Approaching the one-year mark of former Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar's disappearance, his family is taking steps to find closure and has decided to temporarily suspend his law license.

The provisional suspension would allow Gricar to practice law again if he should ever return, Amos Goodall, the Gricar family attorney, said.

Gricar disappeared April 15, 2005; he called his girlfriend, Patty Fornicola, to tell her that he was going for a drive and would be home late from work.

His car was found the next day in Lewisburg. His laptop was found in July in the Susquehanna River and the hard drive to the computer was discovered in October but was too damaged to yield any information.

The Bellefonte Police Department is still investigating.

Last fall, Gricar's license to practice law was suspended for a short time because the annual fee of $175 required of every attorney to maintain an active license was not paid, Goodall said.

"His family didn't know it wasn't paid and as soon they were made aware of it, they immediately paid the fee and the license was immediately reinstated," he said.

Goodall said attorneys are also required to complete 12 hours of training every year to maintain a license. Though Gricar has missed the past year, he would be able to carry over training hours from previous years.

"Knowing how conscientious Ray Gricar is, I'm sure he could catch up on the hours quickly," he added.

Goodall added that he believes there is hope that Gricar might return.

"We are currently storing [his license] in a suspended status until he comes back and takes up the practice of law," he said. "The license is being put into storage."

However, Tony Gricar, Gricar's nephew and family spokesman, said the Gricar family is tired after a year.

Tony Gricar said he has come to believe over time that his uncle will not return.

"Speaking for myself, Lara and my brother, we don't believe he is still alive and don't think he will walk through the door," he said.

For them, the question now is how Gricar died, whether through foul play or possible suicide, he added.