Kettenpom Murders Linked to Marijuana

The Kristine Constantino residence where the double murder occurred showed “evidence of a marijuana operation ” according to the Trinity County Sheriff’s Dept. which sent the following Press Release: (see earlier posts here and here)

On March 13, 2011 at approximately 4:45 pm the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center

received a phone call from Humboldt CHP Dispatch regarding a female subject who had called

911 asking for help. The 911 call was made from a cell phone so the call went to the Humboldt

CHP Dispatch Center.

 

Due to Kettenpom being such a remote town a responding Deputy contacted near-by residents

James and Norma Gund to obtain information regarding the female caller who had called the

Humboldt CHP Dispatch Center.

 

A short time later the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center received a 911 call from the

Kettenpom Store requesting medical for Norma Gund who had been stabbed. A second 911

call was received several minutes later from the Kettenpom Store by James Gund stating that

he had been stabbed and needed medical also.

 

Medical was dispatched and Deputies responding to the Kettenpom area received additional

information that there were possibly two additional victims at a residence in the Kettenpom area

near the airstrip.

 

In an interview conducted by Detectives with James Gund he stated that he and his wife Norma

Gund went to check the residence of victim Kristine Constantino. Norma Gund went up to the

residence first. James Gund heard some commotion coming from the Constantino residence

and went to the house to find suspect Tomas Gouverneur attacking Norma Gund. Gouverneur

attacked Mr. Gund as he entered the residence. Mrs. Gund fled the residence and got into her

personal vehicle and drove to the Kettenpom Store. Mr. Gund was able to take the knife from

Gouverneur and left the residence on foot. While Mr. Gund was enroute to his residence he

observed Gouverneur leave the Constantino residence in a teal green vehicle with Oregon

plates. Once Mr. Gund reached his residence he drove himself to the Kettenpom Store in his

personal vehicle.

Victims James and Norma Gund were transported to Garberville Hospital via ambulance. James

Gund was released from the Hospital on March 14, 2011. Norma Gund was transported to UC

Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, California for surgery relating to stab injuries and is listed

in stable condition at this time.

 

Once Officers arrived at the residence, two victims Kristine Constantino and Christopher

Richardson were located in the residence and both were deceased. While Detectives, Deputies

and the California Department of Justice were processing the scene of the Constantino

residence they discovered evidence of a marijuana operation.

 

Information received from victim James Gund indicated that the suspect had fled the area and

was possibly driving a teal green vehicle with Oregon plates. This information was relayed to the

surrounding counties and CHP.

 

Some time later Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office attempted to stop a vehicle that matched the

description of suspect Tomas Gouverneur’s vehicle. The driver of the vehicle failed to stop and

a vehicle pursuit was initiated. The pursuit was ended when Gouverneur’s vehicle crashed on

Highway 101 South. Gouverneur was pronounced dead at the crash scene.

 

On March 16, 2011 Trinity County Sheriff’s Office Detectives and the California Department of

Justice travelled to Ukiah, California to attend the autopsy of Tomas Gouverneur. It was

preliminarily determined that Gouverneur died of blunt force trauma to the head, however

toxicology results are pending. Later that day Trinity County Sheriff’s Office Detectives served a

search warrant on Gouverneur’s vehicle and located evidence linking him to the crime that

occurred in Kettenpom. Located in the vehicle was identically packaged marijuana which was

also located at the residence in Kettenpom. The marijuana was packaged for sales. Also

located in Gouverneur’s vehicle with the bag of marijuana was cash. Other items of evidentiary

value were found in the suspect’s car and on his person. These items are not being release

due to an ongoing investigation.

 

An autopsy was performed on March 15, 2011 for victims Kristine Constantino and Christopher

Richardson. The cause of death for both victims is pending the pathologist’s report.

 

Victim James Gund has identified suspect Tomas Gouverneur as the person who stabbed him

and his wife, Norma Gund.

 

Agencies Involved:

 

Trinity County Sheriff’s Office

Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office

Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office

Kettenpom Fire Department

Southern Trinity Area Rescue (STAR)

California Department of Justice

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467 Comments
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Goldie
Guest
Goldie
13 years ago

Tragic. Tragic. Tragic. To me at this point, never knowing everything, intense insanity was the cause of this crime. But nothing eases the heartbreak of needless death. I am so sorry.

Norah
Guest
Norah
13 years ago

The marijuana operation doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the murders.

I wonder if Tomas had taken some drug and freaked out?

Friend of Sky and Mas
Guest
Friend of Sky and Mas
12 years ago
Reply to  Norah

Does anyone know if the autopsy results will be public? Or when we can expect them back?

Norah
Guest
Norah
13 years ago

The marijuana operation doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the murders.

I wonder if Tomas had taken some drug and freaked out?

Friend of Sky and Mas
Guest
Friend of Sky and Mas
12 years ago
Reply to  Norah

Does anyone know if the autopsy results will be public? Or when we can expect them back?

Sue Sponte
Guest
Sue Sponte
3 years ago
Reply to  Norah

Of course it has something to do with it. C’mon does the money in a bank have nothing to do with a robbery thereof? Numerous large packages of marijuana and $11,000 in cash stolen from the victims was found in the guy’s vehicle

joe
Guest
joe
13 years ago

His friends said Mas was a teddy bear. But if you crossed him, he became vicious. Sad as this story is, it didn’t surprise me at all.

Friend of sky
Guest
Friend of sky
13 years ago
Reply to  joe

This is the first I am hearing that there was a negative or mean side to Tomas. Very ineresting.

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago
Reply to  Friend of sky

There are plenty of people out there who come across as just the sweetest person in the world — until, all of the sudden, they’re not.

It’s a fact of human behavior that some individuals will, at some point, act in ways that seem utterly unpredictable, even to those who knew that individual best.

In fact it’s so commonplace that vicious murders turn out to be committed by otherwise ordinary-seeming people that there is this almost archetypal TV interview with the family member, friend or neighbor where they express how shocked they are because the person they know “could never have done such a thing.” It’s so common that it’s kind of become a cliche at this point.

RT
Guest
RT
13 years ago
Reply to  tra

It’s actually not common. Most people don’t have this kind of violence in them, and if they do, the people around them know it.

The cliche is normally about ‘quiet’ people–people who others didn’t really know at all and just kept to themselves, and they surprise people with the darkness in them. Tomas was not quiet, did not keep to himself, and was well-known by many. There is nothing typical or cliche about this situation.

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago
Reply to  RT

I’m sorry, but I must disagree. Yes, “he was such a quiet man, mostly kept to himself” or even “he seemed like a bit of a loner” are some of the common things that interviews with neighbors often include.

But there are also plenty of other cases in which friends and relatives describe the suspect as having been a normal, loving, sociable person that “no one would ever have thought capable of such a thing.”

I know that we all want to believe that we can tell whether the people we know would ever be “capable” of such an atrocity, but the fact is that sometimes we can’t tell. People may have a dark side that they hide well, maybe even from themselves, but which suddenly asserts itself in a stress situation and they act in ways no one could have predicted.

Friend of Sky
Guest
Friend of Sky
13 years ago
Reply to  tra

Scott Peterson. Very outgoing loving, sociable, salesman….killed his pregnant wife.

It’s not always the quiet type.

Eric Kirk
Guest
Eric Kirk
13 years ago
Reply to  Friend of Sky

As a quiet type myself, I’m glad to hear someone say it.

GSB
Guest
GSB
13 years ago
Reply to  RT

As unbelievable and frightening as it is, over 65% of murders are committed by friends and family of the victim.
Crimes of passion.

Sue Sponte
Guest
Sue Sponte
3 years ago
Reply to  GSB

Nothing to indicate the perp knew the victims. In many drug ripoffs, the perps have little if any prior personal acquaintance with the victims. Commenting now in 2020 based on news stories regarding the dismissal by the Cal Supreme Court of the lawsuit filed by the neighbors for damages sustained when they were almost killed by this guy when they responded at the behest of the Sheriff

Sara
Guest
Sara
13 years ago
Reply to  tra

I was going to say, several people that I’ve met in my life who have
come across as the utmost caring and loving , have actually
been just the opposite. It was a cover up for who they really
were. I didn’t know the suspect but have wondered if he was
under the influence of something. I’m sure he wasn’t desperate
for money if he was making trips back east where he would
double his money.

stopthemadness
Guest
stopthemadness
13 years ago
Reply to  Sara

i knew mas, as a friend at first. then after a simple misunderstanding, he decided i was his enemy. despite numerous attempts to reconcile, apologize, make it right he still thought i was out to get him. paranoid people will be nice to those who they think are friends, but treat the rest as enemies. maybe this happened with his friend sky. suddenly he became an enemy and had to be eliminated. the fact he had a tazer with him and chose to cut their throats meant it was premeditated and with clear intent to kill. perhaps mas flipped out and went psychotic, with the help of some psychedelics. or maybe he was under the influence of the black market, and felt he was being ripped off. we may never know. but as one who knew him, yes mas had a very dark side which he kept hidden from those who saw him as a “teddy bear giant”. i saw the dark side, and was horrified at this story – wondering if i might have been his next victim.

Sue Sponte
Guest
Sue Sponte
3 years ago
Reply to  stopthemadness

Obviously greed and financial need was a motive

Shocked
Guest
Shocked
13 years ago
Reply to  Friend of sky

We need to remember anyone can reply to this site. I may know who Joe is. The Joe I am thinking of, I can’t mentions his name to others without some of them making threats. Sad. (If I am mistaken, sorry) I think we need to be patient and supportive and hopefully the truth will come.

Mikey
Guest
Mikey
13 years ago
Reply to  joe

I have known Mas for years, and have never seen him “vicious”. The most violence I have ever seen from him is him shaking a finger at someone in disdain. More often than not I have seen him confront violence with the open armed approach of a pacifist despite his size. This story shakes me to the very core, there is violence within the human soul and to many of us feed this daily, Tomas was veered from that path to find a better way. The idea that he is the suspect in such a heinous and brutal murder is unfathomable to me.

joe
Guest
joe
13 years ago

His friends said Mas was a teddy bear. But if you crossed him, he became vicious. Sad as this story is, it didn’t surprise me at all.

Friend of sky
Guest
Friend of sky
13 years ago
Reply to  joe

This is the first I am hearing that there was a negative or mean side to Tomas. Very ineresting.

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago
Reply to  Friend of sky

There are plenty of people out there who come across as just the sweetest person in the world — until, all of the sudden, they’re not.

It’s a fact of human behavior that some individuals will, at some point, act in ways that seem utterly unpredictable, even to those who knew that individual best.

In fact it’s so commonplace that vicious murders turn out to be committed by otherwise ordinary-seeming people that there is this almost archetypal TV interview with the family member, friend or neighbor where they express how shocked they are because the person they know “could never have done such a thing.” It’s so common that it’s kind of become a cliche at this point.

RT
Guest
RT
13 years ago
Reply to  tra

It’s actually not common. Most people don’t have this kind of violence in them, and if they do, the people around them know it.

The cliche is normally about ‘quiet’ people–people who others didn’t really know at all and just kept to themselves, and they surprise people with the darkness in them. Tomas was not quiet, did not keep to himself, and was well-known by many. There is nothing typical or cliche about this situation.

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago
Reply to  RT

I’m sorry, but I must disagree. Yes, “he was such a quiet man, mostly kept to himself” or even “he seemed like a bit of a loner” are some of the common things that interviews with neighbors often include.

But there are also plenty of other cases in which friends and relatives describe the suspect as having been a normal, loving, sociable person that “no one would ever have thought capable of such a thing.”

I know that we all want to believe that we can tell whether the people we know would ever be “capable” of such an atrocity, but the fact is that sometimes we can’t tell. People may have a dark side that they hide well, maybe even from themselves, but which suddenly asserts itself in a stress situation and they act in ways no one could have predicted.

Friend of Sky
Guest
Friend of Sky
13 years ago
Reply to  tra

Scott Peterson. Very outgoing loving, sociable, salesman….killed his pregnant wife.

It’s not always the quiet type.

Eric Kirk
Guest
Eric Kirk
13 years ago
Reply to  Friend of Sky

As a quiet type myself, I’m glad to hear someone say it.

GSB
Guest
GSB
13 years ago
Reply to  RT

As unbelievable and frightening as it is, over 65% of murders are committed by friends and family of the victim.
Crimes of passion.

Sara
Guest
Sara
13 years ago
Reply to  tra

I was going to say, several people that I’ve met in my life who have
come across as the utmost caring and loving , have actually
been just the opposite. It was a cover up for who they really
were. I didn’t know the suspect but have wondered if he was
under the influence of something. I’m sure he wasn’t desperate
for money if he was making trips back east where he would
double his money.

stopthemadness
Guest
stopthemadness
13 years ago
Reply to  Sara

i knew mas, as a friend at first. then after a simple misunderstanding, he decided i was his enemy. despite numerous attempts to reconcile, apologize, make it right he still thought i was out to get him. paranoid people will be nice to those who they think are friends, but treat the rest as enemies. maybe this happened with his friend sky. suddenly he became an enemy and had to be eliminated. the fact he had a tazer with him and chose to cut their throats meant it was premeditated and with clear intent to kill. perhaps mas flipped out and went psychotic, with the help of some psychedelics. or maybe he was under the influence of the black market, and felt he was being ripped off. we may never know. but as one who knew him, yes mas had a very dark side which he kept hidden from those who saw him as a “teddy bear giant”. i saw the dark side, and was horrified at this story – wondering if i might have been his next victim.

Shocked
Guest
Shocked
13 years ago
Reply to  Friend of sky

We need to remember anyone can reply to this site. I may know who Joe is. The Joe I am thinking of, I can’t mentions his name to others without some of them making threats. Sad. (If I am mistaken, sorry) I think we need to be patient and supportive and hopefully the truth will come.

Mikey
Guest
Mikey
13 years ago
Reply to  joe

I have known Mas for years, and have never seen him “vicious”. The most violence I have ever seen from him is him shaking a finger at someone in disdain. More often than not I have seen him confront violence with the open armed approach of a pacifist despite his size. This story shakes me to the very core, there is violence within the human soul and to many of us feed this daily, Tomas was veered from that path to find a better way. The idea that he is the suspect in such a heinous and brutal murder is unfathomable to me.

Carol
Guest
Carol
13 years ago

Tthis is just one more reason marijuana should be legalized. Take the profit motive away and end tragedies like this one.

Friend of sky
Guest
Friend of sky
13 years ago
Reply to  Carol

AMEN! It’s like prohbition.

Carol
Guest
Carol
13 years ago

Tthis is just one more reason marijuana should be legalized. Take the profit motive away and end tragedies like this one.

Friend of sky
Guest
Friend of sky
13 years ago
Reply to  Carol

AMEN! It’s like prohbition.

K
Guest
K
13 years ago

I went to school with Kris in Cortland NY. She was voted class clown, and was one of the funniest people, sweet, and had beautiful eyes. She played lacrosse and field hockey, and had many friends. Although I can’t say I knew much of her after high school, I am saddened by this loss. My deepest condolences to the Constanino family, and to those who knew her well.

