A Caltech astrophysicist who was an expert on distant planets was shot dead at his home on Monday.
The Los Angeles Timesreported Carl Grillmair, 67, was shot in his torso by a man who approached him on his porch.
Freddy Snyder, 29, has since been charged with Grillmair’s murder and is being held on a $2 million bail.
The LA County Sheriff’s Department reported that after Snyder shot Grillmair, he attempted to flee the scene by carjacking a nearby vehicle.
Sergio Fajardo-Acosta, a colleague of Grillmair, was in shock to hear the news of Grillmair’s murder and shared, “We are shocked. He was very famous in astronomy and a very renowned scientist. His legacy will live on forever.”
🚨 Caltech genius found gundowned on his front porch
Carl Grillmair was a Caltech astrophysicist at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, specializing in galactic astronomy, dark matter, stellar streams, galactic structure, and exoplanets.
He led projects on Hubble…pic.twitter.com/PNMhDHzvur
— Red Panda Koala (@RedPandaKoala)February 20, 2026
A Caltech research scientist known for groundbreaking discoveries in astronomy has been identified as the victim of a fatal shooting under investigation in the Antelope Valley, officials confirmed on Thursday.
Source: The Gateway Pundit
