Tuesday, September 1, 2009

A DOUBLE MURDER IN SALEM, OHIO FROM 1972

Gregorie Mustric and Mary Moga were murdered on April 9, 1972. It was a Sunday morning when their bodies were discovered in the Economy Market on 244 S. Howard Avenue. Mr. Mustric was shot several times in the chest and Ms. Moga was hand cuffed and shot once in the head. When their bodies were discovered, they had been dead for several hours.





Robbery was ruled out as a motive because a considerable amount of money was found both in the cash register and on Mr. Mustric.
We have been looking for info on this case for over a year now. Getting the exact date tracked down was the hardest part. We were told it was 1965, 1968, 1977, 1981, etc. This year, at the Columbiana County Fair, we were given a tip that Mr. Mustric was buried at Grandview Cemetery. When we went there to ask about him, the currater said he was in Hope Cemetery. So, now we have the case and the story. Is this case unsolved? That is what we are now looking for. As far as we know it is not. However, there are a lot of years to look into to find this answer. If anyone knows for sure, please let us know. We asked The Salem Police Department about this case last year, but they are short staffed and can not take the time to look this information up for us. Belinda is checking her contacts to see what they can find out. In the mean time, if anyone out there knows anything about this double murder, please let us know.
If you have any information on this case that might help to solve it if it is in fact, unsolved, please contact the Salem Police Department.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

This case is currently inactive, however, is unsolved.

Anonymous said...

My father received a call one night from a detective that said the case was reopened after 2 illedged men were found to be wrongly accused after time served. It was reopened when something was overheard at a funeral after one of the wrongly accused died.

Anonymous said...

I lived on West Wilson St during this time. I was coming home from a school event the night it happened. It was cold outside and i had an strange sensation walking by the store in the alley about 10 o'clock. 1972 for sure

Anonymous said...

I worked for a Charles Chip distributor across the street from the market when this happened. It was never solved. Mr. Mustric's brother had a store at the corner of 3rd & Ellsworth at the time. Rumor had it that they did not get along. Salem cops that I knew always had a theory it could have been a family affair. They said there was a ton of money left untouched. They also theorized some sort of romantic discourse involving a third party. Only witness I ever heard mentioned, said something about seeing a gloved hand on a window sill, but thought nothing of it.
??????

Anonymous said...

We grew up at 465 N. Ellsworth and always went to the store on 3rd and Ellsworth. However, my mother was married, at that time, to a Salem police officer, who is now deceased. I always understood it was mob related. Don't know anything for sure, just what I remember from that time.

Anonymous said...

and the Tweed murders could have been mob related since at that time the mob was still into retaliation no matter how long it tqkrs.

Anonymous said...

I was told it was two men. One of whom I knew that said they were high and broke in. They did not expect anyone to be there and when surprised they killed them and ran. I called the police and left the tip with a name. Nothing became of it.

Anonymous said...

Can we get this on unsolved mysteries? Hmm? I sense corruption and a cover up? I heard that possible racketeering played a part. Someone on that force at the time would be in his 60's now. This case has always made me wonder?

Anonymous said...

Mob related. There were slot machines in a back room of the store.Mustric got caught skimming from the machines.Moga was at the wrong place at the wrong time.The PD at the time covered up the case.

Anonymous said...

Mob related? Racketeering? Money in the bottom of flower barrels? Guys high that were surprised? I heard Mustric would fight them off on a regular basis? Seems like the public has more info than the PD?

Anonymous said...

the case is still unsolved. i was 13 at the time of this murder and will never forget how chilling it was. I have in the past few years heard mor info on it.

Anonymous said...

My family and I were good friends with all the Mustrics; Gus (previously deceased - about 1968), Gregory and Nick. We stopped at the store every Sunday after attending Emmanuel Lutheran Church. We stopped that day and there were people gathered, police, and I could see them bringing someone out covered up. My Dad said, "I have a bad feeling about this." and made us stay in the car as he got out to see what had happened. He spoke with people, and was told that Gregory and his neighbor, Mary Moga had been shot.

A few months prior in the winter, someone (or two, I can't remember) had tried to rob him, but Gregory was inside the front door (the small store was in a former house with an addition on the back) and the man was outside the door and Gregory was able to yell for help, and bounce the door out of the man's hands and get the door closed. The man ran away.
My Dad told Gregory he should not fight, but let a robber take the money. Gregory was an old man and my Dad was concerned for him being alone in the store after Gus died.

As far as I ever saw the Mustrics all got along. Nick wanted a bigger market and Gus and Gregory liked the little store, but I never heard of any feud. I knew them all, so that theory is just smoke.

Mrs. Moga and Gregory would share meals sometimes. I think they had a similar ethnic background and were alone.

Gregory was a good, kind man. He would visit at our farm and we even butchered hogs together a few times, so that he, Gus, and my Dad could do it the "Old Country" way, burning the hair off instead of scalding and scraping it. He and Gus made great sausage.

I have carried this sadness since they were killed and always wondered who would do such a thing. It would be amazing after all this time if the crime was solved and there was closure.

Anonymous said...

Has any new information come forward? I am the great granddaughter of Mary Moga. I was there the day it happened, but I was 4 years old... I don't remember anything.

Bruce said...

Mary was handcuffed and I've always wondered if it was a police officer for whatever reason . How many people carried around handcuffs in 1972 ?? I was 8 yrs old at the time and barely remember mr Mustric but remember going into his store with my mother. I would love to see this solved .

Anonymous said...

I lived on Georgetown Rd. at that time. I had acquired a real set of handcuffs at about that time from my neighbors, took them to school and showed my friends, etc. etc. But I have no idea what happened to those handcuffs and it seems to me that a few days after the murders, that the police came to the school and asked me to describe those handcuffs. I told them what I knew and after that I never heard anymore. So to answer Unknowns question about who had handcuffs, I did but I don't have a clue as to what happened to them.

Unknown said...

He was my uncle & I'm still interested in this case. He was not jewish as stated in an earlier comment. We are eastern orthodox. I have many fond memories of my uncle and would love to see it solved.