VA VA - Morton Grossman, 62 & Sylvea Grossman, 58, Vienna, 2 Oct 1981

[Warwick1991]

This case from 1981 is apparently still unsolved. https://www.washingtonpost.com/arch...ax-home/eff6b20a-f54f-4d87-a8b8-95eb71a4c702/

Morton and Sylvea Grossman lived in Wolf Trap Woods, a subdivision in Vienna, VA, located in Fairfax County. Both were shot in their home, and found lying face down near each other. Morton Grossman was an economist, and his wife Sylvea was an antique dealer. Morton Grossman had published an economics textbook, and the article notes that he was a consultant to the World Bank and several governments. Artwork had been detached from the walls, but not taken. There was also a “false alarm” at Sylvea Grossman’s antique shop in Bethesda, MD, possibly on the same night of the murders.

Morton Grossman was a native of Pennsylvania, and was a WWII veteran. He had completed his undergraduate work at what is today Indiana State College in Indiana, PA, and obtained a graduate degree at Ohio University, Athens, likely obtaining a PhD elsewhere. The Washington Post article notes that he was formerly a professor at Harvard University. Neither he nor his wife appeared to have any risk factors that would target them for murder. Theft of artwork or antiques may be a motive, based on the dislodged artwork and alarm triggering at Mrs. Grossman’s shop.

The case appeared on a list of unsolved Fairfax County cold cases that is no longer available. One would think that DNA and other technologies could finally solve this case.

 

[Warwick1991]

The Washington Post article notes the Grossmans as very quiet people. Perhaps the answer to solving their case lies in examining thefts of art and antiques in the same region. If they exhibited their art work publicly, they might have been targeted. It isn’t a common burglary type - most burglaries focus on electronics, firearms, and jewelry - easily pawned items. I haven’t read of another art theft case that involved murders like this. A possibility is that the couple returned home after an evening out and and interrupted the burglar(s). They may have been killed because they might have known the perpetrator.

 

[PerhapsIt'sYou]

Did they have children?

 

[Warwick1991]

According to the article in the Washington Post, the victims were discovered by their daughter, possibly accompanied by police. The murders apparently occurred on a Thursday night, and the daughter called police after being unable to reach her parents all day on Friday.

Since the Grossmans were murdered 1981, details of their lives are much harder to research. They did not have internet “footprint,” and most details of their lives are not readily accessible.

Since they were found by their daughter, they had at least one child...

As far as the case is concerned, this was an “execution style” murder. The Grossmans appear to have been forced to lie face down on the floor next to each other in a room near the entrance to their house, and were both fatally shot in the back. Forced entry may have been through patio doors in the basement - the doors were found open. As previously noted, artwork had been removed from the walls. It is possible that the Grossmans interrupted the perpetrator(s) - possibly after an evening out - and that the murders were not planned.

Given what occurred, there should be evidence worth re-examining. Since a firearm was used, the bullets probably yielded information on the caliber and firearms type. There may have been casings. The patio doors and items in the house could have yielded fingerprints. Perhaps DNA is present and can be tested.

Fairfax County is no longer making its cold case list accessible by the internet. It seems to me that after 38 years it should be possible to release more details to the public. One hopes the case is not just filed away forever, with no interest in a solution. At the very least, they could try to obtain justice for the remaining family members.

 

[Warwick1991]

One thought I’ve had is that law enforcement agencies in both jurisdictions might not have collaborated to the fullest extent possible. The Washington Post article noted that there was a “false alarm” call at Mrs. Grossman’s antique shop in Bethesda, Md during the same night the murders took place in Vienna, VA. The jurisdictions in the Washington DC metropolitan area might not have worked together well at the time. It is plausible that the perpetrator wanted something in Mrs. Grossman’s shop, and then went to her home. The answer might have been in the shop - fingerprints or other evidence.

 

[PayrollNerd]

How sad after all these years this daughter doesn't have the answers to what happened to her parents. I agree the two jurisdictions should compare notes, if they haven’t already. I hope the evidence was well preserved and DNA can be extracted.

 

[Warwick1991]

There is also a son, based on a wedding announcement published in The New York Times in 1972. There is no reason to suspect any family involvement, and the Washington Post article implies forced entry through the basement.

The wedding announcement notes that Mr. Grossman was the World Bank representative in Jakarta, Indonesia at that time. He was an independent consultant at the time of the murders.

