How to Catch A Criminal: Gone, But Not Forgiven

Every officer with a decent amount of time on the job knows the unexpected turns an investigation can take. Seeing a major case through to completion often involves giving up on a theory and taking your investigation in a different direction as new information becomes available. In How to Catch A Criminal, we look at the many ways not-so-perfect crimes are solved. This month, a woman’s disappearance exposes a terrible secret.

One of the most important factors in building a good marriage is honesty. Without truthfulness, a couple can’t become close. Lies and deceit will only lead to an unsteady foundation, and the outcome will either be prolonged unhappiness or separation. No matter how two people choose to live their life together, no marriage can thrive without transparency. Financial difficulties, addiction and infidelity are just a few things people will try to hide from their partner, and the results of this lifestyle speak for themselves. You need look no further than tabloid headlines, the local rumor mill, your agency, or even your own family to see the destructive power lies have on an otherwise healthy marriage.

On the afternoon of Friday, September 4, 2009, Reid Gray was wrapping up the work week and planning to head home to his luxurious multimillion-dollar home in the coastal suburb of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, outside of Jacksonville. Reid owned a successful health care equipment company, and at just 38 years of age, he had amassed a handsome estate alongside his wife, 37-yearold Quinn Gray. The couple had been married for nearly nine years and had two children. The couple were the American Dream personified. They had love, marriage, family, success, wealth and a beautiful tan thanks to the Florida sunshine. On the surface, the Grays would be the envy of any couple. Before he could get home and start a pleasant Labor Day weekend, he received a phone call from his wife. An alarmed Quinn stated she had been kidnapped by a gang of Albanians, and she was making the call at gunpoint. She explained the Albanians left a note at the house with instructions on how to secure her safe release. She added the most important thing that Reid needed to know: any law enforcement involvement will result in her death. As soon as Quinn hung up, Reid called 911.

After relaying his story to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, investigators headed to the Gray residence. Upon entry they found the house in order, with no signs of a break-in or struggle. They did, however, find the ransom note, just as Quinn mentioned. The note reiterated that calling the police would result in Quinn’s certain death. It further explained that the three men who kidnapped her were not just any run-of-the-mill Albanian gangsters; they were professionals. The only way Reid would see Quinn alive again is if he came up with $50,000 cash by the following day. The note was written in Quinn’s handwriting, indicating the Albanians forced her to write it at gunpoint before taking her. This was certainly a professional move, because it eliminated the use of handwriting analysis to identify a suspect. Quinn went on to write that their bank would not allow the withdrawal of more than $9,500 from a particular branch per day; therefore, he would need to hit five different branches to acquire the ransom money. They promised not to harm her so long as the money is turned over but noted that his car had already been fitted with a GPS tracker, and the Albanians would know if he did anything but go to the bank and get the money. He was advised to keep his cellphone handy to receive instructions on how to make the exchange, not to tell their children, and once again, not to go to the cops. Finally, the note gave the reason for this whole ordeal. Reid had borrowed $75,000 from a loan shark and failed to pay. The Albanians were hired to collect the money, and they were generously willing to accept a reduced sum if the exchange was made in a timely manner.

The cops questioned Ried about the loan shark, but he was baffled. Not only did he not know any such person, but the amount he supposedly borrowed was inconsequential compared to his income. If someone was going to the lengths of kidnapping his wife to extort him for money, it seemed strange to ask for so little. On the morning of the 5th, Ried finally received a call, with investigators listening in. Quinn called, understandably irate that he didn’t answer the phone fast enough. After all, she had been tied up at an undisclosed location all night and just wanted the nightmare to end. She gave the location of a street corner where the exchange would take place and reminded him that involving cops would get her killed. Naturally, the corner was being watched by investigators, but there was no sign of Quinn or the gang of professional Albanian loan shark henchmen. Quinn called with a new location, a restaurant parking lot, but before hanging up stated the kidnappers had already noticed several “Feds” near the restaurant and they were taking her elsewhere. After that, the kidnappers didn’t make new arrangements for the exchange until the following day. Attempts to track Quinn’s phone were fruitless due to the short duration of the calls and the battery being removed after each one.

