Murder trial with a twist: there’s no body.
The case involves the 1995 disappearance of Kristina Sandoval who worked as a nurse at a Greeley, Colo., hospital. Co-workers reported that Sandoval arranged to meet her estranged husband to settle a debt. An eyewitness saw Sandoval leave the hospital after her 7:30 a.m. shift on the morning of October 19, 1995. A co-worker described Sandoval as nervous about the meeting and said she didn’t want to go, according to an arrest warrant affidavit – you can read the affidavit here: http://www.9news.com/pdfs/Sandoval%20arrest%20UPDATED.pdf.
Sandoval went missing and was never seen again. Her estranged husband is charged with her murder. The case goes to trial in Greeley on July 12.
Many people wrongly assume that a murder case can’t be prosecuted without a body.
Thomas A. Dibiase, a former Washington D.C. Assistant United States Attorney, tracks ‘no body’ homicides. His website lists nearly 300 ‘no body’ murder trials in the United States, including that of Cindy Booth. The 14-year old girl disappeared from her Delta, Colo., home in 1993 while riding her bike. Eugene Marvin Smith was successfully prosecuted for Booth’s murder and sentenced to 48 years, according to Dibiase’s website. Delta County is the same county where Roger Ellison disappeared on Feb. 10, 1981.
Check out Dibiase’s website to read more about ‘no body’ investigative techniques and prosecution of cases at http://www.nobodymurdercases.com/.
Lori
For full coverage of the Sandoval murder case, click on the link: http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20100716/NEWS/100719765