It seems as if the murders may have been motivated by art theft, but some political motive is a more remote possibility.

 

[Warwick1991]

I found an old copy of a Washington State University newspaper online, the Evergreen, from July 1952, and it notes that Morton Grossman had just received a Ford Fellowship, and that he was going to study at Yale. Evergreen 1952-07-02 1

The article further noted that he was an assistant professor of economics at WSU, and that he had a wife and 3 children. Other online articles from economics journals noted that Moron Grossman was a Ford Foundation economist in the 1960’s, and their specialist for India.

A later Washington Post article on the double murders of another Word Bank economist and his wife named de *advertiser censored*, noted that Fairfax County police thought the that the Grossman and de *advertiser censored* murders were unrelated. The quantity of antiques in the Grossman home was thought to be the motive.

 

[Warwick1991]

In the de *advertiser censored* case, their son was arrested and charged with the murders of his mother and father. The de *advertiser censored*’s son may have been suspected right away by police, which is why they said the 2 cases were unrelated.

 

[Warwick1991]

I found an old copy of a Washington State University newspaper online, the Evergreen, from July 1952, and it notes that Morton Grossman had just received a Ford Fellowship, and that he was going to study at Yale. Evergreen 1952-07-02 1

The article further noted that he was an assistant professor of economics at WSU, and that he had a wife and 3 children. Other online articles from economics journals noted that Moron Grossman was a Ford Foundation economist in the 1960’s, and their specialist for India.

A later Washington Post article on the double murders of another Word Bank economist and his wife named de *advertiser censored*, noted that Fairfax County police thought the that the Grossman and de *advertiser censored* murders were unrelated. The quantity of antiques in the Grossman home was thought to be the motive.

In the 2nd paragraph, misspelling - should be Morton Grossman not Moron... what a difference a letter can make.

 

[Warwick1991]

As I was reading the thread about the unsolved murder of the 3 young women in a trailer in Dale City, VA, it reminded me of the number of unsolved cases from this area in Northern Virginia. I’ve read about the very recent success solving the 1972 murder of a 12 year old by the Fairfax County cold case unit, so hopefully someone may be still be looking at this case. It would seem that there are possibilities, especially ballistic evidence, since both victims were shot. I have no idea if there are fingerprints and DNA, but if they exist, there should be something to work with.

 

[Rhibread]

Fairfax County is no longer making its cold case list accessible by the internet. It seems to me that after 38 years it should be possible to release more details to the public. One hopes the case is not just filed away forever, with no interest in a solution. At the very least, they could try to obtain justice for the remaining family members.

Good News..

According to this press release from July 29, 2020, FCPD have just launched a new page (here)with a full list of their current cold cases, separated by decade. Each one has the name, victim's photo if available, date, case number, and a quick 'blurb' (for lack of a better word) about each case.

Morton and Sylvia are on the first page of the 1980s list.

It appears that FCPD have been ramping up efforts on their cold cases this summer, which is awesome for all of the victims and families. I am going to contact them to see if they are potentially willing to release any extra details that could be helpful in getting these cases solved.

 

[Warwick1991]

Good News..

According to this press release from July 29, 2020, FCPD have just launched a new page (here)with a full list of their current cold cases, separated by decade. Each one has the name, victim's photo if available, date, case number, and a quick 'blurb' (for lack of a better word) about each case.

Morton and Sylvia are on the first page of the 1980s list.

It appears that FCPD have been ramping up efforts on their cold cases this summer, which is awesome for all of the victims and families. I am going to contact them to see if they are potentially willing to release any extra details that could be helpful in getting these cases solved.

I am pleased to see this. There are so many cases listed... The short synopsis differs some from other published information, including the Washington Post. The Post article indicated that the Grossman’s daughter had called police after she was unable to reach her parents for many hours, and that they were discovered after what sounds like a “wellness check.” The FCPD synopsis says that police went to the Grossman residence after there were complaints made about an open door (we know an alarm went off) at Mrs. Grossman’s antique shop in Maryland. The FCPD site also misspells Mrs. Grossman’s first name as Sylvia, but all other data, including the couple’s gravestone, spell it Sylvea, a rather unique spelling. See the Grossman’s gravestone in Pennsylvania on Find A Grave: Morton C. Grossman (1919-1981) - Find A Grave...

Not great, but it sounds like a start....

 

[Warwick1991]

Bumping for the Grossmans......

