Bloody Cloth Is Linked to Missing Woman, 24

Garden Grove police have identified a blood-stained cloth found at an empty grave site in a remote area of northeast Orange County as being from a piece of clothing belonging to 24-year-old Debbie Ann Lee, who has been missing four days, a police spokesman said Monday.

Police believe that the woman was shot and killed and her body disposed of, Lt. John Baker said. Lee’s boyfriend, Robert Martin Gray Jr. of Garden Grove, who also has not been seen for about four days, is being sought for questioning.

Baker said that officers found the cloth near Gibson Canyon Road and the Riverside Freeway where they suspected that a grave was dug to eventually dispose of the body. He added that the grave was empty.

Police Think She’s Dead

Despite only circumstantial evidence at this point, police say they are certain that Lee is dead even though her body has not been found. They have said that evidence indicating foul play was found at her residence and at a trailer that Gray kept behind a radio store he owns.

Friends and associates of Gray disputed police depictions of the 30-year-old businessman as “armed with a gun and dangerous.” They described Gray as “a friendly guy,” a good businessman and supportive of law enforcement.

“He’s not a crazy man,” said Clete Kroger, who works at Gray’s radio store, Cross Radio Service in Garden Grove. “Believe me, this guy’s pro-law enforcement. I think he’s running scared and he doesn’t know what to do.”

According to city business records, Gray has owned the radio store at 12772 Brookhurst St. since Oct. 13, 1981, when he filed a business application.

Sometimes Slept in Trailer

Kroger said that Gray didn’t live inside the trailer but used it for additional office space. Kroger added that Gray would sometimes stay in the trailer, especially when clients’ vehicles were left overnight. Gray lived at a residence in Garden Grove, Kroger said.

A family friend, who did not want to be identified, said that Lee and Gray had dated casually but hadn’t seen each other for some time. The disappearance has come as a shock to Gray’s friends, many of whom live in Bell, where Gray formerly lived.

“I think the smart thing for him to do is to surrender to police and clear up this whole mess,” Kroger said.