MI MI - Ronald & Christine Jabalee, both 58, New Baltimore, 6 Oct 2006

Websleuths.com was shown briefly on Dateline tonight!! A few of our posts were shown, no names of course :)
 
Didn't LE say that this part was under the tire of the car? And that the killers wiped alot of it up? What if they didn't see this part?


This may sound silly but, it looks to me like the word "State". Or it could be "Slade".


I live in West Michigan and I've heard of the motorcycle gangs that LE spoke of. Yikes. Was this family involved with them and that's why LE mentioned them? If not, I wonder why LE threw that out there. Hmmmmm......

I think this is one of the posts that was featured on the dateline special tonight (the part about "Slade")
 
I just watched the episode on Dateline which lead me to this forum, and all I can say is that this case left me with so many questions.

For one would sentence a man for life with no physical evidence? The suspicious behavior, the questionable statements, it's all so vauge it could be explained as easily as shock. First keeping the shop open after hearing the news of his parents deaths, some could explain this as a defense mechanism. Sometimes victims who have been subjected to such a trauma try to block it out by denying the truth. As for the statements Ron Jr. made about potentially killing his parents, anyone could ask the same questions after such a tragety. Everyone's going to question themselves when there isn't any other answer.

I'm not saying that Ronnie Jr. for sure did not kill his parents, there's just not enough evidence to prove he did. Which is why it's so suprising to me that a supposed cold case expert would even take on this case with next to nothing. Now if evidence arises that it was infact Ronnie Jr. they can't even charge him with the murders.

And there's so much that either Dateline left out, or the police never looked at. For example, from the minute I would have suspected Ronnie Jr. I'd be getting a search warrant to look for anything related to the case, (eg. murder weapon, bloody clothes, etc.)

Also how closely was the bloody writing examined? You think there'd be fingerprints in it, yet when described it doesn't clearly state who wrote it. And if it were Ronnie Jr. and he came back to clean up, why wouldn't he mop it up too, especially if it had links to his name. Same goes for any killer, either they missed it, or they wanted it to be there, and be found. And it's hard to believe that they missed it, because they took the time to put everything away after cleaning up. Even if it was obscured by the Jeep, it had to be within arms reach of either victim making it kind of hard to miss.
 
Just from watching Dateline I believe the son did it. Sad, if so, he is truly getting away with murder and his family supports it.
 
I remember seeing this case on Webslueths and was excited to see the site on Dateline last night. Sad that the case hasn't been solved.
 
I just watched the episode on Dateline which lead me to this forum, and all I can say is that this case left me with so many questions.

For one would sentence a man for life with no physical evidence? The suspicious behavior, the questionable statements, it's all so vauge it could be explained as easily as shock. First keeping the shop open after hearing the news of his parents deaths, some could explain this as a defense mechanism. Sometimes victims who have been subjected to such a trauma try to block it out by denying the truth. As for the statements Ron Jr. made about potentially killing his parents, anyone could ask the same questions after such a tragety. Everyone's going to question themselves when there isn't any other answer.

I'm not saying that Ronnie Jr. for sure did not kill his parents, there's just not enough evidence to prove he did. Which is why it's so suprising to me that a supposed cold case expert would even take on this case with next to nothing. Now if evidence arises that it was infact Ronnie Jr. they can't even charge him with the murders.

And there's so much that either Dateline left out, or the police never looked at. For example, from the minute I would have suspected Ronnie Jr. I'd be getting a search warrant to look for anything related to the case, (eg. murder weapon, bloody clothes, etc.)

Also how closely was the bloody writing examined? You think there'd be fingerprints in it, yet when described it doesn't clearly state who wrote it. And if it were Ronnie Jr. and he came back to clean up, why wouldn't he mop it up too, especially if it had links to his name. Same goes for any killer, either they missed it, or they wanted it to be there, and be found. And it's hard to believe that they missed it, because they took the time to put everything away after cleaning up. Even if it was obscured by the Jeep, it had to be within arms reach of either victim making it kind of hard to miss.

Welcome to WS JessieGwen :seeya:

I fell asleep watching the program, so I did not see the last hour.

