LOS ANGELES – Christian Gerhartsreiter, infamous con-man best known for playing a member of the prominent Rockefeller family in real life, is now facing murder charges over two decades old.

Some background on Gerhartsreiter – a German immigrant, he invented “Clark Rockefeller”, claiming a stake in the Rockefeller dynasty, and a potential inheritor to their vast wealth. A world-class impostor, he has duped people into believing he was a physicist, an art collector, a ship captain and a financial adviser who renegotiated debt for small countries. His wife, (herself wealthy) was completely unaware of his identity. Famous now, Gerhartstreiter got everything but a TV movie for his long career or lying. Oh wait, he got that too.

He’s entering court Wednesday to stare down murder charges. Specifically, his alleged role in the death of his former landlady’s son 26 years ago (while he was living in California as… well, someone else).

It’s a cold case, and those are tough to prove after so much time has gone by. The prosecution is building its case around three bags of human bones found during a pool excavation in San Marino back in 1994. After extensive testing, they were linked to John Sohus, 27, a computer engineer who disappeared in 1985. They have about 40 witnesses ready to take the stand, and most of them are forensic experts. Evidence has deteriorated, but forensic science has advanced enough to hopefully make up the difference. Right now, the prosecution is primarily going for probable cause, and thus far, motive is vague.

Sohus’ wife disappeared too, so the prosecution might try to paint it as a crime of passion, with Gerhartstreiter playing the jilted “other man”, despite the fact that her disappearance/possible death can’t be tied to the con man at this time.

One thing is for sure, on Wednesday, in court, Gerhartstreiter will be forced to play his most difficult role – himself.

What say you? Guilty or not guilty?

Infamous Rockefeller Imposter Awaiting Murder Charges is a post from: The Inquisitr

It might not be America’s Most Wanted but the police force in Toronto Ontario Canada have been in the forefront of reaching out and using all the web tools available to it. A few years ago when trying to solve a murder of a 22 year old in a club shooting they posted a video to YouTube in the hopes that it would help identify the killers. Fast forward to today and we have things like the Toronto Crime Stoppers YouTube channel and Facebook Page.

Not satisfied with just those couple of options the Toronto Police department has setup a homicide website that will give people the opportunity to help with both current and old cold cases. While the site might not be the epitome of what we think social services site to look like it is definitely a beginning of an interesting way to get people involved.

From the main page of the new site you can select to look through a list of current unsolved cases, unsolved cold cases and a list of the Most Wanted in Canada. In all the available unsolved listings you will find at least a link to a Google Map of where the murder took place. In some cases they will also provide addition links to other information including any YouTube posting they have made relating to the case.

The Toronto Police have apparently been experiencing some pretty good solve rates using these additional sources of getting information – good enough to impress a recent Interpol conference.

Chalk one up for us Canucks.

Crowdsourcing cold case files is a post from: The Inquisitr