Scientist who discovered water on distant planet fatally shot
A renowned scientist who contributed to the discovery of water on a distant planet was mysteriously shot and killed on the front porch of his desert California home. Carl Grillmair, 67, was identified as the victim of a fatal shooting in Llano, a rural area of northern Los Angeles, on Monday morning. Colleagues called Grillmair's research 'ingenious' and said that discovering water 'is a telltale sign the conditions of the planet are auspicious for life.'The astrophysicist was found with a gunshot wound on his front porch after detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide responded to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon just after 6am. Emergency responders attempted life-saving measures, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. While investigating the shooting call, the Palmdale Sheriff's Station responded to a carjacking in the same area and arrested a man named Freddy Snyder, 29, who was named as a person of interest in Grillmair's homicide case. Snyder was arrested for murder, carjacking, and burglary on Wednesday. He is in custody with a $2 million bail. Law enforcement has not released a motive in the alleged homicide. It's unclear if the two men knew one another or whether the shooting was targeted. The LACSD hasn't released Snyder's booking photo or any further information on the case. Carl Grillmair, 67, pictured above in an undated photo, was killed by a gunshot wound while on his porch early Monday morning Grillmair lived in a rural home in Llano, a neighborhood in northern Los Angeles, pictured above. Police responded to reports of assault with a deadly weapon and later arrested a suspect for carjacking and murder Grillmair dedicated over 40 years to advancing science. He was an accomplished astrophysicist at the California Institute of Technology, where he worked with the university's Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, which partners with NASA. Caltech confirmed that Grillmair was the victim of the shooting in a statement to Los Angeles news station KTLA. Astronomer Sergio Farjardo-Acosta, pictured above, praised Grillmair's contribution to science Grillmair's friend and colleague at Caltech, astronomer Sergio Farjardo-Acosta, told the Los Angeles Times that he was 'very famous in astronomy and a very renowned scientist.' 'His legacy will live on forever,' Farjardo-Acosta added. He told the publication that Grillmair loved living in the remote area of Antelope Valley so he could watch the stars at night. Grillmair even built an observatory with several telescopes in his home and flew airplanes in his spare time. His colleague described him as serious and well-read, with a sense of humor. Farjardo-Acosta said Grillmair's discovery of water on a distant planet was 'ingenious.'
Farjardo-Acosta explained that discovering water 'is a telltale sign the conditions of the planet are auspicious for life.' 'He is immortalized because the discovery of those galactic streams is attributed to him,' he added.Grillmair was also known in the scientific community for his research on the formation and evolution of the Milky Way. The investigation into his death is ongoing. Snyder has not yet entered a plea to the charges against him, and it is unclear whether he has retained an attorney.
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Renowned scientist who discovered water on distant planet shot dead on front porch of California home