I do wish you post a picture of her bright smile, rather than a bag of weed…she was much more than that.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  K

K,
I would love to post a picture of her. I would gladly make her her own memorial page like I did for Sky right below if that is what folks want but I’m only able to publish what I have. Bloggers often depend on their readers to help gather the news. I searched Kris’s name but wasn’t able to tell for sure what pictures might be hers.

Donna
Guest
Donna
13 years ago
Reply to  Staff

How can I send you pictures of Krissy? She deserves to be remembered too.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Donna

Krissy or Kristine already has a memorial page here. But you can send me more photos [email protected]

Also here is a page to show all the links to stories about this case on this blog.

K
Guest
K
13 years ago

I went to school with Kris in Cortland NY. She was voted class clown, and was one of the funniest people, sweet, and had beautiful eyes. She played lacrosse and field hockey, and had many friends. Although I can’t say I knew much of her after high school, I am saddened by this loss. My deepest condolences to the Constanino family, and to those who knew her well.

I do wish you post a picture of her bright smile, rather than a bag of weed…she was much more than that.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  K

K,
I would love to post a picture of her. I would gladly make her her own memorial page like I did for Sky right below if that is what folks want but I’m only able to publish what I have. Bloggers often depend on their readers to help gather the news. I searched Kris’s name but wasn’t able to tell for sure what pictures might be hers.

Donna
Guest
Donna
13 years ago
Reply to  Staff

How can I send you pictures of Krissy? She deserves to be remembered too.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Donna

Krissy or Kristine already has a memorial page here. But you can send me more photos [email protected]

Also here is a page to show all the links to stories about this case on this blog.

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago

Here’s a little thought experiment: Imagine if you are in a coastal town in Maine. A murder happens, and in the course of investigating the murder the authorities note that there are lobster pots at both the victim’s home and in the back of the suspect’s pickup truck. Would the headline be “…murders linked to lobster” ?

The problem with the “linked to marijuana” claim is that no link has actually been demonstrated. Maybe there was some kind of ganja-related dispute, maybe not, we don’t know at this point.

By the way, if some real evidence does emerge which demonstrated that a ganja-related dispute was in some way behind this incident, then I’d argue that a better headline would be “Kettenpom murders linked to Prohibition.”

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  tra

tra, you are right that prohibition would be more accurate than marijuana.

Friend of sky
Guest
Friend of sky
13 years ago
Reply to  tra

Your post was great. I think the link is that the packaging mas had in his car matched the packaged pot at Sky’s house…but yes prohibition is to blame for sure if it was pot related.

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago
Reply to  Friend of sky

Thanks FOS,

It seems to me that there aren’t all that many different ways to package cannabis, so that alone still doesn’t make the “link” for me, unless there was something very unusual about how it was packaged. Maybe there will be more specific details forthcoming at some point, that will explain just how similar that packaging was, and whether it was any different than the usual ways of packaging the stuff. Or maybe other evidence will come to light that will render that a moot point.

There may well be a more convincing “link,” and if so it sounds like you and Kym and I — and hopefully many others — agree that (1) prohibition is the root cause of cannabis-related violence, and (2) that involvement in with growing or distributing cannabis does not in any way justify someone being murdered.

My concern is that when the cops prematurely “link” the murder to the possibility that the victims and the perpetrator may have been in growing or selling cannabis, that can become an all-too-convenient way to not look much further into motives, the involvement of others, etc. Whether intentional or not, this “linking” ends up coming across as, to some degree, “blaming the victims” for the fact that they were murdered.

I suppose it’s reassuring to those not involved in growing or selling cannabis, but the danger is that it’s a false reassurance, especially if some guilty party goes free because of an investigation that is too quick to assume a motive and scenario. I’m not saying that the cops are doing that here — hopefully they are looking at evey possible angle — I’m just saying that’s the risk of defaulting to the “of, it’s just another pot-related killing” explanation.

Friend of Sky
Guest
Friend of Sky
13 years ago
Reply to  tra

Good points and I agree that making the link that it was why it happened is dangerous. Time will tell.

d
Guest
d
13 years ago
Reply to  tra

He is accused of tasering and killing two people, one victim was his fiancee’s childhood friend! Legalizing marijuana will not eliminate this level of violence. I knew Mas but never saw his dark side of greed and hatred. I hope justice prevails and the CA Dept. of Justice resolves this matter for the sake of the community.

Sue Sponte
Guest
Sue Sponte
3 years ago
Reply to  tra

No, but if the perp had stolen thousands of dollars worth of lobster and over ten thousand in cash then it certainly would be lobster related. In this case the perp had numerous large bundles of bud and 11k in cash in his vehicle that he stole from the victims

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago

Here’s a little thought experiment: Imagine if you are in a coastal town in Maine. A murder happens, and in the course of investigating the murder the authorities note that there are lobster pots at both the victim’s home and in the back of the suspect’s pickup truck. Would the headline be “…murders linked to lobster” ?

The problem with the “linked to marijuana” claim is that no link has actually been demonstrated. Maybe there was some kind of ganja-related dispute, maybe not, we don’t know at this point.

By the way, if some real evidence does emerge which demonstrated that a ganja-related dispute was in some way behind this incident, then I’d argue that a better headline would be “Kettenpom murders linked to Prohibition.”

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  tra

tra, you are right that prohibition would be more accurate than marijuana.

Friend of sky
Guest
Friend of sky
13 years ago
Reply to  tra

Your post was great. I think the link is that the packaging mas had in his car matched the packaged pot at Sky’s house…but yes prohibition is to blame for sure if it was pot related.

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago
Reply to  Friend of sky

Thanks FOS,

It seems to me that there aren’t all that many different ways to package cannabis, so that alone still doesn’t make the “link” for me, unless there was something very unusual about how it was packaged. Maybe there will be more specific details forthcoming at some point, that will explain just how similar that packaging was, and whether it was any different than the usual ways of packaging the stuff. Or maybe other evidence will come to light that will render that a moot point.

There may well be a more convincing “link,” and if so it sounds like you and Kym and I — and hopefully many others — agree that (1) prohibition is the root cause of cannabis-related violence, and (2) that involvement in with growing or distributing cannabis does not in any way justify someone being murdered.

My concern is that when the cops prematurely “link” the murder to the possibility that the victims and the perpetrator may have been in growing or selling cannabis, that can become an all-too-convenient way to not look much further into motives, the involvement of others, etc. Whether intentional or not, this “linking” ends up coming across as, to some degree, “blaming the victims” for the fact that they were murdered.

I suppose it’s reassuring to those not involved in growing or selling cannabis, but the danger is that it’s a false reassurance, especially if some guilty party goes free because of an investigation that is too quick to assume a motive and scenario. I’m not saying that the cops are doing that here — hopefully they are looking at evey possible angle — I’m just saying that’s the risk of defaulting to the “of, it’s just another pot-related killing” explanation.

Friend of Sky
Guest
Friend of Sky
13 years ago
Reply to  tra

Good points and I agree that making the link that it was why it happened is dangerous. Time will tell.

d
Guest
d
13 years ago
Reply to  tra

He is accused of tasering and killing two people, one victim was his fiancee’s childhood friend! Legalizing marijuana will not eliminate this level of violence. I knew Mas but never saw his dark side of greed and hatred. I hope justice prevails and the CA Dept. of Justice resolves this matter for the sake of the community.

Sue Sponte
Guest
Sue Sponte
3 years ago
Reply to  tra

You mean that 11k in cash and marijuana was something he just happened to have in his car that he got somewhere else, when there was a large commercial grow at that location? Not a credible hypothesis at all

Janet, SoHum
Guest
13 years ago

Kristine was dearly beloved by our family. She was a kind and loving person with a heart full of fun. She was considerate, thoughtful and warm. She was a hard worker and a moral person, and nonjudgmental too. She was beautiful both inside and out.
We talked about lots of different things over lots of days. It’s almost impossible to refer to her in the past tense. It’s incomprehensible that she is gone. Our pain is very large. My husband and I are devastated and in shock. And how can we tell our daughter, who had a very special relationship with her, that Kristine is gone? They made dates and went to visit the horses, or dunked in the freezing river in some cold month, to laugh together. They laughed and shivered, and laughed. How do I tell my child? There’s no rational explanation for our Kristine to be gone. It’s awful.

But the pain Kristine’s mother and brothers must feel is just too awful for words.

Our deepest empathy goes out to you.

Janet, SoHum
Guest
13 years ago

Kristine was dearly beloved by our family. She was a kind and loving person with a heart full of fun. She was considerate, thoughtful and warm. She was a hard worker and a moral person, and nonjudgmental too. She was beautiful both inside and out.
We talked about lots of different things over lots of days. It’s almost impossible to refer to her in the past tense. It’s incomprehensible that she is gone. Our pain is very large. My husband and I are devastated and in shock. And how can we tell our daughter, who had a very special relationship with her, that Kristine is gone? They made dates and went to visit the horses, or dunked in the freezing river in some cold month, to laugh together. They laughed and shivered, and laughed. How do I tell my child? There’s no rational explanation for our Kristine to be gone. It’s awful.

But the pain Kristine’s mother and brothers must feel is just too awful for words.

Our deepest empathy goes out to you.

Pimjai
Guest
Pimjai
13 years ago

I am so sick to read how people said nice things about scumbag Tomas. He took my sister in law’s life and her boyfriend Sky. I do not care if it involves marijuana or not. Nobody deserves to be killed like this. We are suffering greatly pain.
Kristine was a free spirit, sweet, loving, kind, and understanding person. She is a person that i know for sure that have a beauty both inside and out. Never once wanted to harm anybody.
I lost my best friend and my life will forever change. I miss her terrible. I will send you pictures of her, how can i send them to you Kym.

mmmhrmmmm
Guest
mmmhrmmmm
13 years ago
Reply to  Pimjai

kym’s email is [email protected]

I knew both mas and sky but I didn’t know kristine, please share her with us

An old ex and friend of tomas
Guest
An old ex and friend of tomas
13 years ago
Reply to  Pimjai

You believe what you need to believe to sleep at night. His friends know the truth about him. I understand you’re hurting and upset, so feel how you need to feel, but we know.

H
Guest
H
13 years ago

Regardless of what you know about this Tomas fellow, he took an important person from her family and friends lives. There is no reason for such a mindless act to happen and there will never be a good enough reason for what transpired to have happened. Clearly you did not know Kristine as others have known her. Clearly you didn’t know him very well either if you think he’s still a good person after taking her away from everyone who loves her for no reason. And there will be no “sleep at night” from a loss such as this. She was a beautiful soul that never had an ill will towards anyone the entire time I was blessed to know her.

anami
Guest
anami
13 years ago

What we know is that your ex and friend murdered two gentle, innocent people. That is the truth. Mas got off too easy. His death was quick and painless, unlike what he gave his victims.
You never really knew who he was.

Sean
Guest
Sean
13 years ago
Reply to  anami

Quote Anami:
“What we [Bold]are Told[/Bold] is that your ex and friend murdered two gentle, innocent people. That is the [Bold]As Reported NEWS[/Bold]. Mas got off too easy. His death was quick and painless, unlike what he gave his victims.
You never really knew who he was.”
Fixed that for accuracy.

If you’ve been reading the news they haven’t been correct of much on this case to date.

frank
Guest
frank
13 years ago
Reply to  Sean

One hours-long error about Kristine’s relationship to Mas is the only error I’ve seen in the news. Get a grip, Sean. Your buddy Mas was a murderer.

Deb
Guest
Deb
13 years ago
Reply to  frank

Also, the cops and the Gunds haven;t been able to get the story straight on whether or not the deputy asked them to go over to the house.

frank
Guest
frank
13 years ago
Reply to  Deb

You obviously have no idea what’s going on, and judging from your comments you haven’t read the officials news releases. This all started before the Gunds were even in the picture. For your outlandish theory to be correct, the Gunds would have somehow staged a 911 call from Kristine’s phone, and somehow HOPED that the cops would call them to go check.

Please get a grip. Your buddy Mas was a drug-dealing murderer.

Deb
Guest
Deb
13 years ago
Reply to  frank

Or a deputy is lying. Someone isn’t telling the truth, since the sheriff’s office and Jim Gund have given very different accounts of that phone call between the deputy and the Gunds.

Not sure what you think my ‘theory’ is. My only real theory is that this isn’t going to be fully investigated, because of all the vigorous hand-waving going on in this community. ‘Case closed!’ you yell. ‘No such thing as innocent until proven guilty anymore! It would be crazy to check any facts or do any testing! Only a jerk would ask any additional questions, please everyone just go home now!’

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Deb

I don’t think people are saying don’t ask questions. I think people are saying unless you have some serious evidence you could ruin the lives of what appears to be very good neighbors who have suffered terribly already. Asking questions about situations that don’t make sense can be done in a manner sensitive to this issue.

KM Rochester, NY
Guest
KM Rochester, NY
12 years ago

“An old ex and friend of tomas says”:
-March 18, 2011 at 3:04 pm-
“You believe what you need to believe to sleep at night. His friends know the truth about him. I understand you’re hurting and upset, so feel how you need to feel, but we know.”

Are you for real? You understand us hurting, his friends know the truth about him? Because “you know”. Believe what we have to so we can sleep at night? The dude slashed 4 peoples throats? hello? If you knew him so well then you know why he did this? Tell me please? Help the hundreds of people who’s lives have been crushed because your friend killed human beings? Um, that dosen’t sound kind and gental, it was personal and horrible. He was sick and needed help. Where were you? Why didn’t you stop him if you knew him so well. Don’t you dare tell anyone we need to believe what we do to sleep. because none of will ever be the same again. She was the sweetest person and full of life and he took it, period. How could he kill his friend, drugs or no drugs he was ill. I appreciate you sticking up for your friend, but he lost that right when he killed people. What about his family? How do you think they are sleeping? The are devistated as well, why arn’t you over there helping them. How many family’s have to be hurt before people like you stop sticking up for a murder? You must of known Sky, your friend killed him too. But you knew? What ever old ex and a friend, you knew………….

Friend of Sky and Mas
Guest
Friend of Sky and Mas
12 years ago

Well not that I don’t agree with you, but let’s stick to the facts. He did slash Norma and Jim’s throats, but Kristine and Sky were strangled. That came directly from the father of one of the victims. Sky was hit with a tazer and strangled and Kristine was strangled. That explains how Mas was not covered in blood for the conspiracy theorists. Also, I can understand you wanting NOT to hear the “opinions” of other people, but they are just that. Opinions. Everyone is in pain, lashing out at others who are also in pain doesn’t help anyone.

Pimjai
Guest
Pimjai
13 years ago

I am so sick to read how people said nice things about scumbag Tomas. He took my sister in law’s life and her boyfriend Sky. I do not care if it involves marijuana or not. Nobody deserves to be killed like this. We are suffering greatly pain.
Kristine was a free spirit, sweet, loving, kind, and understanding person. She is a person that i know for sure that have a beauty both inside and out. Never once wanted to harm anybody.
I lost my best friend and my life will forever change. I miss her terrible. I will send you pictures of her, how can i send them to you Kym.

mmmhrmmmm
Guest
mmmhrmmmm
13 years ago
Reply to  Pimjai

kym’s email is [email protected]

I knew both mas and sky but I didn’t know kristine, please share her with us

An old ex and friend of tomas
Guest
An old ex and friend of tomas
13 years ago
Reply to  Pimjai

You believe what you need to believe to sleep at night. His friends know the truth about him. I understand you’re hurting and upset, so feel how you need to feel, but we know.

