First-Degree Murder? Ex-Prosecutor Working for Zahau Family Says Yes

A representative for Rebecca Zahau's family said Wednesday that he is surprised that first-degree murder charges were not filed within days of the July 2011 discovery of her body at the Spreckels mansion.

Though attorney David L. Fleck would not name who he believed should have faced charges in her death, he said “group think” among investigators may have led them to focus on suicide too quickly rather than exploring other options. 

Fleck and partner Marty S. Rudoy spoke to reporters Wednesday morning outside the Hall of Justice in San Diego, to announce .

They were joined by Snowem Horwath, one of Zahau's sisters, who, along with the rest of her family, have maintained that Zahau did not hang herself, but died at someone else's hand.

Zahau's body was found, nude and bound, in a rear courtyard of Coronado's oceanfront Spreckels mansion. Nearly two months later, Sheriff's investigators she killed herself, driven by despondency over the serious condition of her boyfriend's young son, Max Shacknai.

The boy, 6, fell from a staircase at the mansion owned by his father, Jonah Shacknai, two days before Zahau's death. He died of his injuries less than a week later.

Rudoy and Fleck maintain that given the timing, the boy's death and Zahau's are related.

In the seven-page complaint filed with the court, they are seeking release of the original 911 call to police reporting the discovery of Zahau's body, along with knives, computers and other materials found at the scene.

They also announced that they have established a fund to aid the family and forensic experts as they pursue the private inquiry in Zahau's death, which has continued to interest crime buffs and those suspicious of the suicide finding.

The fundraising goal, via the crowdsourcing site Indiegogo is substantial – $535,000 over one month – and much of it, Rudoy said, would offset legal fees. His team, he said, has been working pro bono on the case.

Watch Patch for more information as this story develops.