A classic true-crime mystery
The Midnight Ride of Jonathan Luna
Two decades of Luna news
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Luna news and clues WGAL: “The mysterious unsolved death of a federal prosecutor in 2003 in Lancaster County is now the subject of a documentary film, The Midnight Ride of Jonathan Luna. Posted November 7, 2024. Watch the WGAL report >> A documentary based on the book The Midnight Ride of Jonathan Luna has been released to limited audiences. The doc contains interviews with, among others, former Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Jeffrey Miller, Maryland federal judge Andre Davis, Baltimore television news reporter Jayne Miller, and many of Luna’s colleagues and friends. The documentary, also titled The Midnight Ride of Jonathan Luna, contains lots of new information about the case and its botched investigation. Follow this page for more news on the release of the documentary. Watch the trailer >> Luna autopsy hearing transcript October 2020 On October 14, 2020, a hearing was held in the Lancaster County PA courthouse, on motion of the LNP Media Group, to unseal the coroner records from Luna’s death. “The hearing today is limited solely to the issue of the existence of any investigation into the death of Jonathan Luna,” Lancaster County President Judge David L. Ashworth told those in the courtroom. If there was no real murder investigation the autopsy records should be made public, the newspaper’s lawyers told the court. Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Chad Roberts testified that he worked the scene of Luna’s murder in 2003. Once a year, Trooper Roberts testified, he telephones FBI Special Agent John Krajnak of the Baltimore FBI field off to review the case, which he described as “still an open, ongoing investigation.” As such, the state told the court, as the murder case is still ongoing, however minimally, the autopsy report should remain sealed. Judge Ashworth agreed. In this hearing Trooper Roberts explained that DNA had been found in Luna’s car, but those DNA samples had not been submitted to private DNA databases in an attempt to solve the case. When was the last time the trooper had inspected Luna’s car or looked at the car for evidence? “I have not because the FBI literally stripped it down to the frame, if you will,” Trooper Roberts explained. “It’s basically a shell of what it was at the scene (when I first) saw it with my own eyes.” Read more >> Prominent Baltimore defense attorney Kenneth Ravenell, once a self-described ‘good friend’ and ‘mentor’ of murdered federal prosecutor Jonathan Luna, has been indicted for alleged collusion with a drug kingpin. Ravenell served as defense counsel on two of prosecutor Luna’s most mysterious cases: Luna’s last case, and the missing money case. Posted March 9, 2020. Read >> WHTM abc 27: The death of federal prosecutor Jonathan Luna Ali Lanyon of WHTM-TV, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, produced this report on the tenth anniversary of the death of Jonathan Luna. 'Nearly 10 years ago, Baltimore U.S. Attorney Tom DiBiagio stood at a microphone in front of throngs of television cameras and vowed to seek justice for Jonathan Luna. "We will find out who did this and we are dedicated to bringing the person responsible for this tragedy to justice," DiBiagio told reporters. But all these years later, not much has changed. The final hours of Luna's life and the circumstances of his death are still shrouded in mystery.' Posted November 25, 2013. Read more >> Lancaster newspapers: Justice for Jonathan Luna Newspaper near murder scene publishes passionate and factual editorial: 'If they only spent as much time investigating his death as they did smearing his reputation.' Dec 17, 2013. Read >> On the morning of his death, U.S. Justice Department officials violated Luna's crime scene. Read the amazing story of what happened in court -- and in his office -- on the morning Jonathan died. Posted Dec 5, 2013. Read >> A video biography of Jonathan Luna Jonathan's friend Dan Rivera narrates this tribute. Posted to Youtube Nov 25, 2013. Watch >> Jonathan's first cousin Teresa Barriteau narrates this never-before-posted video. Nov 25, 2013. Watch >> A tribute and vigil for Jonathan Luna 'A kid from the South Bronx who always wanted to make a difference.' Friends and concerned citizens pay tribute to Jonathan on December 4, 2005. First posted on youtube 12-4-13. Watch >> Federal grand jury investigates murder of Jonathan Luna - in 2009 Responding to a Right to Know Law Request filed by yardbird.com in April, 2009, Assistant Lancaster County District Attorney Susan