Grube Homicide Update
January 11, 2012
Mercer County Sheriff’s Detectives and Ohio BCI&I continue to work on the homicide of Robert and Colleen Grube that occurred in their rural Fort Recovery home on November 29-30.
Since the last release of information to the press, detectives and agents have conducted 17 interviews, bringing the total of interviews to nearly 90 people. 15 new tips were followed up on bringing the total tips followed up on to 73. 17 new court orders/subpoenas were requested and issued bringing the total to 63. 1 additional search warrant was issued bringing the total to 11 and 17 new pieces of evidence were recovered.
Some final lab reports are starting to come in on evidence that was submitted to them and some preliminary information is still coming in from the labs. While we don’t have all the piece of the puzzle, we are beginning to try to put them together.
“Murder has no statute of limitations, so we are gathering everything possible to help solve the crime now, in the event it is not solved in the immediate future, we need to have all the information to be utilized later. It is important to solve this case, but we have to ensure that we get it right. It is important to make an arrest, but we must be able to get a conviction, and we have to be absolutely certain we have the right offenders,” stated Sheriff Grey.
What we know with relative certainty:
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Colleen was last seen alive shortly after 5 PM on Tuesday, November 29
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Colleen and Robert were found deceased by a family member bound with duct tape and shot on November 30 at approximately 9 AM
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Investigators have narrowed the time of the incident to a two hour window
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Investigators have developed information that at least one male and one female offender were present at the time
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Missing from the scene is a laptop computer
At the present time investigators are reviewing thousands of pages of information that has been recovered during the investigation.
Additional Note: The Grube investigation lead to information that was turned over to the Darke County Sheriff’s Office that resulted in the following press release from Darke County. An additional stolen vehicle was recovered near Mendon as a result of the same information. The original information came to Mercer County from the Jay County, IN Sheriff’s Office. The 3 Sheriff’s Offices and Ohio BCI&I worked together to share the information.
5 ARRESTED IN METHAMPHETAMINE LAB BUST
On January 3rd, 2012 the Deputies and Detectives from the Darke County Sheriff’s Office, along with Investigators from the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office and Agents from the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation responded 1024 State Route 571 to execute a pre-dawn hour search warrant on the residence located there for the manufacturing of methamphetamine. Also responding to the scene were members of the Union City, OH Fire and Rescue who provided back-up services. All emergency responders remained on the scene while the lab was dismantled and evidence was collected. No evacuation of surrounding residences was necessary or conducted.
A search of the residence yielded evidence that there was an active clandestine methamphetamine lab in operation there at that time. Members from the Darke County Clandestine Lab Unit dismantled the operation and neutralized any and all potential safety issues that were present. Traffic flow on SR571 was temporarily interrupted during the morning work flow.
Two adult females, three adult males and a 7 year old juvenile boy were removed from the residence without incident by the Darke County Special Response Team. Custody of the 7 year old boy was turned over to Darke County Children’s Services.
Arrested was Christina Melchor age 34, Manuel Melchor age 33 and Bryant Rhoades age 21 of that address. Also arrested was Christopher Brock age 46 of Winchester, IN and Letisha Parker age 20 of Portland, IN. All arrestees were transported to the Darke County Jail where each are being held, pending charges for Illegal Manufacturing of Methamphetamine and Child Endangering. Photos of those arrested will be available when the booking process is complete and can be accessed by visiting our website at www.darkecountysheriff.org.
This case remains under investigation by Darke County Sheriff’s Office.
