Hundreds of stories and thousands of comments later, the case is not closed in the public mind. Rebecca Zahau’s hanging death at the Spreckels mansion in Coronado a year ago today (Friday the 13th) was officially classified a suicide by the Sheriff’s Department. But doubts remain—and a cottage industry of theories has sprung up, including a Wikipedia page. Coronado Patch maintains its own archive at Spreckels Mansion Mystery: The Death of Rebecca Zahau. Your final thoughts?
Frequently Asked Questions Who was walking around her house that night before she was killed? The person walking around the mansion the evening before the incident was identified, and her actions matched those described by a witness who saw her. Simply stated, she was a family member looking to see if anyone was home at the mansion.
Sounds like any of you hateful people could have killed "the late babysitter."
If Dina is suing anyone, it should be Jonah, if he wasnt there. He didnt stick to their agreement to not leave Max alone with Rebecca.
SDCSD Death Investigation, Rebecca Zahau, July13: "She bound her feet, placed the rope and shirt around her neck, fashioned her wrist bindings, and secured her hands behind her back. Rebecca moved out to the balcony, leaned forward over the rail, and fell." SDCME Autopsy Report, July 14: "Found hanging, fully suspended, with ankles bound and hands bound behind back. Long sleeve T‐shirt wrapped loosely around neck. Neck injuries were consistent with a drop from that height. Cause of Death: Hanging. Manner of Death: Suicide" SDCSD News Release, Sep 6 2011: "Sticky material that appeared similar to tape residue was noted on her mid left shin and right lower leg. Bruises on the right side of her scalp were also seen. The T‐shirt that was around her neck had a portion originally in her mouth ..." Neither the tape residue, nor gag, nor bruises were mentioned in either the Death Investigation or ME's reports - nor apparently any further investigation into likely causes of bruises or source of tape residue. Why? What else was left out of "official" reports? Was this purposeful obfuscation - i.e. obstruction - or just incompetence? The revelation of this information - after her burial - was suspicious enough for Rebecca's family to pay to have her exhumed and a 2nd autopsy conducted.
In Jonah's own words: Rebecca was "my girlfriend and companion of two years". Just because she was babysitting does not make her a "babysitter".
He suggested changing the manner of death from "suicide" to "undetermined" on Zahau's death certificate. "The autopsy itself was thorough, I have no criticism. It's the findings that were there and some that were not there that … leave me to express grave and serious doubts that the manner of death was suicide." He agreed with the original autopsy report's conclusion that Zahau's cause of death was hanging, but he suggested she might have been placed in the noose. "Four hemorrhages beneath Zahau's scalp [caused by] blunt force trauma [from] something of a rounded, smooth surface that impacts against the scalp, thus not producing a laceration" indicating she "may have been knocked unconscious, which could explain why there are not defensive injuries on her body consistent with that of a struggle." Wecht also questioned the investigators' conclusion that Zahau had thrown herself over the balcony. "We have no fracture of the cervical vertebrae [neck]. That bothers me greatly with this kind of situation." The absence of evidence of other DNA or fingerprints in her room does not "prove" there was no one else there. After all, even OJ wore gloves. It seems there was a plethora of un-investigated evidence at the house and possible evidence un-found due to premature conclusion of the investigation.
Rebecca Zahau committed suicide because of guilt over Max Shacknai's accident. What did she know that she didn't want to tell a detective? After all, she wouldn't call him back. What does XENA know? Why was XENA whisked away so quickly...did Rebecca not want the detective to question her either???
We believe the Shacknai's and Romano's are innocent in what they are being accused of by internet posters. If there are discrepancies in Rebecca Zahau's autopsy report then I am sure her death will be investigated again. However, specifically accusing families without even proving a murder took place for a second investigation into what has been ruled a suicide is not the way to go. I hope you understand Dina may get the answers you need to begin the correct way. A reinvestigation into Rebecca's death would have to begin with Max's death, but all of you are too full of hate to realize that. All my opinion.
P.S. Rebecca committed suicide.
Rebecca Zahau killed herself. Just what did she do to Max that she couldn't live with?