E. Moyer wrote that our request for information was denied, in part, due to an "open ongoing federal criminal investigation in which the leads are continuously being developed and additionally that the Luna case is part of an open federal grand jury investigation." Posted May 28, 2009. Read post >> Bank robber robbed in Baltimore federal courthouse? Almost forty thousand untraceable dollars, confiscated from the accomplice of a flamboyant Baltimore bank robber, would inexplicably vanish from the Baltimore federal courthouse sometime in September 2002. Posted December 4, 2007. Read post >> Luna's father asks Lancaster, PA, coroner for answers on son's murder The father of slain federal prosecutor Jonathan Luna has written Lancaster County, PA, coroner Dr. Gary Kirchner requesting information on the assistant U.S. attorney's murder. Posted July 25, 2007 Read more >> DC Madam sends yardbird.com 'special edition' cd of phone records Yardbird.com became one of the first recipients of alleged DC Madam Deborah Jeane Palfrey's set of phone records. The data cd contains a complete set of Palfrey's phone records, dating from 1994 to 2006. Posted July 12, 2007. Read more >> A very lonely candle in a very ferocious wind: A day with the DC Madam Deborah Jeane Palfrey sold fantasy, all right. In the end she was busted, and now she is hounded, for selling a better grade of fantasy, a more believable fantasy, a much warmer fantasy, than the government and the press can sell. Posted May 4, 2007. Read more >> Sex scandal threatens Bush Administration and GOP At the time of AUSA Luna's murder, known members of organized crime families in Pennsylvania and Maryland were attempting to get a piece of legalized slot machine gambling. As well, the Baltimore IRS investigation of Deborah Jeane Palfrey, aka the DC Madam, began one month after the former MD state police head Ed Norris copped a lenient plea deal for sex and tax crimes. We asked the obvious question: were obscure Baltimore police department charity accounts being used to fund 'escort services?' Will the scandal go international? You read it here first. Posted 3-26-07. Read more >> Witness: Luna stabbed in back, hands and scrotum slashed Baltimore Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Luna, found murdered off the Pennsylvania Turnpike, suffered horrific wounds including slashed hands and stabs to his back, a witness recounts. "This was the worst murder I've ever seen." Posted 11-19-06 Read more >>
Coroner confirms mortician's observations as accurate
Lancaster, PA coroner discusses Jonathan Luna's wounds (external link) 12-3-06 Read >>
PA newspaper editorial slams FBI for deceiving public in Luna case
A Lancaster PA Sunday News editorial says the, 'depth of the FBI's commitment to finding out what really happened to Jonathan Luna would seem to be in question. Consider that the reward the agency is offering for information in the Luna case is $100,000, while in the Seattle shooting death of another assistant U.S. attorney, Thomas Wales, the reward is $1 million.... Isn't Jonathan Luna as important a person as Thomas Wales? It wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that Mr. Luna had dark skin and Mr. Wales had white skin, would it?' Posted 12-10-06 Read more >>
On 3rd anniversary of Luna killing, Baltimore NAACP president calls for fresh inquiry
Marvin Cheatam: 'It is quite clear that there are enough questions about Mr. Luna's death... Why would he leave at the time that he did? Why would he leave some personal items that normally you would take with you? And why would he go into other states and have done what was done to him?' Posted 12-5-06 Read more >> Turnpike security contractor dropped from PA House hearing Faced with questions and growing public scrutiny, a Pennsylvania General Assembly Judiciary Sub-Committee dropped the testimony of an embattled state government security contractor from its agenda list of speakers on September 12, 2006. Posted 9-14-06Read more >> PA Turnpike security contractor asks federal court to banThe Midnight Ride of Jonathan Luna Embattled Pennsylvania turnpike security contractor Russell Wantz asks a federal judge for an injunction to ban the writing, sale, and distribution of The Midnight Ride of Jonathan Luna. Posted 7-27-06 Read more >> FBI agents disrupt mourners gathered at Jonathan Luna's home On the eve of slain federal prosecutor Jonathan Luna's memorial service and funeral, a team of FBI agents interrupted a small, private gathering of friends-in-mourning at Luna's home to "gather evidence" and closely examine the premises. 