Mark Worth Deserves a New Trial

Mark Worth was found guilty of attempted murder and sentenced to 25 years without having his witnesses heard.

By Ron Lee
US~Observer

Mark Worth’s Mugshot

OKANOGAN COUNTY, WA – Mark Worth’s case is one of several questionable and suspicious criminal cases that have been prosecuted in Okanogan County. Worth was accused and convicted of attempted murder and a drive-by shooting based only on the testimony of John “Cass” Gebbers, a prominent local businessman. Worth’s case shows why it is so important from the moment you are charged with a crime to have an outlet that investigates and uncovers the evidence in your case and holds officials accountable should they not hold to the facts. Worth was reportedly not afforded a fair trial, and the evidence now available should be heard by a jury.

Worth and Gebbers both had dealings in real estate, and it allegedly caused friction when Worth was able to secure better deals for landowners. Still others make claims that Worth paid close attention to several of Gebbers’ family members by attending ball games and events where Worth had no other interest but those family members. This reportedly made “Cass” feel he needed to be protective, wanting Worth to go away.

Whatever the reason, it has been reported that Gebbers was vocal about not liking Worth around.

According to Gebbers’ testimony, he was travelling on old Highway 97 near Brewster, Washington when he noticed a black BMW trailing him. In a panic, Gebbers called his son, Wade, and described the situation. Gebbers claimed that it was Mark Worth following him aggressively and that he eventually brandished a firearm, firing a shot at him, when Gebbers slammed on his brakes. Gebbers’ testimony further describes his sudden pain and thinking he had just been shot.

Both Cass’ son and Cass’ wife called 911 from a separate location. Gebbers drove himself to a hospital, where it was determined he had superficial cuts on his arm from a broken vehicle window.

Cass Gebbers – photo by Don Seabrook, Wenatchee World, 2014

Inconsistencies in Gebbers’ account, such as his timeline of events, when he left for a meeting he was “late” for, how fast he was travelling and when the actual incident took place raise serious questions about the accuracy and reliability of Cass Gebbers’ allegations. For instance, he claimed to have heard one shot and law enforcement found two bullet holes.

It is important to note there was never any physical evidence found that directly linked Mark Worth with the shooting, and witnesses place Worth 65 miles away in the town of Wenatchee, Washington.

Witnesses Timeline of Events
September 7, 2016:

4:00 PM: Multiple witnesses place Mark Worth in Wenatchee, Washington, contradicting Gebbers’ claims that Worth was following him. These witnesses were not heard at Worth’s trial.

4:19 PM: The alleged shooting happens north of Brewster, Washington. Gebbers claims he was followed by a black BMW driven by Worth, who he says pointed a gun at him and fired.

4:20 PM: It’s alleged that Officer Hahn of the Wenatchee Police Department saw Worth at the Wenatchee Police Station. Worth asked about a recovered cell phone. Hahn’s testimony could have shown Worth was in Wenatchee at the time of the alleged shooting, but he was never asked to testify. Hahn has not returned our call.

4:25 PM: Nearby the police station, an orchard owner reported that Worth briefly talked to him at his office in Wenatchee about water rights. He was never contacted to testify.

4:30 PM: An immigrant says Worth picked him and his mother up to go get them groceries in Wenatchee. A phone call from another man supports this timeline, placing Worth far from the crime scene.

6:00 PM: Worth returned to the immigrant’s house, where they all waited to have dinner with the man’s extended family. This immigrant and his family have never had the opportunity to testify for Mark Worth.

7:16 PM: The Wenatchee Police Department is notified about the incident, three hours after it allegedly happened.

Criminal “Investigation”

The police investigation, led by Sergeant Kevin Arnold of the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office, built a case on conflicting stories, unanswered questions, and questionable evidence. At trial, the prosecutor relied on detective Kreg Sloan as an “expert” on cell phone triangulation. Sloan, known by the US~Observer as the one who “lost” cell phone data in a murder investigation because of “Russian Ransomware” made the claim that Worth was near the crime scene, even though it had been established that the phone in the area was not in Mark Worth’s possession at the time. This information was withheld from the jury.

