Wednesday, November 7, 2018

A U.S. Military Veteran Murdered

Michael Guy Johnston
He was 32 years old at the time he went missing from Brigham City, Utah on July 22, 1981.
He met a lady named Debbie Griffiths, on July 21st, at night at a bar.
Rudy Matthew Rebeterano was also at the bar and was jealous because she was paying attention to Michael. 
He and Griffiths had divorced in 1979 but remained friendly with each other. 
Rebeterano had a history of being violently jealous of any man who approached Griffiths.
Several months before, had tried to run over a man who was helping Griffiths move some furniture.
At 5:30 a.m. on July 22, Michael and Griffiths went to her apartment and she asked him to escort her inside because she was afraid Reberterano might be there. 
Reberterano was there and he shouted at Michael.
Griffiths quickly left the apartment, leaving the two men behind.
As she  was leaving she heard scuffling noises and a loud groan.
She ran outside and under a bridge across the street. 
She then watched Reberterano leave her apartment carrying a large white bundle, which he placed in the trunk of Michael's 1972 Ford Torino. 
He drove the vehicle away, down Main Street.
Griffiths called the police, who arrived at her apartment at 6:08 a.m..
The police found fresh blood spattered all over. 
The blood was Type A, which is Michael's type.
A white sheet had been removed from Griffiths's bed and several kitchen knives were missing.
Later that day, Michael's vehicle was located. 
There was Type A blood on the rear bumper and a large puddle of Type A blood soaked into the trunk mat.
A Zippo lighter and two Pall Mall cigarettes, items Michael normally carried in his shirt pocket, were inside the trunk.
On August 6, a maintenance worker found a knife on the roof of the motel where Griffiths lived. 
She identified it as one of knives that had disappeared from her apartment the night of Michael's disappearance.
The knife had a spot of blood on the handle, which authorities were unable to determine what type.
Late in August, Reberterano took a polygraph in Michael's case. The exam indicated he was being deceptive when he claimed he hadn't cut or stabbed Michael.
Rebeterano was subsequently charged with Michael's murder. 
He claimed he was innocent and Michael was alive. 
At the trial, his defense attorney said that Rebeterano had simply bloodied Michael's nose and then left.
He was convicted of second-degree felony homicide and sentenced to prison. 
Rebeterano was released in 1995.
Michael's remains have never been found, but authorities are continuing to search for them.
At the time he went missing Michael was 5'10" tall, 160 to 165 pounds with brown  hair, blue eyes and had a mustache and possible goatee.
He has several scars which included a 5 inch scar on this right forearm, a 1 inch scar on his right knee, a scar on his lower right head and a scar on his forehead.

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