Thursday, September 22, 2011

More Questions Than Answers –Justice Requires That Rebecca Zahau Case Be Reopened



A woman screams for help at 11:30 p.m. in a 27-room historic mansion in Coronado, California; a 6-year-old child, Max Shacknai, has fallen two days earlier and is in critical condition; the millionaire boyfriend and father of the child, Jonah Shacknai,  and his girlfriend, Rebecca Zahau, have been consumed by the boy’s care and condition in the hospital.

Rebecca Zahau, the live-in girlfriend of Jonah Shacknai, who loved Max as her own, had had a wonderful career. But she gave it up to care for Jonah and his family and their homes. She was kind, athletic, generous to a fault, and beautiful. On the evening in question, Rebecca had gone to dinner with Jonah and his brother Adam. Adam had just flown in that day from Tennessee. Rebecca returned to the mansion, Adam to the mansion guesthouse, and Jonah reportedly to the hospital. Rebecca had a relatively uneventful telephone conversation with her sister Mary and then was never heard from again. The authorities maintain that she received a telephone call at 12:30 a.m. advising that young Max had tragically taken a turn for the worse. She purportedly retrieved that message at 12:50 a.m. Yet, the message was erased, and her phone records do not show any such incoming call at 12:30.

Adam Schacknai found Rebecca at 6:30 the next morning. She was hanging from a Juliette balcony off one of the mansion’s guestrooms. Her feet and hands were bound, she had abrasions, there was tape residue on her legs, and a turquoise women’s athletic shirt was wrapped around her neck three times and part of the shirt was used as a gag in her mouth. There was blood on her legs. The ropes used in the hanging were tied with expert knots to a bed in the room. Partial footprints were found on the balcony, including two footprints from a man’s boot. Written on a door in paint was the phrase “She save him, can you save her.” But the autopsy cites the language as “She saved him, can you save her. “

The family said Rebecca had never been depressed or suicidal (she had no history whatsoever of psychological or psychiatric disturbance or treatment), the note was not in her handwriting, and she did not know how to tie expert knots like that. And she would never have killed herself, because she loved her family so much and, because of her religious beliefs, did not allow, in any event, to do so in such a violent and appalling manner. There is no recorded suicide involving a woman with circumstances like this one. Women simply do not kill themselves this way. The authorities said it was possible that she could have killed herself this way. They illustrated it with a video demonstration of a woman binding her own hands. But they did not show a demonstration of the rest (binding her feet, gagging herself) could have been accomplished. It would have taken a contortionist – frankly, a Cirque De Soleil performing artist – to accomplish such a “suicide” feat.

Expert pathologists have confirmed that Rebecca died while on her back – not from or while hanging.  Lividity was fixed in her back, not in her legs or feet. Renowned pathologist Dr Cyril Wecht has reviewed the autopsy report and has concluded this is not a suicide and that she had blunt force trauma in four places on the top of her head, inconsistent with the fall and consistent with blows that could have rendered Rebecca unconscious. The bed that was tied to the rope did not drag across the carpet.  It was picked up and moved. Hair clumps and black gloves were found at the scene.  Rebecca screamed for help before getting any call (if indeed there was a call) about Max. Someone was seen lurking around the front door shortly before the screams. News helicopter footage showed the balcony French doors open and no rope on the balcony while Rebecca’s body lay naked on the lawn. Doctors Larry Kobilinsky and Maurice Godwin, both famed criminologists, have weighed in that this was not a suicide as have forensic psychiatrists and suicide experts. A polygraph was administered to Adam Shaknai, and the results were reported as inconclusive. No one else was polygraphed or fingerprinted. Phone journals from eight months prior were cited as being contemporaneous, and a witness said Rebecca was not training as much six months earlier. Her own trainer disputes this. 

After seven weeks of investigation, the case was closed. The investigation concluded, and Rebecca’s death was classified as a suicide. Still, so many questions remain. In fact, there are more questions than answers. We think the investigation should be reopened. What do you think? Doesn’t justice so require?

As disclosure, Anne Bremner represents Rebecca Zahua's family as they press authorities for a more thorough investigation into Rebecca's death. Click here to donate to the Rebecca Zahau Fund.

22 comments:

Eye-of -the-storm said...

A reasonable speculation would include that Rebeccae had gold digger tendencies. She was most likely the one who caused the death of the son. Casey Anthony had just been aquited proving children who aren't wanred may be eliminated with no legal reprecussions.Additionally money in book deals may even eventuate Likewise the boy's father realised the same. Legal justice sought would potentially fai. Instead, he could have personal justice in hiring a hitman. She could be deservingly be exeecuted plus degraded in death by how her body was to be found. Polygraph would be inconclusive since he did not actually physically do the deed. Nor his conscience troubled as his only involvement was to have the death penalty carried outThat ought to occur for child killing. Law emforcers who would view a case like this aren't interested, understandaly to do more than the minimum required.

Anonymous said...

I don't believe it was a suicide. There needs to be another investigation and then a reasonable explanation for so bizarre and unlikely a death. I can not believe a woman would go to those lengths to die in such a dramatic, overblown and theatrical way. Its a death out of a B movie, not out of despair, and it has a staged quality to it that comes through loud and clear.
I firmly believe this was a murder. When you consider the contortionist moves it would take to implement this type of suicide and the humiliating circumstances of the victim, the scenario of self inflicted death is laughable to say the least. I hope there is another investigation.

Anonymous said...

This has been a weird case from day one. Wonder if it will take a long time to really solve.

Anonymous said...

Wasn't there another death like this in NY? A woman was found hanged, it turned out to be a maintenance man covering up a rape or burglary?

A Voice of Sanity said...

