Leading space scientist killed in rural California shooting photo

An accomplished astrophysicist affiliated with California Institute of Technology (Caltech), whose career spanned more than four decades of influential research in galactic astronomy and the study of distant planets, was shot and killed the morning of February 16 in a rural part of southern California, authorities told US media.

The victim, identified as Carl Grillmair, 67, was found with a gunshot wound on the front porch of a home in the unincorporated community of Llano, located in the remote Antelope Valley. Deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department responded to a 911 call reporting an assault with a deadly weapon at approximately 6:10 a.m. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

According to the Los Angeles County medical examiner, Grillmair’s death was ruled a homicide caused by a gunshot wound to the torso.

Colleagues described him as a leading figure in modern astronomy. Astronomer Sergio Fajardo-Acosta, who worked alongside Grillmair for 26 years at Caltech, said the scientist’s contributions left a lasting mark on the field. “He was very famous in astronomy and a very renowned scientist,” Fajardo-Acosta said, adding that his legacy would endure through his research.

During the investigation, deputies detained a suspect connected to a nearby carjacking. Authorities later identified the suspect as 29-year-old Freddy Snyder, who has since been charged with Grillmair’s murder as well as carjacking. Court records also show he faces a first-degree burglary charge linked to a separate incident on December 28. Snyder is being held on $2 million bail, and investigators have not established any known relationship between him and the victim.

Friends and colleagues said Grillmair chose to live in the isolated desert region partly because of its dark skies, which allowed for clear observation of stars. He built a private astronomical observatory at his home, equipped with multiple telescopes. Outside his scientific work, he enjoyed flying aeroplanes over the desert and undertaking home improvement projects.

Grillmair’s research focused on mapping the structure of the Milky Way, including the discovery of faint stellar streams and substructures that form the galactic halo surrounding the spiral galaxy. His findings helped reshape scientific understanding of how galaxies form and evolve.

Among his most notable achievements was a 2007 scientific paper identifying evidence of water on a distant planet beyond the solar system. Colleagues described the discovery as particularly significant because the presence of water is considered a key indicator of conditions potentially suitable for life.

At the time of his death, Grillmair had been studying comets and asteroids that could pose potential hazards to Earth, continuing work aimed at improving the understanding of cosmic threats to the planet.

By Tamilla Hasanova