Jun 11, 20214 min read

Episode #17: Ray Frank Gricar -Missing (2005)

Suicide, retaliation, or witness protection. We may never know what really happened to District Attorney Ray Gricar.

Ray Frank Gricar
Birth: 10/9/1945 - Missing: 4/15/2005
Ethnicity: Caucasian -  Sex: Male 
Height: 6'0" - Weight: 170Lbs
Hair Color: Brown (Graying)  - Eye Color: Green
Hometown: Bellfonte, PA (Centre County)

Last Known Location: Street of Shops in Lewisburg, PA.  

Clothing:  Ray was 6ft tall, 172lbs, had brown hair with grey in it, and green eyes. He was wearing a blue fleece jacket, blue jeans and sneakers.

Distinguishing Characteristics: 

Timeline of Events: Below is a timeline on the day prior to his disappearance, the day of, and the day after.

Thursday- The day prior to his disappearance
8AM- Attended a Prison Board Meeting- During the meeting he was reported to have been mumbling answers to questions and was looking out the window as if his mind was elsewhere. 

10:30-11:00AM- Ray was spotted at a boat launch at Lake Raystown by a “doctor” that knew him. It wasn’t reported as to what he was doing there or who the doctor was or what kind of doctor. 
Sometime after this he exchanged an email with a defense attorney regarding a case and was joking around with her. He also received a call from his daughter (as she usually called several times a week to catch up).

2-4PM- An ADA said she heard his office door “forcefully closing”. Which was a habit he had when he was “busy or preoccupied”. 

5:30-6PM- Patty and Ray were seen walking in Talleyrand Park by a former County Commissioner Vicky Wedler. Vicky and him didn’t always see eye to eye when she served. She said he seemed to look depressed but then goes on to say how Patty and Ray were a “perfect couple”. 

6:21PM- Security cameras have Ray entering the rear of the Courthouse wearing a fleece. He did not have his laptop at that time and he was driving the red Mini Cooper.

9:03PM- Ray is seen leaving the Courthouse.

Friday- the day he went missing
6:00-8:15AM- Ray tells Patty he is taking the day off and goes back to sleep. Patty gets ready for work and leaves. 

9-10AM- Contractor calls the house and talks to Ray about repairs/maint. they were going to work on. 

11-11:30AM- Lawyer sees Ray driving on Route 144 towards Centre Hall.

11:12-11:30AM- Ray calls the courthouse through the switchboard to talk to Patty. He says he is on Route 192 and won't be home in time to let the dog out. Which she had told him that morning if he wouldn’t be home in time to let her know so she could go home to let the dog out before going to the gym. 

11:30-11:35PM-Ray was reported to be seen turning onto Route 192 toward Lewisburg and driving very fast. 

12-1PM- Ray is spotted parked along Water Street just off of Market Street (PA Route 45) in Lewisburg. He got out of the Mini Cooper and carried something to a park bench. He sat on a park bench for quite a while. This witness didn’t say what he was carrying or indicate that he was with anyone at that time. 

3PM- Ray might be seen behind the Centre County Courthouse- but the witness doesn't remember if it was Thursday or Friday. Camera’s don’t show it Friday. This I don’t think is super important since we have plenty of sightings prior and after this. I just wanted to throw it in since it's on all the pages in my research. I honestly don’t think it would change anything.

4PM-5PM- A man remembers seeing a red Mini Cooper near the Country Cupboard on Route 15. The man inside matched Ray’s description. It was a look over at a redlight kinda deal and it was after Ray’s photo had been on TV. 

5-6PM- Multiple witnesses reported they saw a red Mini Cooper arrive at the parking lot across from Street of Shops. Two witnesses confirm they saw him carefully choose the parking spot and the license plate on the Mini Cooper was “PFo'' which is confirmed to be Ray’s. The vehicle was actually Patty’s and it was her vanity plate. Ray had visited previously and since he was interested in antiques, it wouldn’t be completely out of character for him to visit there.

5:30-6:30PM- The owner saw Ray with this mystery woman. So who was she? She was described as being between the ages of 30-40, 5’8”-5’10”, slender build, with short dark brown hair. Supposedly Ray and the mystery woman would talk, then separate and go into different shops then meet back up. There were no signs of it being a romantic relationship because the witnesses said they stood a few feet apart from each other while they spoke and they never touched each other. 
Sometime after Patty gets off work/gym until 11PM Patty is calling Ray and not getting an answer. I didn’t see anywhere that states whether it went straight to voicemail or if it rang. 

11:30PM- Patty calls PD and reports Ray missing.
Like I said before, at this point the Search is on. BOLO’s are going out and police are searching everywhere. 

Saturday -the day after his disappearance
11:30AM-12PM- Ray is spotted at the Street of Shops by two workers at the Remember When Restaurant. 

