Florida's gay Republican triple murder-suicide - gone but not forgotten

[MetaTrope]

Looks like the press dropped this story into a lake encased in cement. But here's a nice synopsis I came across today of all the major players...

http://www.madison.com/post/blogs/dailybriefing/253607

Two months ago Jason Robert Drake, 30, shot and killed roommates Ralph Gonzales and David Abrami, both 36, in Orlando, Florida. Police say he then turned the gun on himself. The Orlando police have so much conflicting information they say they may never find the motive. As I read the stories of their connections, it seems as if I'm reading a real page-turner of a mystery novel, and I'd like to know how the story ends. Meanwhile, it's fun to speculate. What was the motive?

David Abrami was an attorney who, as Vice President of the Central Florida Young Republicans, came to the attention of the Secret Service for organizing a fundraiser that charged people for the privilege of shooting at photos of Bill Clinton. Other than this, he has a background that is not notable. However, his former business partner, Doug Guetzloe, is quite a shady character. Guetzloe is a conservative talk show host on Fox Radio and head of an Orlando anti-tax group. He has been jailed for extortion and election law violations and was recently indicted for perjury. Guetzlowe left boxes of files behind in a storage unit. They were auctioned off and ultimately landed in the hands of Orlando's Channel 6. Prosecutors now are suing to get these files because they contain evidence of crimes, as shown by Channel 6's series on Guetzlowe. As an attorney, Guetzlowe also represented strip clubs and Congressman Tom Feeney.

The second victim, Ralph Gonzales, was a political consultant for Republican candidates. Although he was a gay man, his claim to fame was the anti-gay marriage Adam and Steve ad campaign. Gonzales was the executive director of Georgia's Republican Party at the same time that Ralph Reed was the state party's chair and executive director of the Christian Coalition. Reed is under FBI investigation for his role in the Jack Abramoff affair. (Abramoff is currently in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud, conspiracy and tax evasion. He is cooperating in multiple corruption investigations and testifying about a mob-related murder of a casino owner.)

Gonzales also managed the campaign for Congressman Feeny who, like Reed, is under FBI investigation in the Abramoff affair. He has been named three years in a row by CREW as one of the most corrupt members of Congress. After a failed bid for Lieutenant Governor as Jeb Bush's running mate, Feeney worked as general counsel for Yang Enterprises (YEI), which employed an illegal alien from China who pled guilty to spying for the Chinese government. Clint Curtis, the whistleblower who reported him, also testified under oath that Feeney asked him to write a program to rig the vote in South Florida. Curtis also charged that YEI was over-billing the Florida DOT. Before the Florida Inspector General could issue his report, he was found dead in a Georgia motel room. The death was ruled a suicide, but the ruling has been questioned as inconsistent with the evidence.

More at the link!

[nashville_brook]

1. i was wondering what had happened to this story -- hopefully anyone with links

links links and more links -- will post them to this thread.

[NightWatcher]

2. here's another lost gem

http://www.wftv.com/news/13670554/detail.html

State Rep. Says He'll Plead Not Guilty To Solicitation Charge

"TITUSVILLE, Fla. -- A Republican state lawmaker charged with offering to perform oral sex for $20 on an undercover male police officer vowed Thursday to defend himself in court and said he would not resign from office.

Police revealed new details about Allen's arrest on Thursday. His arrest affidavit says Allen followed the male undercover officer into the men's restroom and then, after talking to him from over the stall door, Allen stepped into the officers stall with him and stood against the door.

According to the report, Allen asked the officer, "This is kind of a public place isn't it?" The officer replied, "Do you have somewhere else we can go?" Allen then responded, "How about across the bridge? It's quiet over there."

The conversation continued and, police said, Allen told the officer he wanted the undercover officer to ride with him to the wildlife refuge and Allen would give him the $20 and perform the sexual act on the officer there. The money was never exchanged because, as soon as they left the bathroom, the lawmaker was arrested.

Allen was charged with solicitation for prostitution, which has a maximum penalty of one year in jail. Brevard County jail officials said Allen posted a $500 bond. While being transported to jail, Allen told WFTV Channel 9 that the situation was "a very big misunderstanding." "

[Mojorabbit]

4. The shooter

I met him a week before he turned up dead.

[Mojorabbit]

5. Whoops posted

in wrong place.

[annabanana]

3. from the bin:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1736866

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1715047


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1707048

for starters

[UTUSN]

6. K&R big #5!1 n/t

[L. Coyote]

7. A triple murder is not gay, and we don't know for certain if there was a suicide

This OP title is problematic. Gay is NOT an appropriate adjective for a triple murder?? It may be the object of a sentence in this context, but maybe even that is not relevant. Too much is not known. This case is perplexing, and the article uses a far more cautious title, rightfully so.

[DCKit]

8. A microcosm of the current Republic potty......

Throw in some hookers, kinky sex, pedophiles, substance and spousal abuse and it's a documentary.

[MetaTrope]

9. The hookers and kinky sex are there too

The final character is the killer himself. Most stories report his name as Jason Robert Drake, although others say it is Robert Jason Drake. He is from Rutherford County, North Carolina, which is in Patrick McHenry's district. At the time of the murder, he lived with relatives in Orlando. A former Marine, Drake was active in Republican party politics. Beyond this information and his relationship with Patrick McHenry, all stories are unconfirmed or from off-the-record sources. Reports tie Drake to a gay escort service in the Virginia Beach area. The company, Norfolk Male Escorts, also produced gay porn DVD's, and one of the stars was a man named "Drake".

[DCKit]

10. Then I guess the REAL Republic values are all represented. nt