But watching the first half I was reminded of why I felt the son was such a good suspect. If God forbid, my parents were murdered, I would never make the comment "maybe I did it and don't remember" or "maybe I did it while sleepwalking". Why would an innocent person say this? Honestly you could see yourself saying this if your parents were murdered?

The writing could have been done after the killer left, a dying gesture. Or in haste it could have been overlooked or was obscured by a body. That part did not bother me as much as how long it took LE to really take a serious look at the son as a suspect. By that time all the evidence would have been gone, weapon, bloody clothing, etc.

Setting aside the fact he kept the store open that day (really?). Why go to the house under construction directly from work? Do you really believe it was to drop off a few vicodin pills? How about flushing them down the toilet at work before he left or giving them to the person riding with him to hold onto?

I really wanted to hear more from Ron's best friend, did he talk more in the second hour of the program? Right before I fell asleep I think they said he conducted his own investigation and then cut to a commercial.

Like you JessieGwen, so many questions unanswered.
 
I too saw the program last night. I know when we looked at this case previously, I thought Jr did it. But after watching the show last night, I don't think he did. He has a strange way of dealing with grief, but I don't think it's completely out of line.

When his younger brother told him what happened, the younger guy is very emotional, and because it was his g/f at the house, it's understandable he would tell him to go over there. The younger brother seemed like he completely lost it, I felt bad for him.

Anyway, he may have stayed at work because he was in shock, he thought he was doing what his dad would have wanted and taken care of business, his parents being dead was surreal to him and he MAY have thought if he stayed at work, when he got off, everything would be normal.

I don't know how to explain it and I am sure I wouldn't have done what Jr did. But, I've lost loved ones unexpectedly and KNOW, looking back, some of my reaction could have been weird to others. You want to scream, cry, wake them up! call other loved ones, answered questions, want to be left alone, want to walk, scream, whatever....

Because Jr had recently had an argument with his dad, over $$?.....anyway, he may have felt guilty. That COULD have been why he started having these thoughts of 'maybe HE did it and just doesn't remember.'

Anyway, I couldn't see where they proved he did it. At least if I was on that jury, I would have voted 'innocent.' That's not to say that he didn't do it, I just think LE didn't prove it with what they had.

I wish we could figure out what the victim wrote in her blood. So close, it's heartbreaking. :(

JMHO
fran
 
I Also just saw that on tv..an had alot of unanswered ?'s . Why wasn't the sister questioned or even hardly shown???. She was married, she could have been involved.. Did all of them have alibi's. if it was a family thing maybe two of them did it..but I agree u couldn't convict Ron Jr with no evidence, which is hard to believe in this day ..:banghead:
 
New to forum, saw Dateline, this case got to me as it seems it has others. Me and my coworkers follow this stuff also.

Did the investigators look at ruling the friend and neighbor Dale in or out. I know he seemed sincere in being upset at losing his friends, but I think police should look at all options in these cases. I think the writing looks like _ALE, the letter kind of looks like a S but could be a smudged D. Also, someone mentioned he got a tattoo and car logo for his buddy which I found a bit different.

Either way even if the writing doesn't say Dale, I think the police should rule on the last person there.
 
WOW first I've heard of this case, i read beginning to end. I don't think THAT son did it. I'd love to see the results of that mitochondrial DNA though.
 
I too, like many of yourselves found this case to be not only diturbing, but challenging and one not to let rest until we've looked at every angle. I think a lot about what the friend had said in his interview with Dateline about whether or not he had seen Mrs. Jabalee. I beleive he says, she had offered him to stay for pizza, he declines and goes straight home. He says he left at around 8, I'm foggy as to what times the murders took place, but I thought they said 8:15 and if this is correct, then how long would it take two very maticulous people to sit down, eat and do dishes or clean up somewhat? I still believe that somehow a family member or a close friend is involved even if its indirectly. I also wondered that in the bloody writing, if the "e" wasn't a logogram for "and" meaning two people??
 
New to forum, saw Dateline, this case got to me as it seems it has others. Me and my coworkers follow this stuff also.