11:30AM- Ray is sighted by the owner of the Street of Shops and is said to have “looked anxious. He was not a relaxed person. He seemed like he was waiting on someone.”
Afternoon- Areal searches began, cell phone data was obtained, and access to his office computer.

5PM- A news reporter calls Ray’s cell phone and it goes straight to voicemail. 

6:30PM- Police find Ray’s vehicle. 

If you have any information please contact Bellefonte Police Department at 814-353-2320  or if you wish to stay anonymous call crime stoppers at 1-800-472-8477.

Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Gricar https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/missing-da-is-it-foul-play-or-did-he-commit-suicide/ http://darkmatter69.blogspot.com/2020/01/district-attorney-ray-gricar-went.html https://www.pennlive.com/politics/2015/04/ray_gricar_the_missing_centre.html https://wherearetheypodcast.medium.com/the-unsolved-disappearance-of-ray-gricar-20a299e6a13a https://www.websleuths.com/forums/threads/pa-ray-gricar-59-bellefonte-15-april-2005-15.301792/ http://yardbirdbooks.com/midnight_ride_another_missing_PA_prosecutor_1.htm https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/ackq9p/what_do_you_guys_think_happened_to_ray_gricar/

A PA FOCUSED TRUE CRIME PODCAST

Episode #17: Ray Frank Gricar -Missing (2005)

Suicide, retaliation, or witness protection. We may never know what really happened to District Attorney Ray Gricar.

Ray Frank Gricar

Birth: 10/9/1945 - Missing: 4/15/2005

Ethnicity: Caucasian - Sex: Male

Height: 6'0" - Weight: 170Lbs

Hair Color: Brown (Graying) - Eye Color: Green

Hometown: Bellfonte, PA (Centre County)

Last Known Location: Street of Shops in Lewisburg, PA.

Clothing: Ray was 6ft tall, 172lbs, had brown hair with grey in it, and green eyes. He was wearing a blue fleece jacket, blue jeans and sneakers.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Timeline of Events: Below is a timeline on the day prior to his disappearance, the day of, and the day after.

Thursday- The day prior to his disappearance

8AM- Attended a Prison Board Meeting- During the meeting he was reported to have been mumbling answers to questions and was looking out the window as if his mind was elsewhere.

10:30-11:00AM- Ray was spotted at a boat launch at Lake Raystown by a “doctor” that knew him. It wasn’t reported as to what he was doing there or who the doctor was or what kind of doctor.

Sometime after this he exchanged an email with a defense attorney regarding a case and was joking around with her. He also received a call from his daughter (as she usually called several times a week to catch up).

2-4PM- An ADA said she heard his office door “forcefully closing”. Which was a habit he had when he was “busy or preoccupied”.

5:30-6PM- Patty and Ray were seen walking in Talleyrand Park by a former County Commissioner Vicky Wedler. Vicky and him didn’t always see eye to eye when she served. She said he seemed to look depressed but then goes on to say how Patty and Ray were a “perfect couple”.

6:21PM- Security cameras have Ray entering the rear of the Courthouse wearing a fleece. He did not have his laptop at that time and he was driving the red Mini Cooper.

9:03PM- Ray is seen leaving the Courthouse.

Friday- the day he went missing

6:00-8:15AM- Ray tells Patty he is taking the day off and goes back to sleep. Patty gets ready for work and leaves.

9-10AM- Contractor calls the house and talks to Ray about repairs/maint. they were going to work on.

11-11:30AM- Lawyer sees Ray driving on Route 144 towards Centre Hall.

11:30-11:35PM-Ray was reported to be seen turning onto Route 192 toward Lewisburg and driving very fast.

4PM-5PM- A man remembers seeing a red Mini Cooper near the Country Cupboard on Route 15. The man inside matched Ray’s description. It was a look over at a redlight kinda deal and it was after Ray’s photo had been on TV.

Sometime after Patty gets off work/gym until 11PM Patty is calling Ray and not getting an answer. I didn’t see anywhere that states whether it went straight to voicemail or if it rang.

11:30PM- Patty calls PD and reports Ray missing.

Like I said before, at this point the Search is on. BOLO’s are going out and police are searching everywhere.

Saturday -the day after his disappearance

11:30AM-12PM- Ray is spotted at the Street of Shops by two workers at the Remember When Restaurant.

11:30AM- Ray is sighted by the owner of the Street of Shops and is said to have “looked anxious. He was not a relaxed person. He seemed like he was waiting on someone.”

Afternoon- Areal searches began, cell phone data was obtained, and access to his office computer.

5PM- A news reporter calls Ray’s cell phone and it goes straight to voicemail.

6:30PM- Police find Ray’s vehicle.

If you have any information please contact Bellefonte Police Department at 814-353-2320 or if you wish to stay anonymous call crime stoppers at 1-800-472-8477.

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