1-16-06 Read more >>Concerned citizens at vigil demand real probe in Luna, DA Gricar cases A vigil marking the second anniversary of the death of Baltimore federal prosecutor Jonathan Luna proceeded despite overnight snow and freezing rain at the scene of Luna's death, an obscure creekside outside of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. On hand were a diverse group: several of Luna's friends, concerned citizens and activists, a central Pennsylvania city councilwoman, and a retired policeman. 12-6-05 Read more >> Justice Dept. to PA: It took only six days for the Justice Department's Inspector General to summarily decline calls for an independent investigation of the Luna and Gricar cases. Instead, Inspector General Glenn Fine suggests the FBI should investigate its own cover-up of Luna's murder. Posted 12-12-05 Read more >> A prominent Pennsylvania lawmaker has asked the U.S. Justice Department's Inspector General Glenn A. Fine to conduct an independent investigation into the cases prosecuted by late Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Luna and missing Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar. Posted 12-6-05 Read more >> Police: Gricar's missing hard drive found Bellefonte, PA, police say they believe the hard drive from missing DA Ray Gricar's laptop computer has been found. Posted 10-26-05 Read more >> DA Ray Gricar's laptop computer, its hard drive missing, has been found in the Susquehanna River, after earlier searches turned up nothing. A year earlier, a knife turned up in the creekbed where Jonathan Luna died, at a spot previously searched by 150 state police cadets. Some ask, Is someone planting evidence to bolster suicide theories and close down the investigations? Posted 8-4-05 Read more >> Ray Gricar's laptop is found in river, but hard drive is missing Missing Centre County, PA, District Attorney Ray Gricar's laptop computer has been found in the Susquehanna River, under a bridge where divers had previously extensively searched. The laptop is missing its hard drive, says Bellefonte Police Chief Duane Dixon. Posted 8-1-05. Read more >> Baltimore Sun finally asks hard questions about Jonathan Luna's death A large-city American newspaper has published an article raising substantive questions about the FBI's handling of the investigation into the death of Baltimore assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Luna. Posted 7-30-05. Read more >> Mark Felt was correctly identified as Watergate 'Deep Throat' in December 2004 by writer Bill Keisling, in his book, The Midnight Ride of Jonathan Luna, published by Yardbird Books. Posted 5-31-05. Read more >> Yardbird told to remove 'No Wrong turn in PA' ad from website A controversial and ill-timed travel advertisement paid for by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and meant to increase car tourism in Pennsylvania, has instead touched off a dispute involving public commentary and press freedom. Posted 5-19-05. Read more >>
Police call in psychic to help find missing DA Ray Gricar. Meanwhile, a close friend of Jonathan Luna's offers keen insights into Luna's personality. 'Why,' he asks, 'would Joey leave his glasses back in his office? He needed them to drive.' Posted 5-10-05. Read more >> PA DAs plan meeting to discuss Gricar, Luna disappearances A group of Pennsylvania district attorneys and others plan to meet to discuss concerns raised by the disappearances of Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Luna, one of the DAs organizing the meeting has told writer Bill Keisling. Posted 5-18-05 at 5pm. Read more >>
Fear and loathing, denial and deceit, in Happy Valley Police say they're not looking into the record heroin bust missing DA Ray Gricar announced shortly before his disappearance. Something's missing in Happy Valley, and it's not just Ray Gricar. Posted 4-27-05 6pm. Read more >> Another drug prosecutor vanishes on a Pennsylvania car ride Only days before his disappearance, Centre County, PA, District Attorney Ray Gricar helped announce the prosecution of what the State Attorney General's Office called the "largest heroin operation that we have ever seen in Centre County." The Monday morning following his disappearance, Gricar missed a scheduled hearing for a drug case. Now, police say, Gricar's laptop is missing.... Updated 4/30/05 11:37am. Read more >> Turnpike security contractor investigated At the time of Jon Luna's death, investigators falsely suggested Luna may have had contact with a prostitute. Now a state legislator has asked the PA State Police to investigate long-standing allegations that a key turnpike security provider has alleged links to prostitution and organized crime. Posted 3/14/05. Read more >>
