Post by Scumhunter on Feb 12, 2017 5:03:45 GMT -5
(Above photo credit: thestarpress.com)
From the Muncie (Indiana) Star-Press website (thestarpress.com)
MUNCIE — After Garth Rector was shot to death on March 21, 2008, in his rental house outside the sleepy rural Delaware County town of Cowan, investigators quickly determined his slaying was no random act.
The 48-year-old wrestling coach, who was separated from his wife, was shot five times, an indication his killer or killers felt strongly about ending his life.
And interviews quickly led investigators to believe that Rector might have been targeted by any one of several women he had been dating — or their jealous boyfriends or husbands.
Was Rector's killing a crime of passion?
"I try to leave all that stuff out of it and try to keep an open mind," said Delaware County Sheriff's Office investigator Kurt Walthour. "But it seems that way."
Rector's sister, Angie Mock, noted that her brother, while he was separated from his wife, dated a few women.
"Women liked Garth, and Garth liked women," Mock said. "He was not perfect. He made some mistakes. I do believe the people of interest, there are women involved. And of course they know who they are.
"I personally think it was a crime of passion," Mock added. "It all leads to a husband or boyfriend."
Mock speaks frankly about her brother's slaying because she's afraid his killer will never be found and brought to justice.
"I feel like people are forgetting," she said.
Mock isn't alone in her worries that the case could grow cold.
"It is still an open investigation," Delaware County Prosecutor Jeffrey Arnold told The Star Press. "I wouldn't call this cold as much as quiet.
"Whoever did this is never going to tell anyone they did it," Arnold added. "We're going to have to get lucky."
And it's possible that luck — and good investigative work — might have come into play in recent weeks.
'Garth never felt good enough'
Rector came from a family with a high school wrestling background and had coached at local high schools, including several years at Central High School. Although he worked in dining services at Ball State University, his years as a wrestling coach gave him a high profile. But his sister said that Rector found himself lacking.
"Growing up, Garth never felt good enough," Mock said. "It was ironic, because he was the only guy (among the siblings) and my parents fell all over him. But he never felt good enough, never felt smart enough."
A few months before his death, Rector had separated from his wife. Although he dated during the separation, Mock said, he hoped a family trip to California would be a chance to reconcile with his wife.
Rector never left for the Indianapolis airport, though. Late in the evening he was killed, the owner of the rental house where he was living saw his lights were off even though Rector should have been packing for the trip.
The woman, who had dated Rector, went over to make sure he was awake and ready to leave on the trip.
Instead, Rector was dead on the kitchen floor.
A coroner’s report indicated Rector was shot five times — twice in the neck, once each in the back and right shoulder, and in the right forearm.
One of the bullets caused a cervical spine fracture. Others struck the victim’s right lung and liver.
Then-Delaware County Coroner James Clevenger’s verdict estimated Rector likely died within “seconds” of being shot.
Tests showed no controlled substances in Rector’s system. He had recently consumed alcohol — his blood-alcohol reading was measured at 0.11. An Indiana motorist with a blood-alcohol reading of 0.08 or greater is considered as having driven while drunk.
Through an annual fundraiser and awareness-raising event, as well as letters to the editor of The Star Press, Mock tries to keep her brother's case in the public eye, hoping that acknowledging the anniversary of the slaying might prompt someone to contact police with information.
Walthour said that although periods of time pass with no tips on Rector's murder, "they do come in."
"I've gotten tips in the last month," the investigator said, adding that the new leads were generated as investigators talked to people about other cases.
"It's some stuff we didn't know," he added. "The things that have come in seem really good."
'This is somebody well-connected'
The prosecutor said he was concerned that the nature of the crime and its perpetrator will slow a resolution of the case.
"This is somebody well-connected to Garth Rector," Arnold said. "That leads me to believe there was a lot of emotion (involved) and the person will keep quiet."
Walthour said he's hoping that human nature will eventually produce a significant lead.
"It has to weigh on them, when you take somebody's life," the investigator said. "It's got to weigh on you. Sooner or later you've got to confide in somebody."
Mock said she believes there were "four persons of interest, and three of them are still alive."
Has she had contact with them?
"They see me often," Mock said. "I've never talked with them, never spoken a word to them. It's been a long eight years."
This year's Garth Walk is set for 2 p.m. Aug. 13 at Policeman's Park across from Muncie City Hall. It will be another opportunity for Mock to get her brother's name and his memory in the public consciousness.
The family has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of his killer or killers.
"Obviously, that hasn't enticed anyone," Mock said.
Mock tries to keep her bitterness over her brother's murder in check. There are times it comes out anyway, including on Mother's Day, when her brother was not alive to spend the day with their mother, Marilyn Rector. The 79-year-old had a stroke a few weeks after her son was killed and now suffers from vascular dementia.
"Somebody was murdered and nobody cares enough to come forward and tell what they know," Mock said. "It makes me very angry that they spent Mother's Day with their mother.
"I want that person and those people to know we're not giving up. We're going to find them."
www.thestarpress.com/story/news/local/2016/05/21/cold-case-muncie-who-killed-garth-rector/84132360/
Thoughts? I am placing Garth Rector's case in the Unsolved on Tv section because the syndicated crime show "Crime Watch Daily" profiled it on their February 9th, 2017 episode: crimewatchdaily.com/2017/02/09/unsolved-beloved-high-school-wrestling-coach-killed-in-kitchen/
Admin Note #1: According to Crime Watch Daily, anyone with information on this case can submit an anonymous tip to the Muncie Crime Stoppers hotline at (765) 286-4050.
Admin Note #2: If you have any (news-related) updates on this case, please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-form