be helpful in helping here figure out what may have gone where....if in fact that is the case.

 

[MissJ]

JMO it is possible RFG lived up to his income. Many people do. My ex was an MD. We had a very modest home and cars but we certainly spent his quarter million every year. He purchased many jewelry gifts for me including a very expensive diamond rolex. I loved it but wore long sleeve shirts to conceal it while at work so I wouldn't be robbed because of it. Only close friends and family knew I had it. I have long hair that covered my diamond earrings and most assumed they were fake. Point being that money spent doesn't have to be on a fancy house or expensive car. RFG also loved antiques. Were any of them evaluated for their value?

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Well, I've what PEF and LG wear and it isn't exactly ermine.

As for antiques, "collectables might be a better term. He liked old camera's and toys from his childhood. Further, he didn't have a huge amount of space to keep large collections.

 

[SuperSmith]

This is why I have engaged an expert to look at the large package of RFG's public financial data I purchased from the county. I have her looking at the data in a "quid pro quo" arrangement where I supply her with the documents, she gets to use it in her forensics accounting thesis and I (we) get the findings. She is currently a professional accountant and is finishing up her Masters in forensic accounting.

It removes any personal opinion any of us have and gives us a professional view as she consults with other professionals in the field to help her with her analysis and thesis.

It would also put this part of the investigation to bed so we are not re-hashing it. I assume that this is the fair and balanced approach. I cannot bias the results as she is doing it for free with no prior knowledge of the case.

Don't you think it's possible, even likely that LE and the FBI are privy to where the money went hence their comments that they found no money missing?

 

[SuperSmith]

JMO it is possible RFG lived up to his income. Many people do. My ex was an MD. We had a very modest home and cars but we certainly spent his quarter million every year. He purchased many jewelry gifts for me including a very expensive diamond rolex. I loved it but wore long sleeve shirts to conceal it while at work so I wouldn't be robbed because of it. Only close friends and family knew I had it. I have long hair that covered my diamond earrings and most assumed they were fake. Point being that money spent doesn't have to be on a fancy house or expensive car. RFG also loved antiques. Were any of them evaluated for their value?

I also think he kept his daughter living quit comfortable through college and had several fairly expensive trips, pap for a Mini, and paid off PFs house.