H
Guest
H
13 years ago

Regardless of what you know about this Tomas fellow, he took an important person from her family and friends lives. There is no reason for such a mindless act to happen and there will never be a good enough reason for what transpired to have happened. Clearly you did not know Kristine as others have known her. Clearly you didn’t know him very well either if you think he’s still a good person after taking her away from everyone who loves her for no reason. And there will be no “sleep at night” from a loss such as this. She was a beautiful soul that never had an ill will towards anyone the entire time I was blessed to know her.

anami
Guest
anami
13 years ago

What we know is that your ex and friend murdered two gentle, innocent people. That is the truth. Mas got off too easy. His death was quick and painless, unlike what he gave his victims.
You never really knew who he was.

Sean
Guest
Sean
13 years ago
Reply to  anami

Quote Anami:
“What we [Bold]are Told[/Bold] is that your ex and friend murdered two gentle, innocent people. That is the [Bold]As Reported NEWS[/Bold]. Mas got off too easy. His death was quick and painless, unlike what he gave his victims.
You never really knew who he was.”
Fixed that for accuracy.

If you’ve been reading the news they haven’t been correct of much on this case to date.

frank
Guest
frank
13 years ago
Reply to  Sean

One hours-long error about Kristine’s relationship to Mas is the only error I’ve seen in the news. Get a grip, Sean. Your buddy Mas was a murderer.

Deb
Guest
Deb
13 years ago
Reply to  frank

Also, the cops and the Gunds haven;t been able to get the story straight on whether or not the deputy asked them to go over to the house.

frank
Guest
frank
13 years ago
Reply to  Deb

You obviously have no idea what’s going on, and judging from your comments you haven’t read the officials news releases. This all started before the Gunds were even in the picture. For your outlandish theory to be correct, the Gunds would have somehow staged a 911 call from Kristine’s phone, and somehow HOPED that the cops would call them to go check.

Please get a grip. Your buddy Mas was a drug-dealing murderer.

Deb
Guest
Deb
13 years ago
Reply to  frank

Or a deputy is lying. Someone isn’t telling the truth, since the sheriff’s office and Jim Gund have given very different accounts of that phone call between the deputy and the Gunds.

Not sure what you think my ‘theory’ is. My only real theory is that this isn’t going to be fully investigated, because of all the vigorous hand-waving going on in this community. ‘Case closed!’ you yell. ‘No such thing as innocent until proven guilty anymore! It would be crazy to check any facts or do any testing! Only a jerk would ask any additional questions, please everyone just go home now!’

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Deb

I don’t think people are saying don’t ask questions. I think people are saying unless you have some serious evidence you could ruin the lives of what appears to be very good neighbors who have suffered terribly already. Asking questions about situations that don’t make sense can be done in a manner sensitive to this issue.

KM Rochester, NY
Guest
KM Rochester, NY
12 years ago

“An old ex and friend of tomas says”:
-March 18, 2011 at 3:04 pm-
“You believe what you need to believe to sleep at night. His friends know the truth about him. I understand you’re hurting and upset, so feel how you need to feel, but we know.”

Are you for real? You understand us hurting, his friends know the truth about him? Because “you know”. Believe what we have to so we can sleep at night? The dude slashed 4 peoples throats? hello? If you knew him so well then you know why he did this? Tell me please? Help the hundreds of people who’s lives have been crushed because your friend killed human beings? Um, that dosen’t sound kind and gental, it was personal and horrible. He was sick and needed help. Where were you? Why didn’t you stop him if you knew him so well. Don’t you dare tell anyone we need to believe what we do to sleep. because none of will ever be the same again. She was the sweetest person and full of life and he took it, period. How could he kill his friend, drugs or no drugs he was ill. I appreciate you sticking up for your friend, but he lost that right when he killed people. What about his family? How do you think they are sleeping? The are devistated as well, why arn’t you over there helping them. How many family’s have to be hurt before people like you stop sticking up for a murder? You must of known Sky, your friend killed him too. But you knew? What ever old ex and a friend, you knew………….

Friend of Sky and Mas
Guest
Friend of Sky and Mas
12 years ago

Well not that I don’t agree with you, but let’s stick to the facts. He did slash Norma and Jim’s throats, but Kristine and Sky were strangled. That came directly from the father of one of the victims. Sky was hit with a tazer and strangled and Kristine was strangled. That explains how Mas was not covered in blood for the conspiracy theorists. Also, I can understand you wanting NOT to hear the “opinions” of other people, but they are just that. Opinions. Everyone is in pain, lashing out at others who are also in pain doesn’t help anyone.

Sara
Guest
Sara
13 years ago

Obviously there is much much more to the story. One doesn’t need to go the this
extreme to obtain some cannibis.

frank
Guest
frank
13 years ago
Reply to  Sara

“some cannabis” ? How about hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of “some cannabis”?

RT
Guest
RT
13 years ago
Reply to  frank

You wouldn’t be able to fit hundreds of thousands in pot in a Subaru. And you wouldn’t be able to grow that much in a normal-sized house. You need fields and unoccupied houses for that kind of production.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  RT

RT,
This is just a comment on the pot question, not on how much Tomas G. had. If you assume indoor pot (which may not be true), a pound of pot could be sold for $3000 depending on its quality and the connections to whom it is being sold. At that rate you would need approximately 65 pounds to make $200,000. A pound of indoor pot is around the size of a basketball. Technically 65 pounds could fit in a Subaru. It would be difficult to hide and unlikely to do. As an aside, I know this is hard for people to grasp but 66 pounds is not extraordinary for even a house sized indoor operation to make over the course of several runs (a new crop can be grown approximately every 3 months). A pound per light is pretty low standard anymore, I’ve been told. Aprox 3′ sq. space per plant. A 100 sq. ft. building could do that in 6 months. I’m not an expert. And I’m sure I’ve made many mistakes but this could theoretically be possible. Please understand that I’m just talking theory not working off of any knowledge about this specific case.

Sara
Guest
Sara
13 years ago

Obviously there is much much more to the story. One doesn’t need to go the this
extreme to obtain some cannibis.

frank
Guest
frank
13 years ago
Reply to  Sara

“some cannabis” ? How about hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of “some cannabis”?

RT
Guest
RT
13 years ago
Reply to  frank

You wouldn’t be able to fit hundreds of thousands in pot in a Subaru. And you wouldn’t be able to grow that much in a normal-sized house. You need fields and unoccupied houses for that kind of production.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  RT

RT,
This is just a comment on the pot question, not on how much Tomas G. had. If you assume indoor pot (which may not be true), a pound of pot could be sold for $3000 depending on its quality and the connections to whom it is being sold. At that rate you would need approximately 65 pounds to make $200,000. A pound of indoor pot is around the size of a basketball. Technically 65 pounds could fit in a Subaru. It would be difficult to hide and unlikely to do. As an aside, I know this is hard for people to grasp but 66 pounds is not extraordinary for even a house sized indoor operation to make over the course of several runs (a new crop can be grown approximately every 3 months). A pound per light is pretty low standard anymore, I’ve been told. Aprox 3′ sq. space per plant. A 100 sq. ft. building could do that in 6 months. I’m not an expert. And I’m sure I’ve made many mistakes but this could theoretically be possible. Please understand that I’m just talking theory not working off of any knowledge about this specific case.

S
Guest
S
13 years ago

Please forgive me for asking these questions but I feel I have to just to get this right in my mind….
Does anybody know the Gunds? (The people who were the (“first responders”)
The paper says that the first 911 call came in from a cell phone and it was a female voice. The sheriff then called the Gunds at their home to go Sky’s and check. But both of the Gund’s vehicles were at the scene. Would they not just have jumped in the car together?
And Norma Gund was pretty cut up but Jim Gund, not. Is it possible that they wanted Sky and Christina off the hill and framed ‘Mas to cover their own duplicity?
There was reportedly money and product at the scene and in ‘Mas’s car. Could he have been there on business and came upon Sky and Christina already dead and then fled for his life when he spotted Jim Gund? Could Jim have slashed Norma and wounded himself to create an alibi and further frame ‘Mas? Perhaps far fetched, I know, but I’m asking because nobody in Corvallis that knows ‘Mas can believe that he was remotely capable of doing anything like this.
I’m also just ruined as I, too, knew and loved Sky.

RT
Guest
RT
13 years ago
Reply to  S

It is strange that someone so effectively killed two people, but then so ineffectively attacked Jim and Norma that they were able to drive around afterward.

Corvallis Local
Guest
Corvallis Local
13 years ago
Reply to  RT

That is very strange indeed – Tomas is a large man, I don’t know about his athletic level, but he is obviously kinesthetically gifted if you’ve seen him do fire dancing. It takes a lot of coordination. Gund was 59 years old, not exactly what you would consider a man’s prime, and was allegedly able to “disarm” Tomas and flee without incident. Now this is really wild and it strikes me that nobody in the discussion has brought up this point, because in my mind it grabs my attention in a big way.
1.) among martial artists, police, and in the military it is well known that it is extremely dangerous to attempt to disarm a knife wielding enemy, preventing a weapon from being drawn is a different matter, but statistically speaking even a very skilled practitioner of military hand to hand is likely to be critically wounded fighting a man with a knife while unarmed.
2.)A physical confrontation with a larger, younger man who has a knife while unarmed is definitely a life or death situation at the extreme far end of psychological intensity and stress – if Gund was able to get the knife from Mas, wouldn’t he have used the knife in his defense? Why was Mas not wounded in Gund’s self defense if he was physically adept enough to disarm Mas in the first place?
3.)Assuming that the original 911 call was made because the victims felt their physical safety to be in danger, why would the dispatch fail to relay this seriousness to the Gunds who approached unarmed. It seems that in a rural area where the police are over an hour away that gun ownership among locals would be common for personal safety. Again, it seems that the Gunds would have been aware of the degree of alleged danger from the 911 dispatch.
Not drawing any conclusions, but things generally make a lot more sense than this story does so far. Let me know if I am missing anything, here. Thanks. My prayers to the families.

Corvallis Local
Guest
Corvallis Local
13 years ago

Update on that – the Gunds were not instructed to approach the residence and 911 was not aware of the level of danger because they were responding to a suspicious hangup. But this still leaves points 1 & 2 from my previous post.
Also, the manner in which the killings were performed is very strange, it speaks of premeditation, and careful planning if not previous or even professional experience. On one hand, this seems very unlikely for a person who spends most of his time on things like firedancing, music, and knitting, etc. But on the other hand, this conflicts with the argument that drugs could have produced personality alterations to account for the out-of-character behavior that has shocked so many Tomas’ friends. It indicates a very calculated and precise mindset, not a “heat of the moment” type of frenzy.
This would mean that, if Tomas is indeed the killer, that rather than a panicked situation on drugs leading to something that was never intended, it would indicate a “hidden dark side” type scenario wherein Tomas led some kind of hidden double life. Someone does not just do something like this out of the blue, they would have to be comfortable with it to some degree to perform the act in the manner that it was, indicating that the perpetrator had extensive experience with this type of behavior.
Does anyone have any account of anything about Tomas that would indicate that this might be the case?
The reason why I feel this is unlikely is that from the accounts of friends it seems that Tomas lived a lifestyle where he spent a far above normal amount of time in the company of others accounted for in social situations. It would be very difficult to lead a sinister double life and live this lifestyle for the same person. Antisocial acts of violence would seem to correspond to antisocial behavior in one’s lifestyle, except in the case of the sociopath, but sociopaths almost always lack rich, rewarding, long term social relationships, which Tomas had in abundance.

I am not making any accusations or proposing an alternative storyline, I am simply trying to approach some of the points of this that I haven’t seen addressed so far, story with rational inquiry. And I think that this is important to do when emotions are running high.
Again, my prayers to the families and friends of the deceased.

Corvallis Local
Guest
Corvallis Local
13 years ago

Point # 2 from my first post – apparently Jim Gund did wound Tomas to some extent during the exchange.
The points in my second post, however, I feel are very important.

CorvallisLocal
Guest
CorvallisLocal
13 years ago

That is very illuminating, thank you. People who work with horses do have an uncommon level of grit. Just asking questions that I hadn’t seen elsewhere, please allow me to apologize for the behavior of other Corvallis residents. This case is turning out to be somewhat more clear cut than it first appeared. The big questions now, if anyone will permit me to move past the question of if the actual event happened or not (because I feel that has been established fairly well, as startling as it is), are as to what the motives were? Murder is an act that carries serious repercussions, I wonder if there is any evidence as to what would have been equal to that cost in the mind of Tomas?

Staff
Member
13 years ago

I’m not sure if you read this post. It has more information that might help answer at least the last question.

Kettenpom Store
Guest
Kettenpom Store
13 years ago

Jim wears these big rubberized gloves. They make his hands look much bigger than they actually are. He snatched the knife by the blade from Tomas. He had cuts on the fingers of his gloves but not through to the skin. It was a lucky grab and god just may have had a hand in that one too. The gloves are part of the investigation and were taken.
Jim is also a very fit 59. He works with his horses all the time and is a hearty, healthy, 59 year old man.
Jim said even though he had the knife he felt at a disadvantage.
He felt like Tomas was baiting him and said something like, why don’t you just kill me now? Jim said he told him not too worry that people were coming for him and he ran as fast as he could back to his house where he grabbed a gun, dropped the knife, and met us at the end of his driveway in the second Gund vehicle.

I am really not seeing what all the confusion is about. Look at all of the evidence. What doesn’t make sense to you other than you just can’t believe it?

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago

I think this is just another case of “I’ll see it when I believe it” rather than the other way around.

I think it’s understandable, given that some of these commenters knew the suspect and are having a hard time believing that he could have been capable of such a thing — and without them knowing it. Meanwhile, they don’t know the Gunds at all, and so far, most of what we know hinges on the statements of the Gunds. So naturally, some of these folks are suspicious of the Gunds’ account and anxious to see if it holds up to scrutiny.

But hopefully as more of the physical evidence and other results of the investigation come in, everyone will be able to accept what is learned from looking at the whole picture.

I do wish that, in the meantime, people would refrain from painting scenarios that assume some kind of elaborate conspiracy and cover-up. There is no evidence of anything like that, just some unanswered questions and details to be filled in, which is completely normal at this stage of the investigation.

annoyed
Guest
annoyed
13 years ago

Jim wears those gloves as he has always because having worked with his hands in the freezing winter weather for over 20 years his hands hurt. he does not like to be cold. its really simple folks. stop making up stories let people do their jobs and end this case so everyone can get on with their lives. and when it is all over you people can then deal with the fact that one of your own has done wrong and then you can put your foot in your mouth.

Billbo
Guest
Billbo
13 years ago

Mas was a mediocre fire dancer. You make it sound like he was gifted or something, but as someone who has met and spun with M, he was not that good.

