Will Mike Surber Ever Get Justice ? ? ?
- Thread starter Kickin' Chicken
- Start date
I owned a billiard room in Hazelwood Missouri, we opened in 1986, we closed in 1996. I sold the business to my partner at the time, his name was Jim Matthies. He was also the Hazelwood Missouri Fire Marshall.
During the early years a stranger started hanging around, I got that gut feeling he was a cop or a bad guy. He would say things like he just moved back to the area, really trying to blend in. One comment I clearly remember, he said he used to play darts all over the area before he moved out of the area years ago. So I made up a few names of bars that didn't exist. He said oh yes, I remember that place over and over again.
I forgot what year it was, but this occurred in The late 80s or early 90s. I really had the creeps about this guy, I have a really good sense of judging characters, being around pool for a long time develops this 6th sense.
I remember I was leaving town for a tournament in Olathe Ks. I was concerned because at the time I was married and had a young child. I was concerned while I was gone that this guy was casing things out. So I went to Olathe.
I got back and I think it was Sunday night, it was late and I went home and went to sleep. It was about 6am and I got a phone call from Keven, he was my cleanup man. Keven always came in early in the morning and cleaned before he went to is regular job. I got a phone call from the Hazelwood PD and they told me I need to get to the business.
When Keven unlocked the doors to clean he noticed the office door open, at that moment the stranger was walking in the exit door at the other end of the building. The guy took off running and drove away. He broke in and stole a couple thousand in cash and all of our cues we had for sale. There was also a graduation ring that a customer had accidently left. It was in our safe and also in the safe that was broken into.
My partner, like I said, was the Hazelwood Missouri Fire Marshall. A couple of weeks later Jim approached me and this guy was a suspect in Chatanooga Tn. a few days later. A girl was abducted and raped and left for dead on the side of the road. The guy that robbed us was the suspect in this crime. The guy got away and there was a manhunt for him. Some of our cues and the ring were returned to us.
Now, a few days later, the guy was captured at the home of his mother in Orlando Fl. It was on the news , they traced phone calls to catch him. They had cop cars , helicopters to catch this guy. I would think he would have been in jail in Tn. I saw the picture in the Mike Surber murder, they look very similar.
The Hazelwood police chief at the time was Carl Wolfe
The Hazelwood fire marshall and my partners name was Jim Matthies
My cleanup mans name was Keven Douglas, and he still lives in Hazelwood Mo.
The gruesome details of the rape were told to me by my partner,They were not released to the public. This was a very brutal crime. I hope this may help, the guy was a bad guy that had a background of being around billiard rooms.
Good Luck finding this guy, Gary Lutman ps, the name of my business was Star-Lite Café & Billiards
During the early years a stranger started hanging around, I got that gut feeling he was a cop or a bad guy. He would say things like he just moved back to the area, really trying to blend in. One comment I clearly remember, he said he used to play darts all over the area before he moved out of the area years ago. So I made up a few names of bars that didn't exist. He said oh yes, I remember that place over and over again.
I forgot what year it was, but this occurred in The late 80s or early 90s. I really had the creeps about this guy, I have a really good sense of judging characters, being around pool for a long time develops this 6th sense.
I remember I was leaving town for a tournament in Olathe Ks. I was concerned because at the time I was married and had a young child. I was concerned while I was gone that this guy was casing things out. So I went to Olathe.
I got back and I think it was Sunday night, it was late and I went home and went to sleep. It was about 6am and I got a phone call from Keven, he was my cleanup man. Keven always came in early in the morning and cleaned before he went to is regular job. I got a phone call from the Hazelwood PD and they told me I need to get to the business.
When Keven unlocked the doors to clean he noticed the office door open, at that moment the stranger was walking in the exit door at the other end of the building. The guy took off running and drove away. He broke in and stole a couple thousand in cash and all of our cues we had for sale. There was also a graduation ring that a customer had accidently left. It was in our safe and also in the safe that was broken into.
My partner, like I said, was the Hazelwood Missouri Fire Marshall. A couple of weeks later Jim approached me and this guy was a suspect in Chatanooga Tn. a few days later. A girl was abducted and raped and left for dead on the side of the road. The guy that robbed us was the suspect in this crime. The guy got away and there was a manhunt for him. Some of our cues and the ring were returned to us.
Now, a few days later, the guy was captured at the home of his mother in Orlando Fl. It was on the news , they traced phone calls to catch him. They had cop cars , helicopters to catch this guy. I would think he would have been in jail in Tn. I saw the picture in the Mike Surber murder, they look very similar.
The Hazelwood police chief at the time was Carl Wolfe
The Hazelwood fire marshall and my partners name was Jim Matthies
My cleanup mans name was Keven Douglas, and he still lives in Hazelwood Mo.
