A former chef is pleading not guilty over the death of his wife in 2009. D.V. aged 49 was a chef at his own restaurant in Lomita, the Thyme Contemporary Café. In October of 2009, his 39-year-old wife disappeared. It was not until February of 2011 that D.V. learned that the authorities were investigating him in connection with her disappearance. In response to this, he jumped from an 80-foot cliff, but survived the fall. While in the hospital, he was interviewed by investigators and told them that he was responsible for his wife’s death, but that it was an accident.
Apparently, he had tied up his wife, binding her hands and feet with duct tape and taping over her mouth. After doing this, he went to sleep and then woke up four hours later to find her dead. His daughter and ex-girlfriend testified for the prosecution and they told him that she died by choking on her own vomit. The next stage of the story is even more gruesome. In an attempt to hide the evidence, D.V. placed the body of his wife into a large vat of water where he boiled her. For four days, her body was held down with weights, which explains why her remains were never found. He then placed what remained of her body into the grease pit of his restaurant and into the trash. He stated that he had placed his wife’s skull in his mother’s attic, but it has never been discovered.
Even though D.V. is pleading not guilty, he has refused to take the stand in his own defense during his trial. It remains to be seen what the result of the trial will be and whether he will be convicted of murder. If you have questions about the charges and penalties in murder cases, please do not hesitate to contact our team at Martinian & Associates for a free case evaluation. Call today!
