The mystery surrounding the murder of an astrophysicist linked to a string of strange scientist deaths and disappearances in the US has taken a new twist in court.
Carl Grillmair, 67, was shot dead outside his California home on February 16 after stepping onto his front porch around 6am local time.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department charged Freddy Snyder, 29, with murder, carjacking and first-degree residential burglary, alleging he personally used a rifle during the killing.
Snyder pleaded not guilty to all charges during his arraignment Tuesday, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 5. If convicted on all charges, Snyder faces a potential life sentence in prison.
The veteran Caltech astronomer helped contribute to the discovery of water on a distant planet, with colleagues describing his work as ‘ingenious’ and saying the findings could help scientists search for signs of life less than 160 light-years from Earth.
Investigators alleged Snyder armed himself with two rifles in the early morning hours of February 16 and demanded his mother’s car keys inside their home. When she refused, he allegedly fired a shot into the ceiling before stealing the vehicle and driving away.
Authorities said Snyder then drove to Grillmair’s nearby home, where the scientist stepped outside after noticing a vehicle in his driveway. Grillmair, an astronomer at Caltech’s IPAC science and data center, was allegedly shot once in the neck and died on his front porch.
Grillmair’s death drew national attention after it emerged alongside a growing number of scientists tied to sensitive aerospace, defense and advanced technology programs who have been reported missing or found dead in recent years.
Hellbound and Down 