Two Murdered Repo Agents and the Jocular Killer

Repo History – Two Agents Murdered in San Bernardino – 1989 – “Mister, if I could, I would strangle you myself.”

On August 31^st of 1989 on an early San Bernardino, California morning, a pair of adjusters arrived at the offices of Commercial Security Alliance. Spotting their assignment, they backed their tow truck up to the blue 1976 Toyota pickup. Unknown to them, it was lived in by 59-year-old, off-duty security guard Jerald Groninger.

Awakened by their approach. Groninger emerged with a .22 rifle in hand and opened fire.

Hitting both men with his first shots, Groninger walked over to them and fired one round into the head of one of the men and three into the head of the other. Murdered, were 26-year-old father of two, Mark Brian Rider, who had only just opened his new agency “Rhino Recovery” earlier that April. Also killed was his 29-year-old employee Rick Tallon, a father of four.

The Arrest

At 6:20 am, police arrived and Groninger claimed it was self-defense. Neither of the two Repossessors were armed and both were wearing visible agent licenses. Regardless, Groninger allegedly acted completely justified in his actions claiming his was afraid, not angry and acted in self-defense and only remembered shooting each once.

Shortly after the shooting and during the investigation, police recorded Groninger’s confession. Picking up a stick, a relaxed and joking Groninger demonstrated how he killed them by picking up a large stick pretending it was a rifle. Several times during the demonstration, he pointed the stick at the officers pretending to be the deceased and jokingly said “bang!”

He was later charged with two counts of murder.

The Trial

Belinda Tallon, Rick’s widow, expressed her emotions at his sentencing in November of 1990. She reported that her children still had nightmares that their fathers’ killer would come after them. “What you did, was really devastated six little kids. You have destroyed not only two men, but families that will never, ever get over this.” she said fighting back tears with her voice cracking.  Mister, if I could, I would strangle you myself.”

The District Attorney recommended the maximum sentence due to Groninger’s “complete lack of remorse and almost jocular attitude concerning these crimes.” Superior Court Judge Art McKinister stated that Groninger demonstrated unusually callous attitudes and “an extraordinary lack of value for human life.”

Groninger was found guilty and due to his age, the prosecutor did not seek the death penalty. Instead, he received two life sentences served consecutively rather than concurrent that would have made him 97 years old before he would have been eligible for parole, essentially a slow death sentence.

Their Final Resting Places

Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, Groninger lived a long life in prison and died on March 14, 2018, while incarcerated at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, California.

He had served approximately 28 years of his 52-year sentence for the killings. The cause of death was heart failure, as confirmed by California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) records and San Bernardino County coroner’s reports. No obituary was published, but his passing was noted internally in parole board files (last denial: 2017).

Rick Ellsworth Tallon was laid to rest at Victor Valley Memorial Park, in Victorville, California. His wife and mother of six, Belinda was laid to rest with him in 2012.

Mark Brian Rider was born in Japan but a lifetime resident of San Bernardino where he graduated at Pacific High School before joining the Air Force and then the Marines. He was laid to rest at an undisclosed location following a local funeral service.

Sources: San Bernardino County Sun, 3 September 1989            

Over a century has passed since the rough and sketchy origins of the repossession industry. And over this time, there have been many more colorful and often tragic stories that have occurred here which I provide more detail of in my book “Repo Blood – A Century of Auto Repossession History.”

Order now for the holidays. Delivery time is between 20-24 days average. Makes a great gift for clients and employees. 

Two Murdered Repo Agents and the Jocular Killer – Two Murdered Repo Agents and the Jocular Killer – Two Murdered Repo Agents and the Jocular Killer

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