New Timeline

Given the conflict between a key part of Vivian Cercy’s testimony and the testimonies given by others, I’ve removed it from my timeline.  Specifically, I’ve removed her claim that she saw Mary and Greg with a blond man around 0030 the morning of the 16th.  I take it as a fact that Mary was not in or near Rainbow Village at the time, because she and Thomas had accompanied Jim Prew on a beer and burrito run from which they didn’t return until approximately 0200.

Sometime before sunset, David Bergman ("Mousey") took Ralph International Thomas to the liquor store.  (Berkeley Marina Murders, p. 134).  Thomas told Inspector Dan Wolke that Melody Medlin accompanied them.

1900-2000: Bergman claimed he heard a rifle shot at 1900 (Berkeley Marina Murders, p. 134.)  Thomas Medlin claimed he heard a rifle shot sometime around sunset (People v. Thomas, p. 3).  Sunset on August 15 was 2002.


Thomas told Wolke that after returning from going to the liquor store he ran into Tracy Scarborough and they hung out in his car drinking and smoking pot.  (People v. Thomas, p. 5)


2200:  On his way to the porta john, David Bergman saw International. (Berkeley Marina Murders, p. 134)


Jim Prew stated that a small group gathered at his van around 2200.  At first the group included "Prew, Mary, Greg, Chris Campbell, Paul Harter, Dan, and Robbie." (Berkeley Marina Murders, p. 112)


2215 International joined the group gathered at the van. (Berkeley Marina Murders, p. 112)


According to Jim Prew, International engaged in "'rough conversation about napalm and Vietnam but didn't mention killing anyone in Vietnam.  Paul [Harter] told International he didn't want to hear anymore of this conversation." (Berkeley Marina Murders, p. 111)  "...Paul and International talked about Vietnam for about 20 minutes." (Berkeley Marina Murders, p. 112)


0100-0125:   At the preliminary hearing in October '85 Jim Prew testified that, at 0125 he left Rainbow Village with International, Mary, Paul Harter, and Chris Campbell to get some more beer and burritos and to drop off Chris.  Greg did not accompany them. (Berkeley Marina Murders, p. 111)


(People v. Thomas reads, "About 1 a.m. on August 16, Prew agreed to drive Chris Campbell to his home in Richmond. (p. 3)  In Re Ralph International Thomas records the same account on page 15.)


0200:  Prew et al. returned to Rainbow Village with Greg, who they picked up as he was walking on University Avenue. (People v. Thomas, p. 3)


0230:  Greg and Mary left Prew’s van and went for a walk. International left around the same time and went to his car.  (Berkeley Marina Murders p. 113; People v. Thomas, p. 3)


0230-0300 (?):  Someone knocked on Vivian Cercy’s car window and threatened her.  (People v. Thomas, p. 7). 


As he walked back to Rainbow Village from University Avenue, Vincent Johnson saw Mary and Greg standing with International near the concrete blocks (Berkeley Marina Murders p. 113) and/or near the landfill office. (People v. Thomas, p. 3)


0530:  Cercy gave Anthony a ride to work.  (People v. Thomas, p. 8)


0625: Tracy Scarborough, who'd been sleeping in International's car that night, woke up at the slamming of its hatchback around sunrise. (Berkeley Marina Murders p. 113; People v. Thomas, p. 3)


0630:  Heading out of Rainbow Village on his way to work, Calvin Wylie saw International near a weed cutter by the access road,  bending down and searching through something Wylie thought were bags.  (People v. Thomas, p. 3)


0900-1000:  David Bergman testified that, around 0900 or 1000, he saw Ralph Thomas, who told him his rifle was missing.  Thomas reported the same thing to Thomas Medlin and Tracy Scarborough that morning.


1115:  At some point "after sunrise" a jogger or a dog walker saw Mary Gioia's body floating in the lagoon, near the dump gate at the intersection of Marina Blvd. and Spinnaker Way.  (Greg's body was not found until the following day.)


This is from The Berkeley Marina Murders:  "' At 11:15am on Friday, August 16th, we (Berkley Police) received a call from a man who had been walking his dog by the marina.  He spotted something or someone floating face-down in the water, about 15 feet from shore.'" (Berkeley Marina Murders, p. 26)

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