Jury selection will resume today in a wrongful death lawsuit suit brought by the family of Rebecca Zahau, the woman found hanging naked in her billionaire’s boyfriend’s home in Coronado, California in 2011, reports the San Diego Union Tribune.
The death was officially ruled a suicide, but the family believes she was murdered two days after the six-year old son of her boyfriend, Jonah Shacknai, fell over a second floor railing in the home while under Zahau’s care. The son would later die.
The family’s suit alleges Jonah Shacknai’s brother, Adam Shacknai, was behind the 32-year-old woman’s death. An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the lawsuit also accused Jonah’s ex-wife Dina Shacknai and her sister Nina Romano in the killing. We apologize to the family for the error.
Zahau was found dead with a t-shirt stuffed in her mouth and her hand and foot bound by rope.
CBS8 reports potential jurors on Monday were given a questionnaire and are expected to return them today.
Opening statements could begin as early as Wednesday or Thursday.
The family is seeking an unspecified amount in damages.
Zahau was born in Northwestern Burma and is also known as Rebecca Nalepa. Both Zahau and Jonah Shacknai have a checkered past. According to Wikipedia, in 2009 she pleaded guilty of stealing $1,000 in jewelry from Macy’s. Shacknai’s second marriage was marked by claims of domestic violence from both parties.
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RE: Wrongful Death Trial to begin in death of Billionair’s girlfriend: I keep rereading the descriptor how this woman was found. Mouth stuffed, hand and feet bound and hung. And that is ruled a suicide?! How is that possible for a woman to do that?! Crazy! Money vs. woman of color.