County detective details DA's office corruption A corrupt, ingrained system of insider justice exists in central Pennsylvania, says a top county detective who until recently had worked in the York County, PA, District Attorney's office. Posted 2/27/05. Read more >> PA state trooper found shot to death at barracks A 21-year veteran trooper of the Pennsylvania State Police was found shot to death in the parking lot of the Ephrata, PA, state police barracks on February 23, 2005. The Ephrata state police barracks first responded to Luna's murder. Posted 2/24/05. Read more >>
Luna concealed Justice Dept., FBI culpability in Dawson arson tragedy In the months, days, and even hours before he died, slain Baltimore federal prosecutor Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Luna actively engaged in concealing FBI and U.S. Justice Department culpability in what has come to be known in Baltimore as the Dawson arson fiasco. Posted 12/27/04. Read more >> 'Atomic Shock': Read book excerpt describing what Luna concealed >> FBI agents interrupt distribution of Midnight Ride of Jonathan Luna "One came in wearing a black trench coat," a book seller recounted. "He was an FBI agent. He came in saying, 'I'm told I'm in the book and I want a copy (of The Midnight Ride of Jonathan Luna.)'" Posted 1/18/05. Read full article >>
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Who killed Jonathan Luna? On December 3, 2003, Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Luna vanished from his desk in the federal courthouse in Baltimore, Maryland. The next morning, shortly before dawn, Luna’s body was found face down in a cold stream outside of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He'd been stabbed dozens of times....
Luna resources Style,
substance, Jonathan was known to his friends in the projects of Bronx simply as 'Joey.' View a scrapbook of images of Joey Luna's remarkable life of accomplishment. Luna video clips
'It looked like he'd been beaten' Witnesses say the body of slain federal prosecutor Jonathan Luna exhibited signs of Luna having attempted to fend off a vicious attack, and having been beaten, before his brutal murder in December, 2003. Posted 3-22-06 Read more >> Luna's death immediately classified as homicide His body was found crouched beneath his still-idling car, face down in an ice-cold stream, stabbed thirty-six times. He was still dressed in a business suit and a black overcoat. Perhaps most tellingly, a "large pool of blood" was found on the floor of the rear passenger compartment of the car, where he obviously lay bleeding. Posted 4/4/05. We've posted a surprising profile of Luna's killer. With the disappearance of Centre County DA Ray Gricar, we have updated the profile as of April 21, 2005. We're building a comprehensive page documenting The Midnight Ride of Jonathan Luna. Click here to visit. In the days immediately following Jonathan Luna's death, a former classmate started a web log of news and remembrances. The blog contains remarkable insights into Luna's personality. The blog has since been taken down. We reproduce it here. A black perspective on the murder of Jonathan Luna An essay by black writer J. Simple. "One of the things young African Americans are repeatedly told while growing up (at least my generation) in America is that you have to be better than those of the dominant cultural group. The defining logic here is that since you did things 'by the book,' you could not, by any fault of your own, be accused of doing the wrong thing; you did it by the book; you did it 'your way,' not theirs." To read the essay click here. A literary perspective on heroin addiction: Deposition: Testimony Concerning a Sickness In this famous essay, William S. Burroughs tells us about heroin addiction, its threat to world health, and media hysteria that threatens personal freedoms. "If we wish to annihilate the junk pyramid," he writes, "we must start with the bottom of the pyramid: the Addict in the Street, and stop tilting quixotically for the 'higher ups' so-called, all of whom are immediately replaceable. The addict in the street who must have junk to live is the one irreplaceable factor in the junk equation." To read this essay by one of America's most gifted -- and most tortured -- writers, click here. Cross placed at spot of Luna's death A cross marking the spot of Jonathan Luna's death has been placed in the yard of Sensenig and Weaver Well Drilling Co., in Denver, Pennsylvania. Click here to purchase the paperback edition of The Midnight Ride of Jonathan Luna from the Yardbird store. E-book edition now available for iPad and Kindle!