Did the investigators look at ruling the friend and neighbor Dale in or out. I know he seemed sincere in being upset at losing his friends, but I think police should look at all options in these cases. I think the writing looks like _ALE, the letter kind of looks like a S but could be a smudged D. Also, someone mentioned he got a tattoo and car logo for his buddy which I found a bit different.

Either way even if the writing doesn't say Dale, I think the police should rule on the last person there.


In Michigan it is very common to get a tatoo & a car sticker in rememberance of a family member or close friend. Dale has a lot of tatoo's so I think it's pretty normal for him to get a tattoo in rememberance of the friend he lost. In his interview he said that Mr. Jabalee asked him to stay for pizza not Mrs. Jabalee so no he never saw her that day. And in my opnion there is no way the first S is or was a D. There isn't smear on the right of letter where a D would have curved. I'm sure the police interviewed Dale and ruled him out by now. I mean isn't it protocal to look at the last person known to have seen one of the victims alive?

I know Dale. I've known him since I was a child. He is one of the nicest guys you would ever meet and this tore him up. He lives with the decision he made that day and it haunts him. What if....I mean he could have ended up dead or maybe the attacker wouldn't have attacked with another male there......maybe he could have called for help if there was an attack......a lot of what if's that he fights with.

Something I am curious about.....the black truck another neighbor said he saw leaving. Wasn't that in early morning hours. If Dale left around 8 and they say the attack happened at 8:15 why was the truck there for so long? Did the killer/killers really stay for that many hours? Maybe I misunderstood the timeline.

As for the bloody letters..here is something my daughter noticed that I did not...do you think it's possible the 4th letter is a j and not a d.
 
I spoke with Dale recently and he was looked at as a murder suspect but had been cleared. So to answer the question did they look into him the answer is yes. Just thought I would let you know.
 
When I first heard about this crime I thought it was a female that murdered the Jabalee's. I look at the letters which to me resemble the name Jessica.
 
Jabalee press conference abruptly cancelled
By Courtney Flynn, Associate Editor

On July 30 New Baltimore Police Chief Tim Wiley called a press conference for Aug. 1 that was expected to disseminate updated information on the double homicide case of Ronald and Christine Jabalee. About three hours after the notice of the press conference was released, Wiley sent another statement announcing it was cancelled.

The police chief later said the press conference was cancelled because of a scheduling conflict between him, a Crime Stoppers representative and attorneys.

Prior to the press conference being called a meeting was held between Ronald Jabalee Jr., the son acquitted of murdering his parents, his attorney and the department’s investigation bureau.

http://www.voicenews.com/articles/2012/08/05/news/doc501c31c87ebd8150987476.txt
 
I wonder if the court records are available now that Jr. was acquitted? No time to look tonight, thought someone might know.
 
"Crimes Stoppers on a homicide has a reward up to $2,500," President John Broad told Patch. "We have recently received an additional enhancement reward contribution, so the reward is up to $12,500."

News of the donation comes as former sole suspect in the case and victims' son Ronald F. Jabalee met earlier Monday with New Baltimore police. During that conversation, Jabalee asked police to seek fresh leads in Ronald and Christine Jabalee's 2006 violent deaths, New Baltimore Police Chief Tim Wiley said.

When Jabalee, who was acquitted in 2010 by a Macomb County jury, asked Monday what he could do to help, Wiley said he told him he could donate to the reward fund, like he previously did.

"He said he would make some kind of contribution," Wiley said.
http://newbaltimore.patch.com/artic...-reward-donation-for-jabalee-case?logout=true
 
Thanks Knox for keeping the thread curent.
It still haunts me that a dying person struggled to help identify the perp and no one can figure it out. I feel like they (the Jabelee's) are screaming for someone to see it (the correct letters). So sad.
 
Thanks Knox for keeping the thread curent.
It still haunts me that a dying person struggled to help identify the perp and no one can figure it out. I feel like they (the Jabelee's) are screaming for someone to see it (the correct letters). So sad.

Yes it is sad, TW. I'm still not 100% convinced Jr. is innocent, I think LE/DA just didn't present a strong case and the jury saw reasonable doubt.
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