Red Bluff Police Officer Murdered - UPDATE

Various News and RBPD links | Nov. 24, 2002 | Various

[Neil E. Wright]

First follow up article is from the Red Bluff Daily News:

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News

STUDENTS EXPRESS LOVE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT

By MARTI TAYLOR-DN Staff Writer

Students from Red Bluff High School joined in downtown Red Bluff today to show support and compassion to local law enforcement following the tragic death of Red Bluff Police Officer David Mobilio earlier this week.

Students from the sophomore leadership classes, student government and peer partners organized the event that included leaving fresh flowers on the bell outside the police department, as well as congregating on the four corners of Main Street, Oak Street and Antelope Boulevard. The carnations were a donation from the Gazebo Floral and Gift Shoppe in Red Bluff.

Those involved carried signs supporting all local branches of law enforcement and event wore buttons that read RBHS loves RBPD and CHP. The buttons were a, "symbolic gesture with a heart surrounding the green and gold writing."

"The kids wanted a way that they could show their support and love to the law enforcement of Tehama County, this is what they came up with," said Cindy Haase.

Several officials also attended the gathering including RBHS principal Patrick Gleason, RBUHS Superintendent Kathy Wheeler and Red Bluff City Council member Larry Stevens. Stevens thanked several organizers of the event for the positive display of solidarity towards the officers that protect Tehama County.

Haase also remembered Mobilio on a personal level, as a family friend. "This is such a tragic and horrible thing to happen, especially in Red Bluff." said Haase. "Dave was a fun, caring and generous man. I am truly saddened by his loss as is my entire family."

When asked what Mobilio would have thought of the outpouring of affection, Haase said that he would have liked being remembered as a, "wonderful, giving and fun friend."

"I don't think Dave would have wanted us to sit around being sad for him. He would have wanted us to catch whoever did this and we that's where we need to focus our energy," said Haase.

Students also spent another day of mourning at the Butte College campus in Chico. Flags at the college have been flying at half mast on the campus since the incident. Mobilio was a, fall 1995, graduate of the 91st basic law enforcement academy offered at the college.

Lisa DeLaby a representative of the program said that students in the program have been in shock since hearing the news. "They just can't believe that one of their own is gone," said DeLaby.

Residents are still being asked to replace their porch or outside lights with blue bulbs as a symbol of support to Tehama County law enforcement and to the Mobilio family. Blue bulbs can be purchased at most hardware, home improvement stores and some grocery stores.
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The second followup is from the RBPD website:

Do you have any information on the whereabouts of this man?

Click here for a larger image

The Red Bluff Police Department is seeking the Public's assistance in identifying the individual in the attached drawing. Investigator's are interested in talking to this individual who was seen in the area where Office Mobilio was killed. We are seeking any information as to the identity of this person. He is wanted only as a witness at this time and is not considered a suspect. Persons having information can call a toll free tip line at (800) 500-8944. Tips and information may also be left on this web site.

Dave Mobilio, 31, was shot and killed about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday November 19th, 2002 after he stopped to refuel his patrol car at a north Red Bluff gas station.

Officials posted $42,000 in reward money for the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible.

[Travis McGee]

Please keep us posted. These true crime threads are one of the many ways FR is valuable.

[DoughtyOne]

Sorry to hear about that. What a shame.

[DoughtyOne]

Let me add, that I think it's a good idea to add to the pink-alert system that is now used to find kidnap victims. A blue alert could be called when a law enforcement officer has been killed and there's all all points bulletin called to apprehend a suspect. Local motorists would be the first line of defense in these instances.

We know that moments count with kidnapped kids. I think our fallen officers deserve as much, and the public would be safer with these perps off the streets ASAP. At the very least the public would be aware of a dangerous person they might come in contact with.

[rockfish59]

[JustAmy]

Bump

[Neil E. Wright]

We interrupt your FREEPING to bring you this message. Just a little bump back up. If anyone is on the left coast, please bump this to your PING lists. Thank you. We now return you to your regularly scheduled FREEPING.

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Toward FREEDOM

[Tony in Hawaii]

I just can't imagine something like this happening in Red Bluff.

[MistyCA]

Thanks for the ping, Neil.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thanks for the update, Neil.

Bump.

[MistyCA]

What on earth was a police officer doing filling up his patrol car at a public gas station??????? That is about the most...........never mind..........Sheesh!

[Neil E. Wright]

Misty,

Small departments in smaller cities don't have the facilities of a place like LA. Most small cities also contract out the repair work on their vehicles, because they don't have the tax base to have their own maintenance department. When I was a cop in Thomas OK in the early 80s, I filled the patrol vehicle at the only gas station in town, and maintenance work was done by a company in a nearby town (20+ miles away). It happens.

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Toward FREEDOM

[MistyCA]

Red Bluff isn't that small, is it? Yes, I can understand a small town, but that's relative....Santa Barbara was also considered a fairly small town and the officers filled their vehicles in the yard. All maintenance was also done in the yard.

[MistyCA]

Neil....never mind .... lol! I just remembered about Dunkin' Donuts! LOL!

[Neil E. Wright]

I cannot speak to the size of the PD, but from what I've seen of the city website, and the PD's website, doesn't seem to be very large to me ..... Investigators from outside agencies are working the case, because the PD's investigators (from my impression in talking with them) are VERY limited in number .... and this is a MAJOR case. This is NOT to knock the PD investigators (who, IMO, are doing a bang-up job in difficult circumstances), but a case of this type consumes resources at a TREMENDOUS rate. If you go to the city website at http://www.ci.red-bluff.ca.us/ and use keyword "census" and do a search, you'll find the population figures posted are about 13,000 with a median income of about a little over $19,000. Not much to draw from in those numbers.

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Toward FREEDOM

[MistyCA]

You know, Neil, I know what you are saying is true. Santa Barbara officers do have to take their vehicles to a public carwash, and that isn't any better! My point is that in towns that have a fairly decent size (and they certainly do not have to be a huge metropolitan area) the safety of the public safety officers has to be a higher priority! My complaint is not that some towns don't have those facilities, but rather that ALL reasonably sized towns should have! But even if they did, that is not going to protect officers from this type of thing. If someone wants to pick off a police officer the opportunity is always there. I just personally have issues with things like this. Another one is the fact that the standards/qualifications are continually lowered. I was just talking to a police officer here in Minneapolis the other day who was complaining because he had to do case work. He doesn't like having to "be mean" and get into people's business when a crime has been committed! But that's another subject.

[MistyCA]

Yes, that is smaller than I thought. But having worked with some of the investigators in Houston, which is a large metropolitan area, the same thing is true. The resources are maxed out to the point of tying the hands of the men who are trying to work cases. I have lots of issues here. I am going off on another tangent because I find this so frustrating and ridiculous. But a town the size you describe would be at a disadvantage probably in the best of circumstances. A place like Houston that pulls their guys off a case a 5pm because it is quitting time, that's quite another story.

[Grampa Dave]

Bumping and to pass this picture along to for our awareness. This is a sketch of the man wanted for questioning in the brutal murder of officer David Mobilio.

[Peaches]

I'm praying that this guy is caught and brought to justice soon.
Bump

[BullDog108]

I'm praying that this guy is caught and brought to justice soon. Bump

Amen BUMP!

[Valin]

bump