Murder in Northeast Missouri has Cassville connection

Early on the morning of Thursday, March 23, Melvin 'Beau' Griesbauer was found dead outside his home in rural Novinger, Missouri. Griesbauer died of a single gunshot wound to the head. A Winchester .30 caliber rifle was next to his body. Following a preliminary investigation and autopsy, the death was ruled a homicide.

When Adair County Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene, following two 911 calls--one originating from the scene--Griesbauer's wife Elain Kay Young and her friend Kathy Mock of Cassville, Mo. were present. Authorities say Mock placed the 911 call from the Young residence.

After a weeklong investigation by the Adair County Sheriff's Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Drug and Crime Control Unit, Adair County Prosecutor Mark Williams filed a first-degree murder charge against Katherine D. Mock. Mock was taken into custody March 30 in Joplin where she apparently had checked herself into a psychiatric unit the morning after the shooting.

Mock was arraigned March 31, in Associate Court in Kirksville. A preliminary hearing has been set for April 19. Williams says he is deciding whether to ask for the death penalty in this case.“This is,” he said,“a case where the death penalty can be considered.”

Some of the evidence leading to Mock's arrest came from an interview with her son, Thomas Ponder, who told authorities his mother had told him her friend Kay Young wanted her husband killed and there was a $10,000 payment to anyone who would kill him. According to Williams, Mock may not be the only arrest for Griesbauer's death. Investigators are pursuing other charges of first degree murder or conspiracy to commit murder.

I am a freelance writer researching this homicide for a possible true crime book. I'm looking for any information or contacts who might have insights and information about this murder.

Any more news on this story? I sure hope this stays front and center as this promises to be a very interesting saga.

The preliminary hearing for Kathy Mock has been set for April 19. She continues to sit in the Adair County Detention Center in lieu of a $1 million bond, and she remains silent, refusing to name anyone else involved in this murder.

I am the mother of two of mel's sons. I had just talked to him about 3 days before his death. from what I hear from mel's parents the investigation is still going on. I can't say what I know because I don't want to jeoperdize the case but suffice it to say there could be others arrested and charged in this. I know that mel's in a better place now and I hope that one day mel's family can get past the pain of losing him.

BJS wrote:

Early on the morning of Thursday, March 23, Melvin 'Beau' Griesbauer was found dead outside his home in rural Novinger, Missouri. Griesbauer died of a single gunshot wound to the head. A Winchester .30 caliber rifle was next to his body. Following a preliminary investigation and autopsy, the death was ruled a homicide.
When Adair County Sheriff?s deputies arrived at the scene, following two 911 calls--one originating from the scene--Griesbauer's wife Elain Kay Young and her friend Kathy Mock of Cassville, Mo. were present. Authorities say Mock placed the 911 call from the Young residence.
After a weeklong investigation by the Adair County Sheriff's Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Drug and Crime Control Unit, Adair County Prosecutor Mark Williams filed a first-degree murder charge against Katherine D. Mock. Mock was taken into custody March 30 in Joplin where she apparently had checked herself into a psychiatric unit the morning after the shooting.
Mock was arraigned March 31, in Associate Court in Kirksville. A preliminary hearing has been set for April 19. Williams says he is deciding whether to ask for the death penalty in this case.?This is,? he said,?a case where the death penalty can be considered.?
Some of the evidence leading to Mock's arrest came from an interview with her son, Thomas Ponder, who told authorities his mother had told him her friend Kay Young wanted her husband killed and there was a $10,000 payment to anyone who would kill him. According to Williams, Mock may not be the only arrest for Griesbauer's death. Investigators are pursuing other charges of first degree murder or conspiracy to commit murder.
I am a freelance writer researching this homicide for a possible true crime book. I'm looking for any information or contacts who might have insights and information about this murder.

I am Mrs. Mocks ex-Daughter-in-law... what kind of info would you be looking for that would not involve talking directly about the on-going case?

Thanks to both of you for responding. Sorry it's taken so long for me to answer you.

The case is ongoing and I understand you can't talk directly about the case. I, too, am not wanting to jeopardize the investigation.

Mostly I'm looking for background information on both Mel and Katherine Mock. What are/were they like as people? Those things that will help me know them better.

My Yahoo e-mail is bjmadisonone@yahoo.com if either of you care to correspond with me.

i would like be up dated on wats going with this case

I would like to know every thing there is to know about this case too. I served with Greisbuar in Iraq and it saddens me to think that he made it through the desert and was killed by his wife on his arival.

The case is ongoing. Kathy Mock's trial is set for July 2008.

Now I hear her mother's body is being exumed. Very interesting how the plot thickens.

On Monday, Kay Young was indicted by the Adair County Grand Jury. She was arrested for first degree murder and is currently in jail on 2.5 million bond.

A two-year investigation prompted authorities to take the case before the grand jury and led to her subsequent arrest.

Innocent or guilty? That will be the job of a jury.

http://www.ktvo.com/news/news_story.aspx...

Here's the latest. The blogs are interesting too.

Butch.....now just why would you be so interested in what's going on? Could it be that you are Kathy's "husband"? How come you let her house go back to the bank while she sat in jail? What happened to all her belongings....how much did you sell them for....and the dogs too? Who paid for that property in Arizona???? How well did you know Kay????

Curious...you're too close to this...angry, hurt, maybe? A lot of people have been hurt in this case; at least one person is dead.

