Fred Grabbe's story: Background, what happened, and where is he today?

Spouse on spouse crimes are rare, but they are the most puzzling when they happen. It's been decades since Fred Grabbe was convicted for killing his wife. He strangled her, burned the body, and threw the remains into the Wabash River. Fred's son, Jeff Grabbe, maintained that his father was guilty. However, an even more complicated thing happened that made the trial easier for Fred – Jeff missed his testimony in court. After that, things got twisted, and detectives couldn't help but wonder if everything was connected. So, what is the story's origin, and where is Fred today?

On the outside, Fred and Charlotte Grabbe had an enviable life. They had one of the biggest farms in Clark County. However, their long marriage was marred with fights and separations. Despite this, people never anticipated what transpired, leading to the disappearance of Fred's wife, who was later presumed dead.

Fred Grabbe’s profile summary

• Name: Fred Grabbe
• Date of birth: June 2, 1939
• Age: 82 years old
• Place of birth: West Terre Haute, Indiana, U.S
• Parents: Inez Grabbe and Chester Grabbe
• Ethnicity: White
• Spouse: Charlotte Sue Gore (disappeared presumed dead)
• Children: Jeffrey Leon (died in 1988), Jennie Grabbe
• Height: 6ft 3 inches
• Eyes: Blue
• Offence: Murder/intent to kill/injure
• Count: 1
• Number of victims: 1
• Date of arrest: April 17, 1985
• Victim’s profile: Charlotte Sue Gore disappeared on July 24, 1981, when she was 39 years old
• Method of murder: Strangulat*on, burning the body and dumping into the river
• Sentencing County: Clark
• Correctional facility or supervision authority: Centralia Correctional Center, Illinois
• Status: Sentenced to life in prison without parole on June 24, 1985, sentenced in a second trial on August 2, 1988, to 75 years in prison, eligible for parole in 2022

Fred Grabbe and Charlotte Sue Gore's relationship

Fred Grabbe and Charlotte Sue Gore lived on an 800-acre farm, one of the largest in Clark County. And, of course, everyone envied their vast property and lifestyle, which they assumed was fantastic. Unfortunately, many things were happening behind the scenes that people were not aware of. And it all starts at the beginning.

Fred was born on June 2, 1939, in West Terre Haute, Indiana, the United States of America. His wife was born on January 31, 1942, in Indiana and is the daughter of Melvin and Margaret Gore. Fred was only 3 years older than his wife and will be turning 83 in 2022.

Most people do not know that Fred's marriage with his wife, Charlotte, didn't have a smooth beginning. When Charlotte was 15 years old, the two went on a date, and Grabbe raped her. Charlotte became pregnant and had no option but to marry him.

In 1958, they had their first child, Jeffrey Leone and the following year, a daughter, Jennie. Unfortunately, things started going wrong in their marriage, and Charlotte had to divorce Fred in 1961 after she caught him cheating.

Despite the cheating allegation, Charlotte got back together with Fred and remarried him in 1962. They resided in Canada for a few years but settled in Clark County, Illinois.

Although Charlotte lost her mother when she was young, she still got a chance to run a successful farm because of the assets she inherited from her family. And the family built a lovely home on the large property Charlotte inherited.

When did Charlotte disappear?

Fred was known to be physically abusive towards his wife, and he was unfaithful. Twenty years after they remarried, in 1981, their marriage started experiencing troubles, and, in the summer, Charlotte asked for a divorce. As a result, Fred was kicked out of the family home and went to live in another small house on the farm.

Despite her small size (which made people consider her delicate), Charlotte was hands-on and did a lot of work on the farm. On July 24, 1981, she went on her regular tractor drive through her farm. Unfortunately, that was the last time anyone saw her.

Since it was not ordinary for her to be away for long without communication, her children started looking for her. Charlotte’s untouched lunch in the tractor raised even more suspicion. Another suspicious thing about the disappearance is that her purse was found in the barn. Charlotte never went anywhere without her purse and medications.

Fred Grabbe claimed that he had argued with his wife at the barn, and she left in a hurry. He followed her until she turned on the interstate going towards Indiana.

What happened to Charlotte?

Charlotte’s children doubted their father’s statement from the first day. According to their statement, their mother was afraid of their father and suspected he had harmed Charlotte.

However, a witness stated that he had seen Charlotte’s car leave the farm, but they did not believe that it was Charlotte driving it. And to make even the story complicated, Charlotte’s car was following Fred’s truck and not the other way around.

Also, Charlotte's letters, found in a safe deposit box, gave the impression that she was not sure if she would survive the divorce. Charlotte talked about Fred stealing assets during the divorce process.

The evidence was insufficient for police to get any sound leads, and the case grew cold. Finally, Charlotte's children procured the services of a private investigator and put up a $25,000 reward.

And when they got in touch with Vicki, Fred Grabbe’s ex-mistress, everything changed. Vicki stated that Charlotte caught them in the barn on the day of her disappearance, and an argument ensued.

Fred grabbed Charlotte by the neck and strangled her. Then, he placed Charlette's body in a barrel, drove to the Wabash River and put it on fire under a tree. Finally, he dumped the remains into the river. Detectives confirmed the story after testing the area where Charlotte's body was burnt.

What happened to Fred Grabbe?

Fred was arrested in 1985, four years after Charlotte's disappearance. He went on trial, and his son testified about his violent tendencies towards Charlotte. And after deliberations, Fred was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on June 24, 1985, for first-degree murder.

However, something weird happened in court while Fred was awaiting a transfer to prison. His current girlfriend, Barbara Graham, tried to break him out of the Clark County Jail. Barbara was unsuccessful, and she ended up getting 16 years in prison.

Fortunately for Fred Grabbe, he was given another trial after the judge ruled that the jury was improperly structured. The second trial still maintained his guilty verdict but reduced the sentence to 75 years in prison with a possibility of parole in 2022.

Is Fred Grabbe still alive?

Fred Grabbe is still alive and is under the supervision of the Department of Corrections in Centralia Correctional Centre, Illinois.

What is the story of Fred Grabbe's grandson?

Fred’s grandson, Livvix, tried to stage an international terrorist attack. He was indicted for allegedly plotting terrorist attacks against Muslim holy sites. However, he was sent back to Illinois, where he faced charges of the theft of farm equipment. Adam Livvix is the son of Jennie and Everett Darrell Livvix. Jennie is Fred Grabbe’s daughter.

Quick facts about Fred Grabbe

Detectives could solve Charlotte's disappearance case for four years, and Fred Grabbe was free. However, his ex-mistress's confession of the events that happened on that fateful day provided the evidence required.

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Source: TUKO.co.ke

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