The gruesome details of the rape were told to me by my partner,They were not released to the public. This was a very brutal crime. I hope this may help, the guy was a bad guy that had a background of being around billiard rooms.
Good Luck finding this guy, Gary Lutman ps, the name of my business was Star-Lite Café & Billiards
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Hi JAM!
Unfortunately, this is not the guy. He's too short, too squat, and his eyes are wrong. It's wonderful that y'all are still trying to find this guy. Special kudos to Eric from the forums, who has never stopped looking at mug shots to send to me.
My sense is that the case has fizzled. The original detective on the case has gone. I don't know if it's still active in the Ocean Springs PD. My guess is that it's on some type of alert system. They have his DNA, so a positive ID can be made if he's ever picked up, or discovered in some other institution.
Mike was 5' 4" tall. His killer was 5' 6" to max 5' 9" (which is a stretch). It's difficult for me to judge medium heights because I'm 6' 2". My best guess would have been 5' 7" to 5' 8". He was broad shouldered, average weight. But the one picture that shows the suspect outside by the front door is telling. I measured the distance from the ground to the top of the lettering, which is 5' 6". I couldn't guarantee that the guy was standing fully erect. On the other hand he could have been wearing a higher heel, as on a boot.
The video footage that shows Mike together with the suspect inside the bar is most likely distorted by angle and poor quality. In fact the tech guy who edited the footage said it was the among the cheapest quality surveillance equipment available. Still, it gives us something for comparison.
My best guess is that, if the murderer is still alive, he'll be identified while arrested for something else.
For those of you who didn't know, the other friend who was there with Mike and I died a few weeks ago. His name was Jerry Parylak, and was a long time friend of Mike's. It would be hard to find a nicer man than was Jerry. He was 72, and is featured in a brief scene with me on the "America's Most Wanted" video.
Doc
Man I was really hoping the guy was caught as I have not been on the boards in awhile. Sad.
Hi Doc;
Sorry to hear yours, and Mike's friend, Jerry, just passed. Too bad he didn't get to see an arrest for the murder of his pal.
Doc, is there the possibility that you could contact the authorities to get an update and maybe the contact info for the new detective in charge of this case?
I think that if we at least had that, we could periodically write in or give a call letting them know we haven't forgotten Mike, and nor should they.
Since you worked with them and were, in fact, on the AMW show that featured this case, I'm sure you would have a much greater chance at getting an update.
Take care.
best,
brian kc
Thanks for the update, Doc. I am so very, very sorry about your friend Jerry. I remember having a brief back-and-forth communication with him.
I agree with you about the DNA will be what catches this scumbag. Hopefully, the DNA is in a *national* database.
It's only a matter of time, unless this murderer is dead or already incarcerated,.
Hi Doc, my name is David and I'm the young guy that used to shoot with Jerry and Alan. I've been down to Gulfport a few times this summer and I was wondering where Jerry was. I am so sad to hear to hear that he has passed! Jerry was a really good guy and like you said it would be tough to find a guy nicer than him. May he and Mike Surber rest in peace.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
Well the good news is in most jurisdictions a homicides is never run out on the statute of limitations. I am sure if this fellow if he still alive, sooner or later he will have contact with law enforcement.
Than when they run him through the NCIC his name will pop up, and Ocean City will get a call from where he is. if they want him held, for extradition.
Now the bad news is if he is too far away, and if Ocean City don't have the funds to send a couple of coppers to pick the guy up because say he is in Las Vegas or Los Angeles, he will be cut free.
My cousin lives in Sin City and he has a many good friends on the Metro PD, and he says it is not unusual for the local Metro Cop to say do a traffic stop on some guy, only to run them threw NCIC for Wants, & Warrants.
They find out they have stopped someone wanted for Child Molestation, Murder, or some other big crime in some one horse town. With a Mayberry RFD Type of Police Force with a tiny budget.
No money to send a couple of cops to pick up the wanted person, so the wanted person gets their ticket, and go on their merry way.
Con Air and other things you see on TV Cops Show, and Movies for the most part don’t happen in the real world.
The one positive thing is if the suspect is caught any where, maybe because of the America's Most Wanted thing, there is some special circumstances for the get him brought back to Mississippi without worryring about funds for pickup, and transportation.
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holiday bump
Today being Thanksgiving, it's nice to get together with those we love and to enjoy some good food and cheer.
Unfortunately, that will never again be possible for Mike Surber, and for his family and friends, there will always be an empty spot at the holiday table.
I didn't know him but by all accounts, Mike was a good man and a terrific friend.
I truly hope his case stays active and that his murderer will soon be spending all the rest of his holidays behind bars where he belongs.
best,
brian kc
Today being Thanksgiving, it's nice to get together with those we love and to enjoy some good food and cheer.
Unfortunately, that will never again be possible for Mike Surber, and for his family and friends, there will always be an empty spot at the holiday table.
