I don’t think so, but I am wondering if maybe there was some coercion exerted against him by somebody. The more I read about his disappearance, the more things point to the notion that he faked his death to disappear. If it was because someone was blackmailing him in 1998 though, it wouldn’t make much sense for him to wait 7 years to disappear. This case happened just months before he disappeared, so it’s tantalizing to wonder if maybe there was a blackmailer, who showed up again make demands on Gricar, and that was the last straw.
don't know if anything is related, but if you had a horrible crime to hide, wouldn't you want a slick cya district attorney on your case?.....makes everything so much easier...