Sue Sponte
Guest
Sue Sponte
3 years ago

Flight as consciousness of guilt is a jury instruction. That the guy led the cops on a 40 mile high speed chase speaks for itself

Friend of Sky and Mas
Guest
Friend of Sky and Mas
12 years ago
Reply to  RT

Not really that strange when you are considering the fact that Sky and Kristine were both much smaller than Mas… and from what I have heard about Jim he was probably a much closer match in size… and worked with animals at least 5 times his size.

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago
Reply to  S

” far fetched, I know”

That’s quite an understatement.

Keep in mind what you’re doing here is creating a scenario out of thin air, one for which there is zero evidence, and one that is slanderous toward two people who, by all accounts, were just trying to help their neighbors.

Friend of sky
Guest
Friend of sky
13 years ago
Reply to  S

Ok first off, I do understand how hard it is for you to believe your friend was capable of this. I do. I am trying to imagined my most peaceful loving friend and how I would react if accused of such a thing. HOWEVER implying that two other people, that their community has claimed to be wonderful people is very disrespectful considering they are hurt very badly. It seems that people are trying to dream up ANY scenerio to explain away Tomas’ involvement. No one really has mentioned tha the toxicology reports may have some answers to out of character behavior. At this point no one knows what happened, and sadly since all parties involved before the other couple arrived are dead we may never know for sure. I am sure cell phone records and text messages and all that stuff will be looked in to . DNA evidence all that stuff. Everyone needs to simmer down as hard as that is and wait for the information to come out.

sohumgirl
Guest
sohumgirl
13 years ago
Reply to  S

the Gunds are some awesome local folk & i would say that is why the police called them in the first place. they were the best chance for kris & her bf to be found alive…

its ridiculous to even ask those questions honestly.
i am sorry it is so hard to believe your friend did this but you don’t always know who people really are.

J
Guest
J
13 years ago
Reply to  S

I know the Gunds well. I’ve been with them in the hospital every day since this happened. I’ve known them for 17 years. People are writing the most strange and outlandish things–I can’t even believe what I am reading. I’m beginning to understand why people might just stand back and watch instead of rush in to help people. Why try to help and then be accused of being the criminals? Please be respectful of amazing, brave people, who had their Sunday afternoon blown apart by a madman, and will live with the literal and figurative scars for the rest of their lives. Oh, and by the way, Norma didn’t say the man was short–she said he had short HAIR. It’s kind of hard to communicate when your throat is slashed.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  J

Thank you for stepping forward and explaining very clearly an element that had people confused. Please pass along to the Gund’s that most of us think of them as the kind of neighbors that we’d like to live next to–good people that rush over if they think you might need help.

M.E.
Guest
M.E.
13 years ago
Reply to  J

I would like to thank the Gunds for helping their neighbors even though things went very wrong in so many ways. I don’t personally know them, but they are the type of people that we would hope we could each be for one another. It is a strange time that we come to be suspect of a couple who put their own lives on the line for their neighbors. I believe that they have more than likely been tested in this tragedy, but deep down, they must know they did what was right for their neighbors. I send my wishes to them for recovery and hope that they have friends that are helping them at their homestead and moral support.

S
Guest
S
13 years ago

Please forgive me for asking these questions but I feel I have to just to get this right in my mind….
Does anybody know the Gunds? (The people who were the (“first responders”)
The paper says that the first 911 call came in from a cell phone and it was a female voice. The sheriff then called the Gunds at their home to go Sky’s and check. But both of the Gund’s vehicles were at the scene. Would they not just have jumped in the car together?
And Norma Gund was pretty cut up but Jim Gund, not. Is it possible that they wanted Sky and Christina off the hill and framed ‘Mas to cover their own duplicity?
There was reportedly money and product at the scene and in ‘Mas’s car. Could he have been there on business and came upon Sky and Christina already dead and then fled for his life when he spotted Jim Gund? Could Jim have slashed Norma and wounded himself to create an alibi and further frame ‘Mas? Perhaps far fetched, I know, but I’m asking because nobody in Corvallis that knows ‘Mas can believe that he was remotely capable of doing anything like this.
I’m also just ruined as I, too, knew and loved Sky.

RT
Guest
RT
13 years ago
Reply to  S

It is strange that someone so effectively killed two people, but then so ineffectively attacked Jim and Norma that they were able to drive around afterward.

Corvallis Local
Guest
Corvallis Local
13 years ago
Reply to  RT

That is very strange indeed – Tomas is a large man, I don’t know about his athletic level, but he is obviously kinesthetically gifted if you’ve seen him do fire dancing. It takes a lot of coordination. Gund was 59 years old, not exactly what you would consider a man’s prime, and was allegedly able to “disarm” Tomas and flee without incident. Now this is really wild and it strikes me that nobody in the discussion has brought up this point, because in my mind it grabs my attention in a big way.
1.) among martial artists, police, and in the military it is well known that it is extremely dangerous to attempt to disarm a knife wielding enemy, preventing a weapon from being drawn is a different matter, but statistically speaking even a very skilled practitioner of military hand to hand is likely to be critically wounded fighting a man with a knife while unarmed.
2.)A physical confrontation with a larger, younger man who has a knife while unarmed is definitely a life or death situation at the extreme far end of psychological intensity and stress – if Gund was able to get the knife from Mas, wouldn’t he have used the knife in his defense? Why was Mas not wounded in Gund’s self defense if he was physically adept enough to disarm Mas in the first place?
3.)Assuming that the original 911 call was made because the victims felt their physical safety to be in danger, why would the dispatch fail to relay this seriousness to the Gunds who approached unarmed. It seems that in a rural area where the police are over an hour away that gun ownership among locals would be common for personal safety. Again, it seems that the Gunds would have been aware of the degree of alleged danger from the 911 dispatch.
Not drawing any conclusions, but things generally make a lot more sense than this story does so far. Let me know if I am missing anything, here. Thanks. My prayers to the families.

Corvallis Local
Guest
Corvallis Local
13 years ago

Update on that – the Gunds were not instructed to approach the residence and 911 was not aware of the level of danger because they were responding to a suspicious hangup. But this still leaves points 1 & 2 from my previous post.
Also, the manner in which the killings were performed is very strange, it speaks of premeditation, and careful planning if not previous or even professional experience. On one hand, this seems very unlikely for a person who spends most of his time on things like firedancing, music, and knitting, etc. But on the other hand, this conflicts with the argument that drugs could have produced personality alterations to account for the out-of-character behavior that has shocked so many Tomas’ friends. It indicates a very calculated and precise mindset, not a “heat of the moment” type of frenzy.
This would mean that, if Tomas is indeed the killer, that rather than a panicked situation on drugs leading to something that was never intended, it would indicate a “hidden dark side” type scenario wherein Tomas led some kind of hidden double life. Someone does not just do something like this out of the blue, they would have to be comfortable with it to some degree to perform the act in the manner that it was, indicating that the perpetrator had extensive experience with this type of behavior.
Does anyone have any account of anything about Tomas that would indicate that this might be the case?
The reason why I feel this is unlikely is that from the accounts of friends it seems that Tomas lived a lifestyle where he spent a far above normal amount of time in the company of others accounted for in social situations. It would be very difficult to lead a sinister double life and live this lifestyle for the same person. Antisocial acts of violence would seem to correspond to antisocial behavior in one’s lifestyle, except in the case of the sociopath, but sociopaths almost always lack rich, rewarding, long term social relationships, which Tomas had in abundance.

I am not making any accusations or proposing an alternative storyline, I am simply trying to approach some of the points of this that I haven’t seen addressed so far, story with rational inquiry. And I think that this is important to do when emotions are running high.
Again, my prayers to the families and friends of the deceased.

Corvallis Local
Guest
Corvallis Local
13 years ago

Point # 2 from my first post – apparently Jim Gund did wound Tomas to some extent during the exchange.
The points in my second post, however, I feel are very important.

CorvallisLocal
Guest
CorvallisLocal
13 years ago

That is very illuminating, thank you. People who work with horses do have an uncommon level of grit. Just asking questions that I hadn’t seen elsewhere, please allow me to apologize for the behavior of other Corvallis residents. This case is turning out to be somewhat more clear cut than it first appeared. The big questions now, if anyone will permit me to move past the question of if the actual event happened or not (because I feel that has been established fairly well, as startling as it is), are as to what the motives were? Murder is an act that carries serious repercussions, I wonder if there is any evidence as to what would have been equal to that cost in the mind of Tomas?

Staff
Member
13 years ago

I’m not sure if you read this post. It has more information that might help answer at least the last question.

Kettenpom Store
Guest
Kettenpom Store
13 years ago

Jim wears these big rubberized gloves. They make his hands look much bigger than they actually are. He snatched the knife by the blade from Tomas. He had cuts on the fingers of his gloves but not through to the skin. It was a lucky grab and god just may have had a hand in that one too. The gloves are part of the investigation and were taken.
Jim is also a very fit 59. He works with his horses all the time and is a hearty, healthy, 59 year old man.
Jim said even though he had the knife he felt at a disadvantage.
He felt like Tomas was baiting him and said something like, why don’t you just kill me now? Jim said he told him not too worry that people were coming for him and he ran as fast as he could back to his house where he grabbed a gun, dropped the knife, and met us at the end of his driveway in the second Gund vehicle.

I am really not seeing what all the confusion is about. Look at all of the evidence. What doesn’t make sense to you other than you just can’t believe it?

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago

I think this is just another case of “I’ll see it when I believe it” rather than the other way around.

I think it’s understandable, given that some of these commenters knew the suspect and are having a hard time believing that he could have been capable of such a thing — and without them knowing it. Meanwhile, they don’t know the Gunds at all, and so far, most of what we know hinges on the statements of the Gunds. So naturally, some of these folks are suspicious of the Gunds’ account and anxious to see if it holds up to scrutiny.

But hopefully as more of the physical evidence and other results of the investigation come in, everyone will be able to accept what is learned from looking at the whole picture.

I do wish that, in the meantime, people would refrain from painting scenarios that assume some kind of elaborate conspiracy and cover-up. There is no evidence of anything like that, just some unanswered questions and details to be filled in, which is completely normal at this stage of the investigation.

annoyed
Guest
annoyed
13 years ago

Jim wears those gloves as he has always because having worked with his hands in the freezing winter weather for over 20 years his hands hurt. he does not like to be cold. its really simple folks. stop making up stories let people do their jobs and end this case so everyone can get on with their lives. and when it is all over you people can then deal with the fact that one of your own has done wrong and then you can put your foot in your mouth.

Billbo
Guest
Billbo
13 years ago

Mas was a mediocre fire dancer. You make it sound like he was gifted or something, but as someone who has met and spun with M, he was not that good.

Friend of Sky and Mas
Guest
Friend of Sky and Mas
12 years ago
Reply to  RT

Not really that strange when you are considering the fact that Sky and Kristine were both much smaller than Mas… and from what I have heard about Jim he was probably a much closer match in size… and worked with animals at least 5 times his size.

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago
Reply to  S

” far fetched, I know”

That’s quite an understatement.

Keep in mind what you’re doing here is creating a scenario out of thin air, one for which there is zero evidence, and one that is slanderous toward two people who, by all accounts, were just trying to help their neighbors.

Friend of sky
Guest
Friend of sky
13 years ago
Reply to  S

Ok first off, I do understand how hard it is for you to believe your friend was capable of this. I do. I am trying to imagined my most peaceful loving friend and how I would react if accused of such a thing. HOWEVER implying that two other people, that their community has claimed to be wonderful people is very disrespectful considering they are hurt very badly. It seems that people are trying to dream up ANY scenerio to explain away Tomas’ involvement. No one really has mentioned tha the toxicology reports may have some answers to out of character behavior. At this point no one knows what happened, and sadly since all parties involved before the other couple arrived are dead we may never know for sure. I am sure cell phone records and text messages and all that stuff will be looked in to . DNA evidence all that stuff. Everyone needs to simmer down as hard as that is and wait for the information to come out.

sohumgirl
Guest
sohumgirl
13 years ago
Reply to  S

the Gunds are some awesome local folk & i would say that is why the police called them in the first place. they were the best chance for kris & her bf to be found alive…

its ridiculous to even ask those questions honestly.
i am sorry it is so hard to believe your friend did this but you don’t always know who people really are.

J
Guest
J
13 years ago
Reply to  S

I know the Gunds well. I’ve been with them in the hospital every day since this happened. I’ve known them for 17 years. People are writing the most strange and outlandish things–I can’t even believe what I am reading. I’m beginning to understand why people might just stand back and watch instead of rush in to help people. Why try to help and then be accused of being the criminals? Please be respectful of amazing, brave people, who had their Sunday afternoon blown apart by a madman, and will live with the literal and figurative scars for the rest of their lives. Oh, and by the way, Norma didn’t say the man was short–she said he had short HAIR. It’s kind of hard to communicate when your throat is slashed.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  J

Thank you for stepping forward and explaining very clearly an element that had people confused. Please pass along to the Gund’s that most of us think of them as the kind of neighbors that we’d like to live next to–good people that rush over if they think you might need help.

M.E.
Guest
M.E.
13 years ago
Reply to  J

I would like to thank the Gunds for helping their neighbors even though things went very wrong in so many ways. I don’t personally know them, but they are the type of people that we would hope we could each be for one another. It is a strange time that we come to be suspect of a couple who put their own lives on the line for their neighbors. I believe that they have more than likely been tested in this tragedy, but deep down, they must know they did what was right for their neighbors. I send my wishes to them for recovery and hope that they have friends that are helping them at their homestead and moral support.

S
Guest
S
13 years ago

….Especially after Jim had been stunned “20 times”according to his daughter’s report…. it just doesn’t add up.

Kettenpom Store
Guest
Kettenpom Store
13 years ago
Reply to  S

It has been speculated that if you use a stun gun too many times too close together it may compromise the amount of shock it puts out. Possibly explaining why it wasn’t as effective by the time it got to Jim. Can anyone confirm or deny that. Maybe google?

Jim is a horse trainer and has worked with my wife training both her and her horse. He does it because he loves it and rarely asks for a dime. He is retired from the county road department and is a well known and loved member of our small community.
He competes in some sort of cross country agility course competitions with his horse and is well known and very competitive.

His wife Norma is our local school bus driver. She is loved and missed by her kids who have had to have a new bus driver since this happened. I hear some of the older kids have caught wind of all of this and parents have been trying to be careful about what the younger kids hear.

Jim left evidence on Tomas body too. Enough to be able to positively identify him even without a picture from what I understand. I don’t know how bad the car accident messed him up or if it did at all but even if he was, the evidence that was described to me would still be there. I am quite sure all of that came into play in identifying Tomas as the murderer/attacker and will all come out in the end.

The Constantino property is owned by a man named Patrick from Garberville.
People do need to simmer down and wait for the details, some of the theories have gotten way out of hand.

Can anyone confirm if Tomas was trained in the martial arts? I have heard some rumors about that but maybe some of you may know for sure.

Friend of Sky and Mas
Guest
Friend of Sky and Mas
13 years ago

Well I have no idea if he was trained in marital arts or not but he was a fire dancer. He spun staffs with the ends lit on fire at high speeds, one or two at a time. Which is very similar to what you would see in martial arts movies. And he also spun fire poi, which are basically big kevlar balls on the ends of chains that are lit on fire. And he was quite agile at both I may add. So while these are not considered “martial” arts technically speaking, they are very closely linked and use many of the same techniques.