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Also worth mention The U.S. Justice Department's Office of Inspector General says FBI agents routinely break the bureau's own rules governing the handling confidential informants. Inspector General Glenn A. Fine reviewed 120 federal cases, and found that FBI agents violated department informant rules in 104 of the cases, or 87% of the time. The findings are contained in a 302-page report released in September 2005 by the Inspector General. Posted 10-17-05 To read more click here >> (Click here to download the full report in PDF format [2,700k].) FBI internal BETA Report: 'A Summary of Dismissals Involving FBI Agents and Egregious Behavior' It took two years for members of the U.S. Senate to learn that the FBI in 2000 conducted its own internal study on agent misconduct. The FBI then stonewalled for months to keep its report from the Senate, finally releasing it to the oversight committee several months before Jonathan Luna's death. Known as the Behavioral and Ethical Trends Analysis, or BETA, the report details a study conducted by the FBI’s Behavioral Sciences and Law Enforcement Ethics unit. The Ethics Unit has since been starved of funds by the FBI. The BETA report is described by U.S. Senator Charles Grassley as a "laundry list of horrors." Posted 5/1/05 To read more click here >> To download Part 1 of the BETA report (2,400 k) click here >> To download the Summary of Observations from the BETA report (300 k) click here >> This amazing report, completed shortly before Jonathan Luna's death, says higher-ups at the Pennsylvania State Police "Diminish the importance of sexual harrassment and sexual misconduct." The report quotes the president of the PA State Troopers' Association as saying, "the introduction of women in policing has caused problems of sexual harrassment and sexual misconduct in policing agencies. Women working with men, riding in patrol cars together at night, essentially 'spending the night together,' has put an 'extra burden on policing.'" The report notes that many state policemen told the PA Inspector General that long-running "incidents of... sexual misconduct are isolated actions by individuals and not evidence of a larger, ongoing problem within the State Police. This is the theory of the 'rotten apple' in an otherwise clean barrel. When the Mayor of New York City appointed a commission in 1972 to investigate police corruption (i.e. Serpico), it addressed a similar attitude. In the Knapp Commission Report, the investigators viewed the 'rotten apple' theory as an obstacle to basic reform. The Commission found that a high command unwilling to acknowledge the severity of a problem would be unable to accept the drastic changes necessary to deal with the problem." A must read. Posted 9-14-06 (Click here to download the full report in PDF format [1,100k].) The indictment of Maryland State Police Superintendent Ed Norris One week after Jonathan Luna's brutal murder in December 2003, Maryland State Police Superintendent Ed Norris was indicted for, among other things, using his police Executive Protective Unit (EPU) to ferry women of mysterious origins around to various locations, including a Baltimore hotel room, while Norris served as Baltimore's police commissioner. "The boys in blue were really going to town, literally and figuratively," writes Bill Keisling in The Midnight Ride of Jonathan Luna. "It's enough to make you wonder about the future of our country." Posted May 15, 2007. (Click here to download the full indictment in PDF format [800k].) Luna murder resembles infamous 1932 mob hit of PA chief justice's uncle In the old days, if a policeman or a federal prosecutor turned up dead nearby, mobsters would be quaking in their wingtips, as they knew, their fault or not, retribution from The Man would come swift and severe. That's why a don would keep such things from happening in his territory. That's why a don doesn't hang out a sign that says, "Dead prosecutor drop off." It draws too much attention, and heat. In the Luna case, all this becomes an interesting subject. Posted October 5, 2007. Read more >>
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