Kay has stirred up a lot of anger, apparently for years. Why is she just now getting caught up in it?

BJS wrote:

Curious...you're too close to this...angry, hurt, maybe? A lot of people have been hurt in this case; at least one person is dead.
Kay has stirred up a lot of anger, apparently for years. Why is she just now getting caught up in it?

I'm knee deep into something right now but will try to post something tomorrow about being "too close" to the situation. I'll try to clarify some of my feelings....I hesitate to say too much because I don't want to mess things up now. Kathy is too close to going to trial to tip my hand with info I should keep close to my vest.

I understand. My prior post may've come off a little bursque. Not my intention at all. I meant to comment (in a more straight forward way) that there are a lot of people who have been hurt by Young (and Kathy Mock)--and there's a lot of anger directed toward both women, although the anger seems more directed toward Young.

My e-mail is bjmadisonone@yahoo.com if you would like to communicate with me off the forums.

BJS....I wasn't offended by your comment. It takes a bit to offend me actually. In my work, I've seen or heard most everything! It did made me stop and think about "being to close to this". I might be....but hadn't really given that much thought until you pointed it out. Until 2 years ago I had never heard of Kathy Mock but had heard plenty about the other K from her family members and friends of mine. The "joke" was something like..."You'll never guess what Kay said (or did) this time". I had an opinion formed of her before any of this ever happened but I've never met her. I've seen (up close) the unhappiness (and terror) she has caused not only her daughter, but other members of her family and I keep thinking back to the posting where she told that child he was responsible for killing her horse. Doesn't anyone think this is an abhorent thing to tell a child but me? That is a sick, twisted thing to tell a child....especially when it isn't true. The thing about "pinching his ears" is so typical of a control freak or an abuser....no marks left usually but it is very painful - especially to a child. I find that whole thing very chilling and very telling of what kind of a person Kay must be. Ted Bundy had his charming, loveable side too....look how many people he met that were convinced he was a great guy! When he fooled Anne Rule he fooled one of the best crime writers of our time. They worked side-by-side and she didn't have a clue in the beginning.

I have had the chance to meet Kathy Mock - and yes, I can be mistaken too, but I think she is a naive woman who has struggled most of her life to keep her head above water and that she was completely taken in by Kay Young. Does Kathy have her faults...you bet!!! Has she cheated Kay out of money? I haven't a clue on that one. Why would Kathy have made that trip to Novinger with a check in hand if Kay hadn't either invited her to come or she felt responsible enough to pay her debts? I know Kay is shrewd enough to lay the ground work for all this "stuff" to fall into place.....for the trap to be set, I guess. You have to remember that Kay was constantly telling Kathy how mean Mel was to her, how moody he was, and that she wanted out of the marriage. I get the impression that Kathy is very protective of people she thinks need help. I feel Kay painted this picture of being an emotionaly abused woman and Kathy fell for it. If Kathy really believed Kay was in such a horrible situation with Mel, she probably wasn't very friendly or talkative when she was around him. So....if Kay was telling Kathy one story and Mel another story (that Kathy owed her money) she very effectively pitted the two against each other. Mel was being protective of Kathy's finances and Kathy was being protective of her friend Kay's emotional and physical well being. The stage is set and the players are on that stage and Kay is moving the pieces around like Bobby Fisher at a chess match. Speculation? Maybe - but then you'd have to know Kathy Mock a little bit better to understand how easy it would be to convince her you needed help - that you were the underdog. She seems to be a very nice, normal middle-aged woman who trusted the wrong person. Enough said...

The incident with Mel's son paints a powerful picture. This is not the only heartless story I've heard involving that little boy.

Mock might well be naive, but there are people in Cassville who think murder for money is something Kathy Mock would do. Most people I've interviewed describe a calculating, controlling and malicious Kay Young, but if Mock did shoot Mel, then there's something else going on with her other than being naive.

K Ponder wrote:

<quoted text>
I am Mrs. Mocks ex-Daughter-in-law... what kind of info would you be looking for that would not involve talking directly about the on-going case?

Does Kathy just have the two sons?
Are she and Butch still married? Is he still in Arizona (from his posting it would appear he was there)?
Any other behavior on her part in the past which would lead a person to think she would commit murder for money?

butch wrote:

i would like be up dated on wats going with this case

I saw your name on casenet when reading about Kathy Mocks case and I beleive it stated you are her husband. Is this true? I have just recently become aware of this case and these forums. I am wondering about the lack of information given about Kathy.

Can you tell us anything about her?
Have you divorced her since her arrest?
I noticed that your address was Mesa, AZ. have you moved there?

I understand from postings that all of Kathys dogs, house, everything basically was sold shortly after her arrest, is this true? What happened to all the money? Did it go for her attorney?

From postings on the other forum I understood that you had children/stepchildren and that they are also in trouble with the law, is this true?

Not much has been said about Kathys home life or how she met Mel & Kay Greisbrauer can you enlighten us?

What is Kathy like?

Is she dellusional?

Was she well liked in her community?

I noticed on Casenet that she had prior problems with the law, did any of that have to do with stolen dogs? Forged papers?

The other form speaks so much about Kay Young, yet hardly anything is said about Kathy. Kathy was the first arrested for Mels murder, she has now sat in adair county jail for two years and not much has been said about her, can you tell me anything more to help me understand why she would do such a thing?