Billbo
Guest
Billbo
13 years ago

He wasn’t that good of a fire dancer. He was mediocre at best.

Friend of Sky and Mas
Guest
Friend of Sky and Mas
13 years ago
Reply to  Billbo

Well I completely agree that he was not the best I have ever seen, but he certainly was not a beginner. I have spun with him as well.

frank
Guest
frank
13 years ago
Reply to  S

Actually, it does.

S
Guest
S
13 years ago

….Especially after Jim had been stunned “20 times”according to his daughter’s report…. it just doesn’t add up.

Kettenpom Store
Guest
Kettenpom Store
13 years ago
Reply to  S

It has been speculated that if you use a stun gun too many times too close together it may compromise the amount of shock it puts out. Possibly explaining why it wasn’t as effective by the time it got to Jim. Can anyone confirm or deny that. Maybe google?

Jim is a horse trainer and has worked with my wife training both her and her horse. He does it because he loves it and rarely asks for a dime. He is retired from the county road department and is a well known and loved member of our small community.
He competes in some sort of cross country agility course competitions with his horse and is well known and very competitive.

His wife Norma is our local school bus driver. She is loved and missed by her kids who have had to have a new bus driver since this happened. I hear some of the older kids have caught wind of all of this and parents have been trying to be careful about what the younger kids hear.

Jim left evidence on Tomas body too. Enough to be able to positively identify him even without a picture from what I understand. I don’t know how bad the car accident messed him up or if it did at all but even if he was, the evidence that was described to me would still be there. I am quite sure all of that came into play in identifying Tomas as the murderer/attacker and will all come out in the end.

The Constantino property is owned by a man named Patrick from Garberville.
People do need to simmer down and wait for the details, some of the theories have gotten way out of hand.

Can anyone confirm if Tomas was trained in the martial arts? I have heard some rumors about that but maybe some of you may know for sure.

Friend of Sky and Mas
Guest
Friend of Sky and Mas
13 years ago

Well I have no idea if he was trained in marital arts or not but he was a fire dancer. He spun staffs with the ends lit on fire at high speeds, one or two at a time. Which is very similar to what you would see in martial arts movies. And he also spun fire poi, which are basically big kevlar balls on the ends of chains that are lit on fire. And he was quite agile at both I may add. So while these are not considered “martial” arts technically speaking, they are very closely linked and use many of the same techniques.

Billbo
Guest
Billbo
13 years ago

He wasn’t that good of a fire dancer. He was mediocre at best.

Friend of Sky and Mas
Guest
Friend of Sky and Mas
13 years ago
Reply to  Billbo

Well I completely agree that he was not the best I have ever seen, but he certainly was not a beginner. I have spun with him as well.

frank
Guest
frank
13 years ago
Reply to  S

Actually, it does.

S
Guest
S
13 years ago

OK, and this is perhaps really a stretch, but doesn’t throat slitting seem like sort of an “advanced” sort of murder? Unless I’m missing something, (like he trained to be a Green Beret at one point, which I doubt,) from all accounts, ‘Mas was a very peace-loving man, not someone who had “experience” with too much violence. So if murder was new to you, would you choose that technique or just, for example, stab your victim? I don’t know. When I heard that their throats were cut and they were tased, I was thinking that It soundded much more like someone with experience at this sort of thing did this work.

Friend of sky
Guest
Friend of sky
13 years ago
Reply to  S

none of this adds up at all. are Tasers registered like guns? I have no clue. Maybe that will lead to some answeres as well. But lets just pretend that your scenerio is right. Why would Mas know to run from the cops? If he was being attacked why not run to the cops? Yes he had pot…but really? Most people know that running from the cops never leads to something positive and just more time in jail…if it was just for pot this makes no sense he would run like that. If it was for something worse like killing two people then his inability to reason at the time and run would add up.

S
Guest
S
13 years ago

OK, and this is perhaps really a stretch, but doesn’t throat slitting seem like sort of an “advanced” sort of murder? Unless I’m missing something, (like he trained to be a Green Beret at one point, which I doubt,) from all accounts, ‘Mas was a very peace-loving man, not someone who had “experience” with too much violence. So if murder was new to you, would you choose that technique or just, for example, stab your victim? I don’t know. When I heard that their throats were cut and they were tased, I was thinking that It soundded much more like someone with experience at this sort of thing did this work.

Friend of sky
Guest
Friend of sky
13 years ago
Reply to  S

none of this adds up at all. are Tasers registered like guns? I have no clue. Maybe that will lead to some answeres as well. But lets just pretend that your scenerio is right. Why would Mas know to run from the cops? If he was being attacked why not run to the cops? Yes he had pot…but really? Most people know that running from the cops never leads to something positive and just more time in jail…if it was just for pot this makes no sense he would run like that. If it was for something worse like killing two people then his inability to reason at the time and run would add up.

Staff
Member
13 years ago

S, both of the Gund’s vehicles were not at the attack scene. According to Jim Gund’s daughter, they drove there in one vehicle which Mrs. Gund used to escape. Then Jim Gund ran home and got another vehicle.

It seems unlikely that the theory you proposed about Mrs. Gund and Mr Gund being injured to mask their framing of Mas could be true. First, they are known as good people in the neighborhood. Second, Mrs Gund’s windpipe was cut through; she had to be helicoptered to the city for surgery and people have talked with her and she did not indicate anyone else to blame. It stretches my imagination to imagine protecting someone who had just cut her throat.

Alphabet City
Guest
Alphabet City
13 years ago
Reply to  Staff

Not trying to be rude or snarky, but your comment isn’t fair. From what everyone here is saying Sky was a good person, Kristine was a good person, Tomas was a good person…what makes the Gunds being a good person more believable than Tomas? I’m just saying, it’s an unfair and illogical comment…they were “known as good people in the neighborhood” Tomas was known as a good person all over the country. This whole situation is just crazy.

frank
Guest
frank
13 years ago
Reply to  Alphabet City

I trust objective investigators over the suspect’s biased friends any day.

Sean
Guest
Sean
13 years ago
Reply to  frank

I trust out of town comments and investigators over northern California police or residents.

Sorry, but that area stinks worse than a poopy diaper of dirty police and communities centered around a drug culture.

Kettenpom Store
Guest
Kettenpom Store
13 years ago
Reply to  Sean

Where do you live?

Sean
Guest
Sean
13 years ago

I am from the safest small community in the USA.

I will believe the Community/Law Enforcement when the suspect is proven guilty through DNA evidence, which should have been present underneath the victims fingernails and would indicate who they struggled against. (if it isn’t Mas wonder if it’s one of the Gunds or even more scary a unknown third party)

The Gunds have too fishy of a story for me to trust them or the Law Enforcement or the Community.

Why would Jim let Norma enter the house with someone who MUST look suspicious after slitting two people’s throats? (that would be a messy endeavor)

Why would Jim have thick rubber gloves on? That sounds very suspicious, pre-meditated criminals wear gloves.

How would Jim be able to overpower someone who is 27 years younger than him and likely much larger, and armed?

Why would Tomas take some money but not ALL of the money?

I find it hard to believe that this happened as the many everchanging stories say, it sounds like there was some story coaching at the Kettenpom Store.

Like I said before and I’ll say again, I will believe that the murderer is dead when they show conclusive DNA evidence that indicates there was a struggle between the Suspect and the dead victims.

Until then this firmly confirms my suspicion that this area IS a lawless and violent community. (and it’s not just THIS that makes me think this I’ve heard it from numerous first person accounts)

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Sean

Sean, I’m going to take the liberty of answering your questions that are troubling you by copying in a comment that tra (aka the reasonable anonymous) made earlier.

“That’s all understandable, and I sympathize with your point of view.

But please be aware that when you are “asking questions” in a way that paints a whole intricate scenario wherein the folks who were asked to check in on their neighbors after a 911 call are, in your scenario, somehow responsible for both the murders and their own injuries, with the husband supposedly nearly killing his own wife by slashing her throat to cover up “their” crime…well that kind of “question” is really a bit much. It really does come across as more of a veiled accusation rather than just an innocent question.

This is a little bit like the classic “how long have you been beating your wife” question that politicians fear, because if you deny it you’re giving credence to it by taking it seriously, but if you don’t deny it, that can be taken as an admission of guilt.

At this point I have not seem ANY evidence that would suggest that the accounts given by the Gunds, the sheriffs, and the folks at the Kettenpom store are inaccurate. Unless some kind of evidence turns up that suggests that those accounts are inaccurate in important ways, I really do think people should refrain from speculative scenarios that assume otherwise.”

Amil Zola
Guest
Amil Zola
13 years ago
Reply to  Staff

Actually I like to speculate online, as do some of your other readers.

Adding to the stories around these crimes, gives a lot more fodder for the LE agencies who are reading these blogs.

The archives make interesting reading vis a vis your local mindset regarding the business end of MJ. Don’t assume that all of us in Cornvalley are intimately involved in a business that supports your local economy.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Sean

I don’t want to speculate on why various scenarios happened. Because I don’t know the answers. I’m probably going to regret this but I’m going to just take one of your concerns and speculate a little as an example of what could be a reasonable explanation.

You ask why would Jim have thick rubber gloves on.

If we postulate that the story occurred as the police, the storekeeper and Mr. Gund’s daughter have stated, then there was a storm in the area. Mr. Gund decides to go check on a neighbor; he searches for a pair of gloves and finds a pair of big rubberized gloves. He puts them on.

That seems like a reasonable explanation. I’ve done something similar frequently. Occasionally, I’ve even worn a pair of socks to keep my hands warm when I was in a hurry and couldn’t find my gloves.

Friend of Sky and Mas
Guest
Friend of Sky and Mas
13 years ago
Reply to  Sean

As you can see from my “name” on here I was a “friend” to Mas, but I do actually believe that he was capable of doing this. You never know what people are capable of in the darkest recesses of their minds. And most of these questions are just reaching for a string to prove his innocence which I can understand but it’s kind of pointless since the majority of the important questions may never be answered since the involved parties are all deceased. To try and address your questions logically –

Why would Jim let Norma enter the house with someone who MUST look suspicious after slitting two people’s throats? (that would be a messy endeavor) – Who says it would be messy or that he would look suspicious? If it was really Mas who opened the door why would we expect Norma and Jim to see him any differently than we all saw him when he was in social situations? You know… a gentle giant? All of the details of how the bodies of Kristine and Sky were positioned are not available. For all we know Mas could have been standing behind them which would not have left him as a bloody mess. And if that was not the case and he was a mess at some point, perhaps he put on a jacket or cleaned up before Jim and Norma arrived.

Why would Jim have thick rubber gloves on? That sounds very suspicious, pre-meditated criminals wear gloves. – As do doctors and surgeons, and ….wait for it…. road workers. From the accounts of the store owner they thought they may have been responding to somethin that happened during the storm. Perhaps he planned to have to move a tree or something. Or perhaps he was out training his horses or moving dung and was already wearing them when they got the call immediately without taking them off. Really no one is going to be able to answer that question besides Mr. Gund.

How would Jim be able to overpower someone who is 27 years younger than him and likely much larger, and armed? – Have you seen Arnold Schwarzenegger? He will be 64 this year. Now, I’m not saying Mr. Gund was Arnie or anything, I am simply stating that since we do not know him, we cannot think that just because he was older than Mas that he could not have taken him on at a moment when Ms was trying to kill his wife. I mean there have been cases of mothers lifting cars off of their sons in heated moments – its called adrenalin.

Why would Tomas take some money but not ALL of the money? – I had this thought as well, but perhaps he was interrupted by the Gunds before he could collect everything else that was left there?

To address the rest of the wild theories out there about a second person having been involved. If there was someone else involved where were they after everyone was gone from the house? Would they not have wanted to take anything of value including the marijuana and cash? Being in that remote of an area would they not have had the time once the “suspected murderer” and the Gunds were gone. The time from when the call went out to the cops from the store and the time they arrived?

I also want to believe that our friend did not do this, but all the evidence points directly at him. I think it is time to accept, heal, and show our support for those that loved them.

Kettenpom Store
Guest
Kettenpom Store
13 years ago

Thank you for your post.

Jim doesn’t go anywhere without those gloves. He works outside all the time and most of the stuff he does requires having gloves on.

Also we were talking about Jim and the whole adrenaline thing. Is it also possible because Jim works daily with animals four or five times the size Mas that he was somewhat accustomed to dealing with things much larger than him and quite capable of killing him at any moment? Not that Jim is what I would call a fighter at all but he is very savvy with those horses.
I am also quite sure that seeing what he did gave him that burst of adrenaline that you mentioned. Like you said mothers have moved cars off of babies.

Great point about the way Jim and Norma perceived Mas. Why would they see him any different than everyone else.

Friend of Sky and Mas
Guest
Friend of Sky and Mas
13 years ago

When I read that Mr. Gund worked with horses I had that exact thought. Anyone who has worked with horses before (which I have) knows that you have to be strong with them. Both physically and mentally. How else are you going to get a 1000 lb. animal to do what you want it to do? In a situation like this I for one would be proud to call the Gunds neighbors! They did what I would hope my neighbors would do for me, and they should be commended for their efforts. They are in my thoughts and I wish them a speedy recovery.

Friend Twice Removed
Guest
Friend Twice Removed
13 years ago

I very much appreciate your comments Mr Kettenpom store. I also commend your bravery for going to the residence to assist your friend and neighbor Jim. You could only speculate on what you would be walking into. God bless you and your community in your time or sorrow.

Don’t allow these conspiracy theoriest sway you from the truth.

Keep posting…I look for your comments!

Kettenpom Store
Guest
Kettenpom Store
13 years ago
Reply to  Sean

The safest samll community in the USA is Corvallis Ore.???

Can someone show me something that supports that claim?

Here are some safe cities in the USA. This list was made by The Farmers Insurance Group. Using stats and figures not opinion. There are 60 cities named and somehow I missed Corvallis???

http://albanyca.localspur.com/2010/01/03/where-are-the-safest-places-to-live-in-the-united-states/

http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/76587/america_properties/where_are_the_safest_places_to_live_in_the_united_states.html

I find this sort of strange that I can’t find anything about Corvallis being the safest small community in the USA. Maybe that is your opinion and you are off base?
Maybe you can show something other than your opinion that says that?
It would be much more convincing if someone with some credentials shared your opinion.

Third Eye
Guest
13 years ago

Not that this bears any valid reflection on the original discussion, but Corvallis has indeed been recognized for it’s safety.

OSU named “Safest Pac-10 Campus” (University of Southern California study, 1994.)

In 2006, the Morgan Quitno Awards ranked Corvallis as the 20th safest city (of 344) in the 13th Annual America’s Safest (and Most Dangerous) Cities publication for metropolitan areas of its size.

In a 2007 report, Farmer’s Insurance Group ranked Corvallis as the “most secure” small city in America, based on (as reported by Insurance Journal magazine) crime statistics, extreme weather, risk of natural disasters, environmental hazards, terrorism threats, air quality, life expectancy and job loss numbers.