 

[Warwick1991]

The 40th anniversary of this unsolved double homicide has just passed. One would think that there would be evidence to explore, such as ballistics, fingerprints, fiber or DNA.

Since artwork had been taken down from the walls of the Grossman house, probably in preparation for theft, we might be looking for a thief specializing in art and cultural property. There was a false alarm at Sylvea Grossman’s antique shop before the murders, either the previous night or the same evening, depending on the account. This suggests that the perpetrator was probing the shop. It would seem that certain kinds of art and antiques were targeted. The perpetrator may have browsed in Sylvea’s shop or been known to the couple. Art thieves are less common. Some thieves stay away from art, as they don’t know how to dispose of it. I have always wondered if there were any art thieves in the area at the time with a propensity for violence.

The Washington Post article, linked earlier, notes that Sylvea’s shop had a false alarm on Thursday, the night before the murders, which likely took place on a Friday evening. Their daughter called police for a welfare check after her parents didn’t answer the phone. The Fairfax County Police cold case site misspells Sylvea’s name, and says that police discovered the bodies after attempting to notify the owner that her antique shop was broken into. IMO the Washington Post is correct and far more thorough, with neighbors interviewed.

No doubt this old cold case is not a priority, especially with Covid impacting so many aspects of life.

 

[Warwick1991]

It is now over 41 years... This double homicide is still unsolved. With the activity in the Grossman's house, there should be evidence. The police knew where the intruder had come in through the patio doors in the basement, so there may have been prints on those doors. Artwork had been taken down from the walls, so there could have been prints or DNA on the artwork. The victims were shot inside the house, so there could be evidence near the victims. We don't know whether a semi-automatic pistol or a revolver was used, but with a pistol, empty cases could have been near the bodies. One wonders whether ballistic evidence has been explored. The murder spent time in the house - traces are certainly possible.

 

[Baddux]

It is now over 41 years... This double homicide is still unsolved. With the activity in the Grossman's house, there should be evidence. The police knew where the intruder had come in through the patio doors in the basement, so there may have been prints on those doors. Artwork had been taken down from the walls, so there could have been prints or DNA on the artwork. The victims were shot inside the house, so there could be evidence near the victims. We don't know whether a semi-automatic pistol or a revolver was used, but with a pistol, empty cases could have been near the bodies. One wonders whether ballistic evidence has been explored. The murder spent time in the house - traces are certainly possible.

It's too bad that so many of these cases will remain unsolved. Criminal activity and lack of personnel in police departments forces cases like this to the back burner.

 

[Warwick1991]

It is now over 41 years... This double homicide is still unsolved. With the activity in the Grossman's house, there should be evidence. The police knew where the intruder had come in through the patio doors in the basement, so there may have been prints on those doors. Artwork had been taken down from the walls, so there could have been prints or DNA on the artwork. The victims were shot inside the house, so there could be evidence near the victims. We don't know whether a semi-automatic pistol or a revolver was used, but with a pistol, empty cases could have been near the bodies. One wonders whether ballistic evidence has been explored. The murder spent time in the house - traces are certainly possible.

Too late to correct my post, but I meant to say that "The murderer spent time in the house."

 

[Warwick1991]

The burglary at Sylvea's antique shop, along with the displaced paintings at the Grossman house, point to an individual who carefully targeted the victims' property. The perpetrator was probably someone involved in the art and antiques world, and must have visited Sylvea's shop to observe the contents. It is even possible that they'd visited the Grossman house, and familiarized themselves with the art and antiques in the house. IMO, this may be a collector or dealer, or even a curator/staff member of a museum - someone known to the victims.

Until the high profile thefts at Boston's Gardner Museum, which was almost 10 years after the Grossman murder, police departments in most cities were not equipped to investigate art and antique theft. I think it was not a priority. But thieves who target art and antiques can be just as violent as those who target money, cars and electronics, although they often have a sophisticated veneer.

 

[Lonicera]

What if it wasn’t a burglary that went wrong? " Police authorities investigating the deaths of Morton C. Grossman, 62, and his wife, Sylvea, 58, said burglary is a possible motive in the double slayings."
What if it was a double murder made up as a burglary? I hope the investigators have explored this track. Too often the assassins try to direct the search towards an imaginary track. This is of course just a personal suppositon. It is unfair to see that the culprit got away with nothing, it is sad and it makes me angry.