I didn't know him but by all accounts, Mike was a good man and a terrific friend.
I truly hope his case stays active and that his murderer will soon be spending all the rest of his holidays behind bars where he belongs.
best,
brian kc
Good post, Brian!
Photo courtesy of Steve Booth of OnePocket.org.
Michael L. Surber. January 16, 1955-November 10, 2009
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Mississippi police are bad
I really can't believe with video footage of the killer they still don't know who killed our friend, Mike Surber. This is terrible and makes you realize how police really rarely get out the doughnut shops and give effort to catch a brazen killer like the "animal" who killed Mike. What a shame !
I really can't believe with video footage of the killer they still don't know who killed our friend, Mike Surber. This is terrible and makes you realize how police really rarely get out the doughnut shops and give effort to catch a brazen killer like the "animal" who killed Mike. What a shame !
Gary,
You should consider calling the Ocean Springs Police Department and providing this information. It wouldn't be the same with me providing the information. It should come from you.
Lieutenant Flowers is no longer on the case. Another person is in charge of the case but it is most likely dormant but someone is in charge. Just call the Ocean Springs Police Department and give them this information.
JoeyA
I hope that my 2cents will generate some additional imagination with regards to catching the killer of
Mike Surber.
Some of U remember the photos put on Milk Cartons.
Just moments ago I thought about having the suspects picture posted on Facebook. While I don't use
that social media there are millions of people that do use it on a daily basis. Seems to make sense to me that someone using Facebook would recognize the photo of the killer.
Time to catch the Killer!!!!
Noel
Mike Surber.
Some of U remember the photos put on Milk Cartons.
Just moments ago I thought about having the suspects picture posted on Facebook. While I don't use
that social media there are millions of people that do use it on a daily basis. Seems to make sense to me that someone using Facebook would recognize the photo of the killer.
Time to catch the Killer!!!!
Noel
Also, they have a cigarette butt that he smoked, i.e., DNA. If he's ever arrested in the future or gets in the data banks, he's caught.
Someone on FB mentioned there was a sighting in Canada of someone who looked like this guy.
I don't think Ocean Springs Police are actively investigating this case. Something would have to drop in their laps. At last Tunica tournament, someone said there was a guy in Detroit that looked like him, and they had video. After the video was looked at, it ended up not being the right man.
The police may have dropped this case, but the pool world sure hasn't. We are still on high alert for anyone that looks like this creep.
A few years ago, when this was fresh, I was working on the website, writing letters to various Mississippi governmental officials, writing to "America's Most Wanter," et cetera. I received a strange phone call from a number in Alabama, but I couldn't hear the voice-mail message. I got so upset and thought it was this creep. I wrote to a few people familiar with this case, and as it turned out, the phone number Scotty Townsend's.
I think we all want justice for Mike Surber, but at this juncture, it is "we the people" in the pool world who are still working the case. Law enforcement has filed this in their Cold Case files.
Honorable mention goes out to BigTruck who continues to post videos and photos during his live streams. He gets around and is on high alert for anyone looking like this murderer. Thanks, Ray!
This guy looks very similar that was just captured in Texas. I wonder if there is a database that these guys are run through during their booking process.
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/new...-caught-in-Oklahoma-5012788.php#photo-5516635
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/new...-caught-in-Oklahoma-5012788.php#photo-5516635
Show it to GulfportDoc.
I found another photo of Robert Grunsfeld and compared it. I don't know. The nose looks different, but thanks for keeping this alive and for your monitoring. It just might be the only way this creep is going to get caught, people like you helping. Thanks!
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Here is a video of Robert Grunsfeld ---> http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/24065...ng-offered-leading-to-capture-of-sex-offender
Sounds like he's more into sexually sadistic behavior, but he does have psychopathic tendencies. He said he was in jail for 20 years and then went to a halfway house for 5 years. You can hear his voice in the video.
Sounds like he's more into sexually sadistic behavior, but he does have psychopathic tendencies. He said he was in jail for 20 years and then went to a halfway house for 5 years. You can hear his voice in the video.
Kind of doesn't look like his hair Jam.
The Milk Carton pictures would work very altho pretty hard to implement it.
So many Dairy producers in many states.
Maybe people wouldn't want their kids using a carton with pictures of criminals on them.
With the caption underneath. "Wanted for Murder".
Myself, I seriously hope and know that eventually, this creep will get caught.
It would be very interesting to find out what his time line was before and after the murder.
He has to be around somewhere, South America or even Canada.
The Milk Carton pictures would work very altho pretty hard to implement it.
So many Dairy producers in many states.
Maybe people wouldn't want their kids using a carton with pictures of criminals on them.
With the caption underneath. "Wanted for Murder".
Myself, I seriously hope and know that eventually, this creep will get caught.
It would be very interesting to find out what his time line was before and after the murder.
He has to be around somewhere, South America or even Canada.