G.Reale
Guest
G.Reale
13 years ago

Here you are: http://www.gazettetimes.com/news/local/article_29302ab2-09b1-11e0-b916-001cc4c03286.html

The top ranking was lost, which appear to be economically based. top spot held 2007, 2008.

I goggled: Corvallis safest small town.

Kettenpom Store
Guest
Kettenpom Store
13 years ago
Reply to  G.Reale

Thank you.
It is not accurate to say the SAFEST small community in the USA. Like it really matters anyway but the original statement was “I live in the safest small community in the USA.” No one can show me where it says that. In fact your town has been slipping down the list.
First you couldn’t get police tasers if you were a regular citizen.

Then you guys are from THE safest small town in the USA.
Then why is it that the first murder in our community in YEARS involves one of YOUR BEST???
Like someone else has already said if Mas was one of your best I would hate to see your worst…
I know this doesn’t go for everyone on here… But some of you guys seem like you would believe ANYTHING as long as your friend Mas was shown to be innocent.
Wild conspiracy theories have been carelessly thrown around, all to make a heartless killer look better???
I think you guys really need to step back and look at all of the evidence. Realize that you are being delusional and hurtful to people who have been through allot.

If you guys are who you say you are… You have a terrible way of showing it.
Imagine for a second that everything is just as we/they say it was. Which I have no doubt…
Do you guys see the denial that you are in? What are you all going to say in the end???
I would think some formal apologies would be in order.

joiningthediscussion
Guest
joiningthediscussion
13 years ago

I said Was one of our best and if you’ve been following my threads you wouldn’t be singling out that statementwithout a reference to every other thing I’ve said – grief expressed and shock at this unknowingly differencein character -that we had no way of knowing and had never been expressebefore- that’s just really rude to assume that we are fools b/c we thought someone was the goodnesshe expressed- read more closely before you say something so hurtful about the quality of the people of our community – one person will never be able to represent all of us. that was a really sucky thing to say

lewrod
Guest
lewrod
13 years ago
Reply to  Sean

Some of us here have not been fooled by the big influx of profiteering pot growers since passage of Prop. 215. It has led to much addled thinking that they can now grow as much as they want wherever they want. They have been ruining residential neighborhoods in Trinity County. The old timers were quiet, decent neighbors. Thanks to the ilk of “High Times” magazine, greedy profiteers have come from across the U.S. and Canada to grow pot. Big money leads to violence.

Staff
Member
13 years ago

S, both of the Gund’s vehicles were not at the attack scene. According to Jim Gund’s daughter, they drove there in one vehicle which Mrs. Gund used to escape. Then Jim Gund ran home and got another vehicle.

It seems unlikely that the theory you proposed about Mrs. Gund and Mr Gund being injured to mask their framing of Mas could be true. First, they are known as good people in the neighborhood. Second, Mrs Gund’s windpipe was cut through; she had to be helicoptered to the city for surgery and people have talked with her and she did not indicate anyone else to blame. It stretches my imagination to imagine protecting someone who had just cut her throat.

Alphabet City
Guest
Alphabet City
13 years ago
Reply to  Staff

Not trying to be rude or snarky, but your comment isn’t fair. From what everyone here is saying Sky was a good person, Kristine was a good person, Tomas was a good person…what makes the Gunds being a good person more believable than Tomas? I’m just saying, it’s an unfair and illogical comment…they were “known as good people in the neighborhood” Tomas was known as a good person all over the country. This whole situation is just crazy.

frank
Guest
frank
13 years ago
Reply to  Alphabet City

I trust objective investigators over the suspect’s biased friends any day.

Sean
Guest
Sean
13 years ago
Reply to  frank

I trust out of town comments and investigators over northern California police or residents.

Sorry, but that area stinks worse than a poopy diaper of dirty police and communities centered around a drug culture.

Kettenpom Store
Guest
Kettenpom Store
13 years ago
Reply to  Sean

Where do you live?

Sean
Guest
Sean
13 years ago

I am from the safest small community in the USA.

I will believe the Community/Law Enforcement when the suspect is proven guilty through DNA evidence, which should have been present underneath the victims fingernails and would indicate who they struggled against. (if it isn’t Mas wonder if it’s one of the Gunds or even more scary a unknown third party)

The Gunds have too fishy of a story for me to trust them or the Law Enforcement or the Community.

Why would Jim let Norma enter the house with someone who MUST look suspicious after slitting two people’s throats? (that would be a messy endeavor)

Why would Jim have thick rubber gloves on? That sounds very suspicious, pre-meditated criminals wear gloves.

How would Jim be able to overpower someone who is 27 years younger than him and likely much larger, and armed?

Why would Tomas take some money but not ALL of the money?

I find it hard to believe that this happened as the many everchanging stories say, it sounds like there was some story coaching at the Kettenpom Store.

Like I said before and I’ll say again, I will believe that the murderer is dead when they show conclusive DNA evidence that indicates there was a struggle between the Suspect and the dead victims.

Until then this firmly confirms my suspicion that this area IS a lawless and violent community. (and it’s not just THIS that makes me think this I’ve heard it from numerous first person accounts)

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Sean

Sean, I’m going to take the liberty of answering your questions that are troubling you by copying in a comment that tra (aka the reasonable anonymous) made earlier.

“That’s all understandable, and I sympathize with your point of view.

But please be aware that when you are “asking questions” in a way that paints a whole intricate scenario wherein the folks who were asked to check in on their neighbors after a 911 call are, in your scenario, somehow responsible for both the murders and their own injuries, with the husband supposedly nearly killing his own wife by slashing her throat to cover up “their” crime…well that kind of “question” is really a bit much. It really does come across as more of a veiled accusation rather than just an innocent question.

This is a little bit like the classic “how long have you been beating your wife” question that politicians fear, because if you deny it you’re giving credence to it by taking it seriously, but if you don’t deny it, that can be taken as an admission of guilt.

At this point I have not seem ANY evidence that would suggest that the accounts given by the Gunds, the sheriffs, and the folks at the Kettenpom store are inaccurate. Unless some kind of evidence turns up that suggests that those accounts are inaccurate in important ways, I really do think people should refrain from speculative scenarios that assume otherwise.”

Amil Zola
Guest
Amil Zola
13 years ago
Reply to  Staff

Actually I like to speculate online, as do some of your other readers.

Adding to the stories around these crimes, gives a lot more fodder for the LE agencies who are reading these blogs.

The archives make interesting reading vis a vis your local mindset regarding the business end of MJ. Don’t assume that all of us in Cornvalley are intimately involved in a business that supports your local economy.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Sean

I don’t want to speculate on why various scenarios happened. Because I don’t know the answers. I’m probably going to regret this but I’m going to just take one of your concerns and speculate a little as an example of what could be a reasonable explanation.

You ask why would Jim have thick rubber gloves on.

If we postulate that the story occurred as the police, the storekeeper and Mr. Gund’s daughter have stated, then there was a storm in the area. Mr. Gund decides to go check on a neighbor; he searches for a pair of gloves and finds a pair of big rubberized gloves. He puts them on.

That seems like a reasonable explanation. I’ve done something similar frequently. Occasionally, I’ve even worn a pair of socks to keep my hands warm when I was in a hurry and couldn’t find my gloves.

Friend of Sky and Mas
Guest
Friend of Sky and Mas
13 years ago
Reply to  Sean

As you can see from my “name” on here I was a “friend” to Mas, but I do actually believe that he was capable of doing this. You never know what people are capable of in the darkest recesses of their minds. And most of these questions are just reaching for a string to prove his innocence which I can understand but it’s kind of pointless since the majority of the important questions may never be answered since the involved parties are all deceased. To try and address your questions logically –

Why would Jim let Norma enter the house with someone who MUST look suspicious after slitting two people’s throats? (that would be a messy endeavor) – Who says it would be messy or that he would look suspicious? If it was really Mas who opened the door why would we expect Norma and Jim to see him any differently than we all saw him when he was in social situations? You know… a gentle giant? All of the details of how the bodies of Kristine and Sky were positioned are not available. For all we know Mas could have been standing behind them which would not have left him as a bloody mess. And if that was not the case and he was a mess at some point, perhaps he put on a jacket or cleaned up before Jim and Norma arrived.

Why would Jim have thick rubber gloves on? That sounds very suspicious, pre-meditated criminals wear gloves. – As do doctors and surgeons, and ….wait for it…. road workers. From the accounts of the store owner they thought they may have been responding to somethin that happened during the storm. Perhaps he planned to have to move a tree or something. Or perhaps he was out training his horses or moving dung and was already wearing them when they got the call immediately without taking them off. Really no one is going to be able to answer that question besides Mr. Gund.

How would Jim be able to overpower someone who is 27 years younger than him and likely much larger, and armed? – Have you seen Arnold Schwarzenegger? He will be 64 this year. Now, I’m not saying Mr. Gund was Arnie or anything, I am simply stating that since we do not know him, we cannot think that just because he was older than Mas that he could not have taken him on at a moment when Ms was trying to kill his wife. I mean there have been cases of mothers lifting cars off of their sons in heated moments – its called adrenalin.

Why would Tomas take some money but not ALL of the money? – I had this thought as well, but perhaps he was interrupted by the Gunds before he could collect everything else that was left there?

To address the rest of the wild theories out there about a second person having been involved. If there was someone else involved where were they after everyone was gone from the house? Would they not have wanted to take anything of value including the marijuana and cash? Being in that remote of an area would they not have had the time once the “suspected murderer” and the Gunds were gone. The time from when the call went out to the cops from the store and the time they arrived?

I also want to believe that our friend did not do this, but all the evidence points directly at him. I think it is time to accept, heal, and show our support for those that loved them.

Kettenpom Store
Guest
Kettenpom Store
13 years ago

Thank you for your post.

Jim doesn’t go anywhere without those gloves. He works outside all the time and most of the stuff he does requires having gloves on.

Also we were talking about Jim and the whole adrenaline thing. Is it also possible because Jim works daily with animals four or five times the size Mas that he was somewhat accustomed to dealing with things much larger than him and quite capable of killing him at any moment? Not that Jim is what I would call a fighter at all but he is very savvy with those horses.
I am also quite sure that seeing what he did gave him that burst of adrenaline that you mentioned. Like you said mothers have moved cars off of babies.

Great point about the way Jim and Norma perceived Mas. Why would they see him any different than everyone else.

Friend of Sky and Mas
Guest
Friend of Sky and Mas
13 years ago

When I read that Mr. Gund worked with horses I had that exact thought. Anyone who has worked with horses before (which I have) knows that you have to be strong with them. Both physically and mentally. How else are you going to get a 1000 lb. animal to do what you want it to do? In a situation like this I for one would be proud to call the Gunds neighbors! They did what I would hope my neighbors would do for me, and they should be commended for their efforts. They are in my thoughts and I wish them a speedy recovery.

Friend Twice Removed
Guest
Friend Twice Removed
13 years ago

I very much appreciate your comments Mr Kettenpom store. I also commend your bravery for going to the residence to assist your friend and neighbor Jim. You could only speculate on what you would be walking into. God bless you and your community in your time or sorrow.

Don’t allow these conspiracy theoriest sway you from the truth.

Keep posting…I look for your comments!

Kettenpom Store
Guest
Kettenpom Store
13 years ago
Reply to  Sean

The safest samll community in the USA is Corvallis Ore.???

Can someone show me something that supports that claim?

Here are some safe cities in the USA. This list was made by The Farmers Insurance Group. Using stats and figures not opinion. There are 60 cities named and somehow I missed Corvallis???

http://albanyca.localspur.com/2010/01/03/where-are-the-safest-places-to-live-in-the-united-states/

http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/76587/america_properties/where_are_the_safest_places_to_live_in_the_united_states.html

I find this sort of strange that I can’t find anything about Corvallis being the safest small community in the USA. Maybe that is your opinion and you are off base?
Maybe you can show something other than your opinion that says that?
It would be much more convincing if someone with some credentials shared your opinion.

Third Eye
Guest
13 years ago

Not that this bears any valid reflection on the original discussion, but Corvallis has indeed been recognized for it’s safety.

OSU named “Safest Pac-10 Campus” (University of Southern California study, 1994.)

In 2006, the Morgan Quitno Awards ranked Corvallis as the 20th safest city (of 344) in the 13th Annual America’s Safest (and Most Dangerous) Cities publication for metropolitan areas of its size.

In a 2007 report, Farmer’s Insurance Group ranked Corvallis as the “most secure” small city in America, based on (as reported by Insurance Journal magazine) crime statistics, extreme weather, risk of natural disasters, environmental hazards, terrorism threats, air quality, life expectancy and job loss numbers.

G.Reale
Guest
G.Reale
13 years ago

Here you are: http://www.gazettetimes.com/news/local/article_29302ab2-09b1-11e0-b916-001cc4c03286.html

The top ranking was lost, which appear to be economically based. top spot held 2007, 2008.

I goggled: Corvallis safest small town.

Kettenpom Store
Guest
Kettenpom Store
13 years ago
Reply to  G.Reale

Thank you.
It is not accurate to say the SAFEST small community in the USA. Like it really matters anyway but the original statement was “I live in the safest small community in the USA.” No one can show me where it says that. In fact your town has been slipping down the list.
First you couldn’t get police tasers if you were a regular citizen.

Then you guys are from THE safest small town in the USA.
Then why is it that the first murder in our community in YEARS involves one of YOUR BEST???
Like someone else has already said if Mas was one of your best I would hate to see your worst…
I know this doesn’t go for everyone on here… But some of you guys seem like you would believe ANYTHING as long as your friend Mas was shown to be innocent.
Wild conspiracy theories have been carelessly thrown around, all to make a heartless killer look better???
I think you guys really need to step back and look at all of the evidence. Realize that you are being delusional and hurtful to people who have been through allot.

If you guys are who you say you are… You have a terrible way of showing it.
Imagine for a second that everything is just as we/they say it was. Which I have no doubt…
Do you guys see the denial that you are in? What are you all going to say in the end???
I would think some formal apologies would be in order.

joiningthediscussion
Guest
joiningthediscussion
13 years ago

I said Was one of our best and if you’ve been following my threads you wouldn’t be singling out that statementwithout a reference to every other thing I’ve said – grief expressed and shock at this unknowingly differencein character -that we had no way of knowing and had never been expressebefore- that’s just really rude to assume that we are fools b/c we thought someone was the goodnesshe expressed- read more closely before you say something so hurtful about the quality of the people of our community – one person will never be able to represent all of us. that was a really sucky thing to say

lewrod
Guest
lewrod
13 years ago
Reply to  Sean

Some of us here have not been fooled by the big influx of profiteering pot growers since passage of Prop. 215. It has led to much addled thinking that they can now grow as much as they want wherever they want. They have been ruining residential neighborhoods in Trinity County. The old timers were quiet, decent neighbors. Thanks to the ilk of “High Times” magazine, greedy profiteers have come from across the U.S. and Canada to grow pot. Big money leads to violence.

S
Guest
S
13 years ago

Kyn, I agree with you, the whole thing stretches my imagination. And believe me, I am not trying to slander anyone- really- but I am just asking questions because I am sad and heartbroken for all of it. I am not trying to stir up anger or cause any harm- I just want want the truth to shine and so far, I don’t feel it.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  S

S, hopefully, in the days to come as more evidence comes to light, you’ll find some answers. I can only imagine the pain you are feeling and I am sorry.

