Surprise Arrest in Shooting Death of Caltech Scientist at Home

A man has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a California Institute of Technology scientist at his Los Angeles County home.

On Monday, February 16, deputies responded to a 911 call in Llano where they found a 67-year-old man shot on his front porch. Despite efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim, identified as Carl Grillmair, worked at Caltech. The suspect, Freddy Snyder, was linked to the shooting during a carjacking investigation in the same area.

Snyder, 29, faces murder charges for Grillmair's death along with carjacking and burglary charges. His bail is set at $2 million.

Grillmair, an associate scientist at Caltech, was renowned for his research in astrophysics, including studies on dark matter, galactic structure, and exoplanets.

Grillmair received prestigious awards for his work, including the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal. He made significant contributions to the field, such as the discovery of water on a planet in another solar system.

Authorities are investigating the motive behind the shooting. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.