On Sunday, Quinn’s mother received a text message, ordering her to make the exchange, since Ried had blown it. She agreed and immediately informed the sheriff ’s office. Quinn told her to head to a public restroom by the beach where she would receive further instructions. Upon arrival she found a letter that ordered her to leave her cell phone so she couldn’t be tracked; not tell Ried where she was going; and bring the money to a nearby seafood restaurant, drop it, and leave. She followed the instructions and dropped the bag as undercover officers looked on. Soon enough, two men approached the bag, inspected it, and picked it up before getting their car and driving away. Officers stopped the car moments later and ordered the kidnappers out. To their surprise, these men were not Albanian, but German. They were enjoying a vacation in Florida, when they stumbled upon the bag of cash. Unfamiliar with American culture, they decided to turn the money over to authorities. As they phoned 911 and attempted to explain the situation to the operator, they were pulled over. Their story was confirmed when Quinn texted her mother to ask where the money was. The third attempt at the exchange was in fact not the charm.

The phone rang again, and this time it was not Quinn calling, but one of the kidnappers. He angrily exclaimed he was fed up with the games and the exchange would take place on the coming Tuesday, and to await instructions. But the call never came. Instead, Quinn Gray turned up in a mall parking lot that morning. She told investigators about her harrowing weekend of being kidnapped, bound, held at gunpoint, and repeatedly sexually assaulted. During a second interview she changed her story, telling investigators that she was taken by a lone kidnapper who ambushed her in her home. She also provided the name of the motel where the man held her. Hoping for the name of the person who rented the room, investigators spoke with the motel manager. He said Quinn didn’t seem to be in distress during her weekend stay, and she was accompanied by a man who drove a white Volkswagen. The two appeared to be a couple. Quinn also mentioned that at one point the kidnapper left to pick up food from a grocery store near the motel, but she didn’t try to escape out of fear for what would happen to Reid and their children if the money wasn’t paid. This led investigators to security footage from the store in which the male was spotted making his purchase. A plea for information about the man in the footage was broadcast on the news, and soon, investigators had their man.

Jasmine Osmanovic, a 25-year-old Bosnian immigrant, called the sheriff’s office to set up an interview. He was curious why his picture was being broadcast with the caption “Kidnapping Suspect.” He denied knowing Quinn Gray and ensured them he was no criminal. When investigators informed Jasmine he had been identified by Quinn and he was facing a potential life sentence for kidnapping, extortion, and sexual battery, he had a new story. He insisted the kidnapping was a hoax, formulated by Quinn to squeeze money out of her husband. The pair had been having an affair for a month and decided to run off for a steamy weekend together. Quinn decided to spice things up further with a bit of extortion and convinced Jasmine to be her accomplice. This story seemed unlikely and is exactly what a kidnapper would say if they were caught. At least, that’s what investigators thought, until Jasmine provided proof. He was concerned that he might end up playing the fall guy in her scheme, so he had set his phone to audio record their time together. The graphic, not safe for work, apparently consensual acts captured on the recording were only interrupted by discussion on how they would carry out the hoax. The recording clearly indicated Quinn was the mastermind of this scheme. When the plan fell apart, she turned on Jasmine, who returned the favor.

Both Quinn Gray and Jasmine Osmanovic were charged with extortion for their part in the hoax. Aside from the mental anguish Ried and the rest of the Gray family suffered, no one was harmed in the charade, which was likely a factor in their lenient sentencing. Quinn Gray pleaded no contest and was sentenced to seven years of probation, as well as mental health treatment. Jasmine Osmanovic plead guilty and was sentenced to six years of probation. They were also ordered to pay fines in the amount of $43,000 each to cover the $86,000 in resources the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office spent trying to solve the nonexistent crime. Ried Gray filed for divorce in 2010.