An old ex and friend of tomas
Guest
An old ex and friend of tomas
13 years ago
Reply to  Staff

I think he witnessed something and was terrified, and that’s why he ran. I don’t have any idea what. Perhaps he was framed. Stranger things have happened.

S
Guest
S
13 years ago

Kyn, I agree with you, the whole thing stretches my imagination. And believe me, I am not trying to slander anyone- really- but I am just asking questions because I am sad and heartbroken for all of it. I am not trying to stir up anger or cause any harm- I just want want the truth to shine and so far, I don’t feel it.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  S

S, hopefully, in the days to come as more evidence comes to light, you’ll find some answers. I can only imagine the pain you are feeling and I am sorry.

An old ex and friend of tomas
Guest
An old ex and friend of tomas
13 years ago
Reply to  Staff

I think he witnessed something and was terrified, and that’s why he ran. I don’t have any idea what. Perhaps he was framed. Stranger things have happened.

Amil Zola
Guest
Amil Zola
13 years ago

I think it only natural that reefer madness has entered in as a motive. Certainly Mas and Skye are good targets of those allegations, backed by a LE press release. No information as to weight, and the packaging issue is spurious. But I would like to hear more about it from LE. I’m wondering about the relationship of the Gunds to Skye and Christina, did they have a legal or illegal garden? Were the Gunds perhaps growers? And if Skye and Christina were already dead who did the search warrant get served to? Is there a landlord that may be able to shed light on this tragedy?

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Amil Zola

In one of the press releases the property was called the Constantino residence. Other people have said the property was owned by Sky. I don’t believe there was a landlord. Though I don’t know that. As to packaging, some growers do use the ubiquitous Reynold’s oven bags but others have distinctive seal a meal or other means of packaging.

I understand the need to have questions answered but this question about the Gunds feels a lot like an attack on people who, as far as all reports so far have given, were kind folks trying to help Sky and Kristine. They ended up grievously injured for their pains. Their lives will never be the same. Please tread kindly.

Amil Zola
Guest
Amil Zola
13 years ago

I think it only natural that reefer madness has entered in as a motive. Certainly Mas and Skye are good targets of those allegations, backed by a LE press release. No information as to weight, and the packaging issue is spurious. But I would like to hear more about it from LE. I’m wondering about the relationship of the Gunds to Skye and Christina, did they have a legal or illegal garden? Were the Gunds perhaps growers? And if Skye and Christina were already dead who did the search warrant get served to? Is there a landlord that may be able to shed light on this tragedy?

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Amil Zola

In one of the press releases the property was called the Constantino residence. Other people have said the property was owned by Sky. I don’t believe there was a landlord. Though I don’t know that. As to packaging, some growers do use the ubiquitous Reynold’s oven bags but others have distinctive seal a meal or other means of packaging.

I understand the need to have questions answered but this question about the Gunds feels a lot like an attack on people who, as far as all reports so far have given, were kind folks trying to help Sky and Kristine. They ended up grievously injured for their pains. Their lives will never be the same. Please tread kindly.

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago

That’s all understandable, and I sympathize with your point of view.

But please be aware that when you are “asking questions” in a way that paints a whole intricate scenario wherein the folks who were asked to check in on their neighbors after a 911 call are, in your scenario, somehow responsible for both the murders and their own injuries, with the husband supposedly nearly killing his own wife by slashing her throat to cover up “their” crime…well that kind of “question” is really a bit much. It really does come across as more of a veiled accusation rather than just an innocent question.

This is a little bit like the classic “how long have you been beating your wife” question that politicians fear, because if you deny it you’re giving credence to it by taking it seriously, but if you don’t deny it, that can be taken as an admission of guilt.

At this point I have not seem ANY evidence that would suggest that the accounts given by the Gunds, the sheriffs, and the folks at the Kettenpom store are inaccurate. Unless some kind of evidence turns up that suggests that those accounts are inaccurate in important ways, I really do think people should refrain from speculative scenarios that assume otherwise.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  tra

Yes, I agree!

Friend of Sky
Guest
Friend of Sky
13 years ago
Reply to  tra

Yeah you Kym and I area basically on the same page. 🙂 Thank you for bringing reason and common sense to the discussion.

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago

That’s all understandable, and I sympathize with your point of view.

But please be aware that when you are “asking questions” in a way that paints a whole intricate scenario wherein the folks who were asked to check in on their neighbors after a 911 call are, in your scenario, somehow responsible for both the murders and their own injuries, with the husband supposedly nearly killing his own wife by slashing her throat to cover up “their” crime…well that kind of “question” is really a bit much. It really does come across as more of a veiled accusation rather than just an innocent question.

This is a little bit like the classic “how long have you been beating your wife” question that politicians fear, because if you deny it you’re giving credence to it by taking it seriously, but if you don’t deny it, that can be taken as an admission of guilt.

At this point I have not seem ANY evidence that would suggest that the accounts given by the Gunds, the sheriffs, and the folks at the Kettenpom store are inaccurate. Unless some kind of evidence turns up that suggests that those accounts are inaccurate in important ways, I really do think people should refrain from speculative scenarios that assume otherwise.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  tra

Yes, I agree!

Friend of Sky
Guest
Friend of Sky
13 years ago
Reply to  tra

Yeah you Kym and I area basically on the same page. 🙂 Thank you for bringing reason and common sense to the discussion.

trackback

[…] Earlier post can be found here and here. […]

trackback

[…] Earlier post can be found here and here. […]

Staff
Member
13 years ago

There is new information here.

Staff
Member
13 years ago

There is new information here.

An old ex and friend of tomas
Guest
An old ex and friend of tomas
13 years ago

Just stop, and think for a second, who is the last person on Earth you believe capable of doing something like this. Slitting people’s throats. Your mother, your sister, your best friend, whoever it is in YOUR life. Well, that’s Tomas to a lot of people. Honestly, there are a handful of people I know, that if you told me they snapped and did this, I would believe it in a minute. But not him.

Whatever
Guest
Whatever
13 years ago

Your friend Tomas is a murderer. He was not at the wrong time or wrong place. Give me a break. He premeditated to rob and kill them. Why he would have a taser gun?? Just accept it, the evidence is right there. Why he had the cash and marijuana with him in the car? And why he was running from police if he was indeed innocent? He was just greedy and wanted something that was not his, and ended up killing his friends. Such a scumbag! He took two lives and almost kill the Gunds. You absolutely only knew this guy one side or maybe you are hallucinating. Believe on whatever you want to believe, the fact is the fact.

An old ex and friend of tomas
Guest
An old ex and friend of tomas
13 years ago

Just stop, and think for a second, who is the last person on Earth you believe capable of doing something like this. Slitting people’s throats. Your mother, your sister, your best friend, whoever it is in YOUR life. Well, that’s Tomas to a lot of people. Honestly, there are a handful of people I know, that if you told me they snapped and did this, I would believe it in a minute. But not him.

Whatever
Guest
Whatever
13 years ago

Your friend Tomas is a murderer. He was not at the wrong time or wrong place. Give me a break. He premeditated to rob and kill them. Why he would have a taser gun?? Just accept it, the evidence is right there. Why he had the cash and marijuana with him in the car? And why he was running from police if he was indeed innocent? He was just greedy and wanted something that was not his, and ended up killing his friends. Such a scumbag! He took two lives and almost kill the Gunds. You absolutely only knew this guy one side or maybe you are hallucinating. Believe on whatever you want to believe, the fact is the fact.

Friend of a friend
Guest
Friend of a friend
13 years ago

This is tragic any way you look at it. There are three losses here, and no one can seem to justify any of them other than, they where dabbling in something that is illigal. For those who know “Mas”, I am truelly sorry for your loss. But please show some compassion for the other lives lost. I know a lot of people who knew him and they all are pointing fingers at Sky and Kristine and even the Gunds who where just trying to be good neighbors.

We know now that Sky and Kristine did do some illigal things, but that does not make there murder justifiable in any way that I can see. They are victims and from what I have read on posts here and elsewhere people are making the Gunds and them out to be bad guys.

Should we not all be focused on the fact that this is tragic at any angle it can be seen from instead of victimizing the one that commited the murders?

Friend of a friend
Guest
Friend of a friend
13 years ago

This is tragic any way you look at it. There are three losses here, and no one can seem to justify any of them other than, they where dabbling in something that is illigal. For those who know “Mas”, I am truelly sorry for your loss. But please show some compassion for the other lives lost. I know a lot of people who knew him and they all are pointing fingers at Sky and Kristine and even the Gunds who where just trying to be good neighbors.

We know now that Sky and Kristine did do some illigal things, but that does not make there murder justifiable in any way that I can see. They are victims and from what I have read on posts here and elsewhere people are making the Gunds and them out to be bad guys.

Should we not all be focused on the fact that this is tragic at any angle it can be seen from instead of victimizing the one that commited the murders?

Staff
Member
13 years ago

Someone offered some photos of Kristine Constantino and I have made a memory page of her for those who would like to share memories and photos. You could upload the photos to photobucket and put the link in the comments or you can send them to me. [email protected]

Staff
Member
13 years ago

Someone offered some photos of Kristine Constantino and I have made a memory page of her for those who would like to share memories and photos. You could upload the photos to photobucket and put the link in the comments or you can send them to me. [email protected]

humboldtkids
Guest
humboldtkids
13 years ago

Fiance here: Kym, this is so sad. It has torn me up reading these comments. The insensitivity of some people just galls me. As much as you may not want to believe someone you knew and loved did this sort of thing, it does happen but to try and displace the blame on the victims and the neighbors who were trying to help the victims is sickening.

When I was in high school a guy that I absoutley loved, who was one of the most mild mannered people I knew killed another guy over a $100 pound of pot. It took me a long time to accept that he did this horrible crime. (Ok, so I’m dating myself) Even way back then in the dark ages the illegal aspect of drugs did things to normal people. He was just a kid. 16. During his trial a scant few months later they posted a picture of him in the newspaper…..I didn’t recognize him. His demeanor was totally different. He spent 25 years in jail and it hasn’t been that long ago that he was released it also wasn’t that long before he went back. I thought of contacting him after his release but something deep inside me told me that when he committed that murder he ceased to be the person I knew and loved all through school.

Sean
Guest
Sean
13 years ago
Reply to  humboldtkids

Why do you start your post with

“Fiance Here”

That sounds odd, who’s fiance? Not Tomas’ as you’ve dated yourself out of that possibility

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Sean

Two people from the same account comment frequently on my blog. When the woman comments, she distinguishes herself from the other by saying Fiance here before she makes her comment.

humboldtkids
Guest
humboldtkids
13 years ago

Fiance here: Kym, this is so sad. It has torn me up reading these comments. The insensitivity of some people just galls me. As much as you may not want to believe someone you knew and loved did this sort of thing, it does happen but to try and displace the blame on the victims and the neighbors who were trying to help the victims is sickening.

When I was in high school a guy that I absoutley loved, who was one of the most mild mannered people I knew killed another guy over a $100 pound of pot. It took me a long time to accept that he did this horrible crime. (Ok, so I’m dating myself) Even way back then in the dark ages the illegal aspect of drugs did things to normal people. He was just a kid. 16. During his trial a scant few months later they posted a picture of him in the newspaper…..I didn’t recognize him. His demeanor was totally different. He spent 25 years in jail and it hasn’t been that long ago that he was released it also wasn’t that long before he went back. I thought of contacting him after his release but something deep inside me told me that when he committed that murder he ceased to be the person I knew and loved all through school.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  humboldtkids

It is really hard to believe badly of someone you’ve known a long time. Especially a loved one. I know I would have a hard time accepting that most people I know did something like this.

Sean
Guest
Sean
13 years ago
Reply to  humboldtkids

Why do you start your post with

“Fiance Here”

That sounds odd, who’s fiance? Not Tomas’ as you’ve dated yourself out of that possibility

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Sean

Two people from the same account comment frequently on my blog. When the woman comments, she distinguishes herself from the other by saying Fiance here before she makes her comment.

stopthemadness
Guest
stopthemadness
13 years ago

one more time i’ll post this: i knew mas, as a friend at first. then after a simple misunderstanding, he decided i was his enemy. despite numerous attempts to reconcile, apologize, make it right he still thought i was out to get him. paranoid people will be nice to those who they think are friends, but treat the rest as enemies. maybe this happened with his friend sky. suddenly he became an enemy and had to be eliminated. the fact he had a tazer with him and chose to cut their throats meant it was premeditated and with clear intent to kill. perhaps mas flipped out and went psychotic, with the help of some psychedelics. or maybe he was under the influence of the black market, and felt he was being ripped off. we may never know. but as one who knew him, yes mas had a very dark side which he kept hidden from those who saw him as a “teddy bear giant”. i saw the dark side, and was horrified at this story – wondering if i might have been his next victim.

Friend of Sky
Guest
Friend of Sky
13 years ago
Reply to  stopthemadness

You are the one person speaking out about another side to him. Thank you for doing it but I wonder why you are alone in this.

Friend of Sky and Mas
Guest
Friend of Sky and Mas
13 years ago
Reply to  stopthemadness

Stopthemadness is not alone in their sentiments. I never had good feelings about Mas, but let them go because I felt if he was good enough for Mas’ fiance then that was good enough for me since I love and respect her. There are several others out there that felt the same way as we did about Mas, but they do not want to speak out as they know that many people are reading this and they do not want to get anonymously attacked by the other readers, and they also do not want to hurt the feelings of all of the people directly influenced by this. Namely Mas’ fiance who needs our support at this time and not us saying things that they do not need to hear. They should be allowed time to grieve and mourn not have to hear that their friends felt this way about their loved ones.

stopthemadness
Guest
stopthemadness
13 years ago

one more time i’ll post this: i knew mas, as a friend at first. then after a simple misunderstanding, he decided i was his enemy. despite numerous attempts to reconcile, apologize, make it right he still thought i was out to get him. paranoid people will be nice to those who they think are friends, but treat the rest as enemies. maybe this happened with his friend sky. suddenly he became an enemy and had to be eliminated. the fact he had a tazer with him and chose to cut their throats meant it was premeditated and with clear intent to kill. perhaps mas flipped out and went psychotic, with the help of some psychedelics. or maybe he was under the influence of the black market, and felt he was being ripped off. we may never know. but as one who knew him, yes mas had a very dark side which he kept hidden from those who saw him as a “teddy bear giant”. i saw the dark side, and was horrified at this story – wondering if i might have been his next victim.

Friend of Sky
Guest
Friend of Sky
13 years ago
Reply to  stopthemadness

You are the one person speaking out about another side to him. Thank you for doing it but I wonder why you are alone in this.

Friend of Sky and Mas
Guest
Friend of Sky and Mas
13 years ago
Reply to  stopthemadness

Stopthemadness is not alone in their sentiments. I never had good feelings about Mas, but let them go because I felt if he was good enough for Mas’ fiance then that was good enough for me since I love and respect her. There are several others out there that felt the same way as we did about Mas, but they do not want to speak out as they know that many people are reading this and they do not want to get anonymously attacked by the other readers, and they also do not want to hurt the feelings of all of the people directly influenced by this. Namely Mas’ fiance who needs our support at this time and not us saying things that they do not need to hear. They should be allowed time to grieve and mourn not have to hear that their friends felt this way about their loved ones.