Initial searches by the Wenatchee Police Department yielded no results, then when Okanogan Sheriff’s searched, a live bullet was “found”. Prosecutors claimed that even though the bullet was of the wrong type to that used in the commission of the alleged crime, it still showed that Worth had a gun in his vehicle.

A Case Built on One Person’s Testimony and Concocted Law Enforcement “Evidence”

This case relies solely on the testimony of John “Cass” Gebbers, the alleged victim. There were no other eyewitnesses, no physical evidence linking Worth to the crime, and the cell phone data could be easily explained by other witnesses. However, Gebbers is very influential in the community, co-owning one of the largest orchard and cattle businesses in the country. His influence and past conflicts with Worth over real estate deals raise questions about his motives and the reliability of his testimony.

Additionally, a business owner nearby the alleged site of the declared he heard no shots at the time of the alleged incident, adding more doubt to Gebbers’ story.

According to a King 5 News article from 2021, Gebbers has problems with following simple procedures for the safety of his own employees and was facing a staggering fine because of it. King 5 even went so far to say that the farm didn’t even report a death. The report in part read:

Labor and Industries (L&I) said that its investigation found “dozens of health and safety violations” committed by Gebbers Farm Operations. The company was facing a fine of $2,038,200, one of the largest workplace safety and health fines in state history, according to L&I.

Under the new agreement, Gebber Farms will spend more than $2 million in improving housing, quality of life, safety, and access to healthcare for workers and families.

After two inspections in 2020, L&I found 24 violations. Twelve of the violations were for unsafe sleeping arrangements in temporary worker housing. Another 12 violations were cited for unsafe worker transportation during the coronavirus pandemic.

Two workers also died from coronavirus while living at the farm. Gebbers also had six other violations, including not reporting a death.

Clearly, Gebbers’ credibility has taken a hit since he offered Mark Worth up as his would-be hitman back in 2016.

Would Worth actually get a fair trial now?

Key Testimonies and Evidence That Would Help Worth

Several key testimonies and pieces of evidence were overlooked or not presented during Worth’s trial:

• Multiple parties would testify that Mark Worth drove a silver GMC Pickup, not the brown pickup Gebbers claimed to have seen Worth driving on multiple occasions when Gebbers maintains Worth had been following him leading up to the shooting. Still others would testify that there was a black BMW in the same area that looked so similar to the car Worth was reported to have driven the night of the alleged incident, that even though they had driven Worth’s BMW, they still confused this other car as Worth’s. This testimony could call into question Gebbers’ whole story.

• The arresting Wenatchee Police Officer, BD Chance, would have to testify that no gunpowder residue and no bullets were found inside Worth’s car when they searched the vehicle, prior to turning it over to the Okanogan Sheriff’s Department.

• Convincing testimony would come from a young man who would testify that he had a cell phone under Worth’s account. He was in Brewster on the day of the alleged event, providing an alternative explanation for the cell phone evidence. This testimony alone could provide enough reasonable doubt for a jury to acquit.

• An immigrant and his whole family would place Worth in Wenatchee at the critical time, supported by multiple witnesses, and phone records.

One has to wonder, was a crime committed at all, or was it an elaborate story created to make Mark Worth disappear? Clearly Cass Gebbers will do anything to protect what is his, including not reporting a death, like he was fined for in 2021, in order to protect his business. How far would he go if he felt he had to protect his family?

Clearly Mark Worth deserves a new day in court, one where all witnesses and evidence could be heard by a jury, untainted by the “most powerful man in town.”

Worth’s fight for exoneration represents the struggle for truth and fairness in our judicial system. In the end, it is not just Worth’s fate at stake but the integrity of our legal system.

If you have any information or were a witness to the events on September 7, 2016, please contact the US~Observer at 541-474-7885. Your contribution could be the piece that closes this case and helps uncover the truth to ensure justice prevails.