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[…] More on the 17th about marijuana being found in the getaway car and the victims’ residence here. […]

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[…] More on the 17th about marijuana being found in the getaway car and the victims’ residence here. […]

joiningthediscussion
Guest
joiningthediscussion
13 years ago

wow. This is such a trajedy and I have deep sadness for all the victims and at the loss of life. Getting offended and telling people to hold the comments seems contrary to this blog. Why not just shut the whole thing down then.. I thought that was the point of it to welcome discussion wether you agree or not. That being said, I’m gonna say. I knew Thomas… but did I and how many of the people singing his praises really knew him. You can think you know someone by hanging out with them on occasions but that doesn’t mean you know them. Like why the heck was he even down there in the first place. I didn’t know that so I’m open to the possiblity that there might have been other things about him I didn’t know as well such as having a dark side and or using some sort of altercating drugs. (honestly I thought he was straight laced as someone had before mentioned. Sometimes though people turn straight laced after horrible experiences being non straight laced because they realize they don’t have good reactions to taking drugs. Such might be the case here. I recently heard he started drinking again so it’s possible he started doing other things too. I’m not really talking about marijuanna here..although it may be a slim possibiltiy – it’s highly unlikely that alone would be enough to cause a personality altercation, in fact alcohol is more indicative of violent behavior than pot is. What’s really indicative of such an extreme personality shift and inducive of out of character violent behavior is PCP or angel dust . Maybe he choose to took it himself OR maybe he bought something on the internet that he thought was something harmless but was PCP OR maybe it was on the Marijuanna (I don’t know the character of the victims either and if we’re going to be objective we must consider it all) OR maybe the marijuanna wasn’t all from the victims operation- maybe they got some outside stuff for exchange and they smoked some and it was laced. It’s all very possible. Maybe Thomas was pissed about getting unsuspectingly laced or maybe he just freaked out after the drug set in and had a predisposition to having a negative reaction. Yes you can do a complete 360 with a simple shift in brain biochemistry – it’s hard to imagine alot of our sanity rests on delicate biochemistry of our brains. I have had the misfortune of experienceing several two faced people in my life who have acted violently but not this violent.. still the edge for one person is always different for another. For one of these people I knew it was attributed to alcohol the other nothing. simply personality . So wether drugs played a part or not – we will see once the toxicology reports come back so I hope you keep us updated. Although I and many knew Thomas to be a good person- I did have some previous conversations with some well respected friends regarding a different side of him. People with more than one personality may not show it to but a few and it may not manifest until the right button is pushed whatever it is.. perhaps in this case it was money or something said. I’m guessing only one of the murders was “intented ” the rest out of fear for what was done and to get rid of the witnesses . I”m having a hard time imagining.. even if you were framed or had a bunch of weed in your vehicle why you would run from the cops- especially for so long. a good forty miles ought to be enough time to calm down if you weren’t guilty and just an innocent bystander. Thomas hit a tree and died.. the two cops could have very much been in the same boat under those dangerous driving conditions so their lives were jeopordized by his actions too. While it’s a stretch for me to believe such a horrible crime was committed by someone whom I thought was such a great person and who other people I Know are great people who think the same- It makes alot more sense that something was wrong with him rather than two dead victims, two neighbors/wounded victims, and some policemen and a made up story. Again .. the DNA evidence should be eye opening and confirm.. until then of course it’s speculation. Did he take Martial Arts? I believe Aikido which is one of the most non violent forms of MA , but how is that relevant.. Martial Artists don’t learn how to slash throats or tase people- I’d be more apt to ask wether the neighbor who was able to disarm him and escape with his life took martial arts then the suspect. Stabbing or slashing a throat… I don’t see how one signifies more competence or confindence in commiting the crime over the other. It’s probably the best way to go about it if you want someone dead and perhaps he was just smart enough to know that- that is if he did. we should find out enough soon enough. Linking the invitations of the crime to the victims because they had a grow operation seems uneducated . Does anyone know if they were legal-as it is a legal business in this day and age and we will likely see respectable people doing it with it’s increased use as a medicine. As I mentioned before I’ve seen way worse crime and violence surrounding legal alcohol use than I have with marijuana. There’s no way to assure you won’t be on the wrong end of a personality gone out of balance no matter if you are growing flowers for charity or whatever if in fact that’s what happened. My deep condolences to all effected parties as I’m just an outsider. I feel deep sadness for the loss of life and if Thomas is guilty – I feel deep sadness for his soul. While I too am perplexed as to why the husband would allow his wife to go in first to check out the situation (perhaps she knew Christine better and they thought it was more of a medical emergency than a crime) I am impressed by their willingness to help and their perseverence for driving to get help while wounded and holding on for life. When all the chips fall down with the facts and details it will still end the same way- deep sadness and loss. It was a most sad day indeed. horrific and a blow to humanity.

frank
Guest
frank
13 years ago

Please use paragraphs. No one will read that.

Friend of Sky
Guest
Friend of Sky
13 years ago

I agree..I really wanted to read your whole post but it was a bit overwhelming. Paragraphs are a bit easier to read. BUT I did read a lot of it and thanks for your thoughts.

joiningthediscussion
Guest
joiningthediscussion
13 years ago

wow. This is such a trajedy and I have deep sadness for all the victims and at the loss of life. Getting offended and telling people to hold the comments seems contrary to this blog. Why not just shut the whole thing down then.. I thought that was the point of it to welcome discussion wether you agree or not. That being said, I’m gonna say. I knew Thomas… but did I and how many of the people singing his praises really knew him. You can think you know someone by hanging out with them on occasions but that doesn’t mean you know them. Like why the heck was he even down there in the first place. I didn’t know that so I’m open to the possiblity that there might have been other things about him I didn’t know as well such as having a dark side and or using some sort of altercating drugs. (honestly I thought he was straight laced as someone had before mentioned. Sometimes though people turn straight laced after horrible experiences being non straight laced because they realize they don’t have good reactions to taking drugs. Such might be the case here. I recently heard he started drinking again so it’s possible he started doing other things too. I’m not really talking about marijuanna here..although it may be a slim possibiltiy – it’s highly unlikely that alone would be enough to cause a personality altercation, in fact alcohol is more indicative of violent behavior than pot is. What’s really indicative of such an extreme personality shift and inducive of out of character violent behavior is PCP or angel dust . Maybe he choose to took it himself OR maybe he bought something on the internet that he thought was something harmless but was PCP OR maybe it was on the Marijuanna (I don’t know the character of the victims either and if we’re going to be objective we must consider it all) OR maybe the marijuanna wasn’t all from the victims operation- maybe they got some outside stuff for exchange and they smoked some and it was laced. It’s all very possible. Maybe Thomas was pissed about getting unsuspectingly laced or maybe he just freaked out after the drug set in and had a predisposition to having a negative reaction. Yes you can do a complete 360 with a simple shift in brain biochemistry – it’s hard to imagine alot of our sanity rests on delicate biochemistry of our brains. I have had the misfortune of experienceing several two faced people in my life who have acted violently but not this violent.. still the edge for one person is always different for another. For one of these people I knew it was attributed to alcohol the other nothing. simply personality . So wether drugs played a part or not – we will see once the toxicology reports come back so I hope you keep us updated. Although I and many knew Thomas to be a good person- I did have some previous conversations with some well respected friends regarding a different side of him. People with more than one personality may not show it to but a few and it may not manifest until the right button is pushed whatever it is.. perhaps in this case it was money or something said. I’m guessing only one of the murders was “intented ” the rest out of fear for what was done and to get rid of the witnesses . I”m having a hard time imagining.. even if you were framed or had a bunch of weed in your vehicle why you would run from the cops- especially for so long. a good forty miles ought to be enough time to calm down if you weren’t guilty and just an innocent bystander. Thomas hit a tree and died.. the two cops could have very much been in the same boat under those dangerous driving conditions so their lives were jeopordized by his actions too. While it’s a stretch for me to believe such a horrible crime was committed by someone whom I thought was such a great person and who other people I Know are great people who think the same- It makes alot more sense that something was wrong with him rather than two dead victims, two neighbors/wounded victims, and some policemen and a made up story. Again .. the DNA evidence should be eye opening and confirm.. until then of course it’s speculation. Did he take Martial Arts? I believe Aikido which is one of the most non violent forms of MA , but how is that relevant.. Martial Artists don’t learn how to slash throats or tase people- I’d be more apt to ask wether the neighbor who was able to disarm him and escape with his life took martial arts then the suspect. Stabbing or slashing a throat… I don’t see how one signifies more competence or confindence in commiting the crime over the other. It’s probably the best way to go about it if you want someone dead and perhaps he was just smart enough to know that- that is if he did. we should find out enough soon enough. Linking the invitations of the crime to the victims because they had a grow operation seems uneducated . Does anyone know if they were legal-as it is a legal business in this day and age and we will likely see respectable people doing it with it’s increased use as a medicine. As I mentioned before I’ve seen way worse crime and violence surrounding legal alcohol use than I have with marijuana. There’s no way to assure you won’t be on the wrong end of a personality gone out of balance no matter if you are growing flowers for charity or whatever if in fact that’s what happened. My deep condolences to all effected parties as I’m just an outsider. I feel deep sadness for the loss of life and if Thomas is guilty – I feel deep sadness for his soul. While I too am perplexed as to why the husband would allow his wife to go in first to check out the situation (perhaps she knew Christine better and they thought it was more of a medical emergency than a crime) I am impressed by their willingness to help and their perseverence for driving to get help while wounded and holding on for life. When all the chips fall down with the facts and details it will still end the same way- deep sadness and loss. It was a most sad day indeed. horrific and a blow to humanity.

frank
Guest
frank
13 years ago

Please use paragraphs. No one will read that.

Friend of Sky
Guest
Friend of Sky
13 years ago

I agree..I really wanted to read your whole post but it was a bit overwhelming. Paragraphs are a bit easier to read. BUT I did read a lot of it and thanks for your thoughts.

D T
Guest
D T
13 years ago

the Gunds are fine citizens,the type you would want to come to your aid in an adverse sitsuation,Mrs Gund is an EMT,and has been a school bus driver in the area ,to do that job you are subjected to many tests such as drug testing etc.,Mr.Gund is also a upstanding local citizen,who worked with the local county road crew,(drug test also required).both known localy as good ,trustworthy,longtime residents,Mr.Gund is also,big and tough,his wife has been described to me as “one of the most capable women in our area” ,we are all proud of our area ,and a majority of our local population ,would do what they could to nulify a bad sitsuation,and go selflessly to help others. we are a very close knit comunity.there is no doubt in my mind that “mas” attacked the
Gunds .there is no doubt in my mind that he ran from the police in a very premeditated way,the roads he chose proves to me that he knew what he was doing.I have heard no evidence to prove that ,in fact, he murdered sky and Kristine,but he did come outside and tell the Gunds that they were fine,and lead them into the house with all intentions of killing them,with the same weapons.no conspiracy here!to suggest that is irresponsible at the least.I have my own speculations that he may have had an acomplice that possibly left before the Gunds arrived,but that is a speculation ,I also belive that he may have run off the road on purpose but that is also speculation,my symphathies go out to all touched by this

Deb
Guest
Deb
13 years ago
Reply to  D T

There’s been a huge contradiction on this blog. People say to the friends of Tomas ‘it doesn’t matter if you thought your friend was a good person. You can’t know what people are hiding or truly capable of.”

But the to any comment that Jim Gund’s story is really very strange, the answer is, ‘But they are good people!’

You can’t discount the ‘good person’ defense on one hand, and then immediately employ it on the other. I guess everyone falls back on what THEY know.

I think it’s more likely that another party was involved but the police wanted it to be Tomas and they pushed the Gunds to identify him so they could close the case. This is not far-fetched–this happens EVERY DAY. Witness identification is not reliable, especially when they are walking a man into a room, pointing to a corpse and saying ‘this is the man that did this to you, right?’ Of course you are going to get a positive ID.’

There will be no DNA testing. Have the even found the murder weapon? There’s just no incentive for police to find the truth here, locals want it neatly wrapped up and seem all too ready to believe the murderer is dead.

Sean
Guest
Sean
13 years ago
Reply to  Deb

Finally someone points out the obvious hypocritical backing.

Friend of Sky
Guest
Friend of Sky
13 years ago
Reply to  Sean

Why did he run?

Friend of Sky
Guest
Friend of Sky
13 years ago
Reply to  Friend of Sky

I mean I agree with your point about saying “he’s a good person and “they are good people”. But there is more evidence here than just that. Oregon plates adn teal car and Mas running from the cops. The 911 call and the Gunds were home when they got the call from the police to ask if they knew where a Kristine lived. So the police just happen to choosethe exact people that Kristine was calling about to ask where she lived? Now that is far fetched. Not impossible, but far fetched. They have no reason to lie..now the ID of suspects…that is very faulty.

RT
Guest
RT
13 years ago
Reply to  Friend of Sky

But there are also the weird inconsistencies in the stories between the deputy and the Gunds. Jim Gund said the deputy talked to him and asked him to go over to the house. The deputy’s office has said that the deputy talked only to Norma, and explicitly told her NOT to go to the house.

Maybe the deputy is just trying to cover his butt. Maybe the Gunds daughter was confused, or Jim was unclear when he told her what had happened. But for all those who say nothing at all is strange in the story, there is glaring contradiction between the Gunds and the deputy that you can’t get around.

Also, the sheriff has apparently forbidden anyone from the department from talking to the media as of Friday, and the Redding paper believes they are getting so much less information than normal that they have filed a public records request to get information about the case. Which is also strange.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  RT

To be fair, the story we have from Mr. Gund is second hand and at a time of pretty intense trauma. I’d wait to see how the story comes from his first hand account. As you can see with my reporting of the rumor that Kristin and Mas were ex partners, even from credible sources, stories can get messed up without any intention on anyone’s part to deceive.

RT
Guest
RT
13 years ago
Reply to  Staff

Since the sheriff’s office was so blithely putting out information for which there was no evidence, are denying events as they were relayed by Mr. Gund, and are now refusing to talk to the media at all, I am not entirely sure they can be called a ‘credible source.’

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  RT

RT, what information did they put out that they didn’t have evidence for?

Friend of Sky and Mas
Guest
Friend of Sky and Mas
13 years ago
Reply to  RT

I don’t really think that we can hold a second hand account as being fully accurate. It’s like that game of telephone we used to play as kids where the first person in a circle of 20 said banana and the word at the end of the circle was tomato. I have not seen any statements come out directly from the Gunds, and those are the only ones that I would really trust. As for a big conspiracy theory, perhaps the cops are not releasing information yet because they are afraid of being sued by the Gunds. I read an article somewhere on the web (sorry it was a few days ago so I can not give you the link to it) saying that something like this had happened before. Where they sent a friend over to a house and got them killed. I would very much like to hear a first hand account of what happened directly from the Gunds so that all this conspiracy theory stuff can be dropped.