No witnesses. No forensics. It's as likely as murder that she did this intending that someone (her boyfriend?) be blamed for what happened. Such cases have happened before (apparently it's a woman's thing in real life).

If this was a murder it's a pretty incredible one.

See Homicides That Are Suicides

or Victims of the State

Anonymous said...

I do nit believe this was written by Anne Bremner. All you have to do is see who posted this article.

Pat Brown said...

Anonymous,

Anne Bremner did write the post and Cathy Scott, another of WCI's contributors, posted it for her as she helps with technical aspects of getting the blog updated (sometimes we are traveling and cannot access the site, so we email the article over and someone else handles getting it up).

And we thank Cathy for all her help with WCI!

Anonymous said...

It's quite simple really. Somebody is dead under strange circumstances - as long as there are questions remaining to be answered the case should remain open.

Anonymous said...

Can someone explain these comments written in the article? "Phone journals from eight months prior were cited as being contemporaneous, and a witness said Rebecca was not training as much six months earlier. Her own trainer disputes this. " They seem completely out of context and leave me wondering what either of these facts have to do with the events surrounding her death or Max's death and if they do, why Anne Bremner didn't elaborate on this and its context to the events/investigation. It's all very, very strange. The Hinky Meter also explains things in a way that makes one think that the three stooges investigated this murder. So who did this? Personally, I think it was a team effort. Because if Adam was there, did he not hear the commotion in the house? And whomever did this to her, they had to know there was a guest there.

Sandy said...

I am just a grandmother, hobby of trying to solve crimes, and right away this one jumps out at me as a M-U-R-D-E-R. Women do not jump naked and bound up as suicides, especially women who have such strong religious beliefs along with physical self-esteem of their bodies. And I don't even KNOW Rebecca at all. So what kind of idiots were investigating this? Or who was paying who how much to look the other way? Follow the money trail - that is a pretty good way to look for clues. And yes... this case never should have been closed in the first place.

cheryl said...

"If this was murder it's a pretty incredible one"


That's a pretty incredible statement.

Anonymous said...

Great article! Can you clarify what the message was on the door? I saw Rebecca's sister on the news and she said the message was, "She saved him, can he save her" From your article, "Written on a door in paint was the phrase “She save him, can you save her.” But the autopsy cites the language as “She saved him, can you save her.“ Is the difference the 'd' on "She save/saved him"

If you can please clarify what the is between what was written on the door and what was reported in the autopsy.

Anonymous said...

Excellent article. I will repeat what I posted on the Forbes article: This tragic case clearly cries out for an independent investigation. If the San Diego Sheriff's Office is so confident of their findings, in light of the massive media coverage this case has generated both nationally as well as internationally, my question is: why doesn't it welcome the opportunity to redeem itself by re-opening the case? Its resistance, coupled with that of Jonah Shacknai, speaks volumes. CA AG Kamala Harris must step in. There is more than sufficient evidence of gross malfeasance by the investigative agency, the San Diego Sheriff's Office, throughout its investigation into the death of Rebecca Zahau, to warrant tax-payer funds be allocated to launch a NEW investigation.
http://www.change.org/petitions/california-attorney-general-open-an-independent-investigation-into-the-death-of-the-rebecca-zahau

Anonymous said...

Shacknai company Medicis annual report always had nude women in their cover, is he a creepy CEO with a fetish ideas? check the link below.. gives clues to his thinking

http://www.bnet.com/blog/drug-business/financials-laid-bare-at-medicis-another-annual-report-means-another-naked-woman/5811

Anonymous said...

the article did not mentioned that Rebecca's hands and feet were tied together in the back.

if this was indeed suicide, the authorities would not have left so many questions unanswered. the way they closed this case speaks volume. to me it seems law enforcement know who killed Rebecca Zahau but did not want to proceed with any charges, and the best way for them was to close the case by calling it suicide.

this is cover up to a crime.

Anonymous said...

The link is incorrect for those wanting to contribute to the Rebecca Zahau Fund. See http://www.rebeccazahaufund.com/ for more information.

Anonymous said...

I see the Shaknai spin doctors are over here in force trying to portray Rebecca in a not so nice light but it doesn't and won't work. I would say 90% of people around all the blogs and forums believe she was murdered and probably murdered by someone in that family or a hit paid for by someone in that family as a revenge murder because they blame Rebecca for not watching the kid well enough. Jonah should blame himself or having a young child in a dangerous home like that if anything. How can anyone watch a child every second. Even if Rebecca had been Johnny on the spot she probably could not have saved the kid from this horrible accident.

I hope and pray that this case is reinvestigated by a better team of investigators that the Coronado police and the SDSD. They should all be ashamed of themselves. I guess $$$ speak in their case. I am ashamed to live in this city. Its so very obvious this girl did not commit suicide and the perpetrators need to be brought to justice.

Anonymous said...

BTW, who TEXTS their brother to say, 'by the way, your beloved just hung herself in the yard'. What kind of people are these??? To me that speaks volumes right there. Not to mention that Jonah never even called his brother back or went home to check up on such a horrible TEXT. It sounds more to me like it was a code for the 'deed is done'....

Anonymous said...

Hi there....Have been watching from the beginning ---It's clear ----that she was Killed. And It's also clear ---that the Plolice, the sherrf..@ the Attorny...Do not seem Interested in the truth...@ I was shocked to see ---How thy concluded this. Mr. roy B...( I believe the attorny...said...there there was not one evidence of her struggling.....the way he was saying It ...made me feel ----that they do not want to take it any further...Which should be Unravell ----Becouse we all think /feel...that Money has something to do with this !!...@ like somebody said (here)...Mrs. Kamala...Should step In.....Can You Imagine ----that the Lovely Ann Bremner...has a double Job here ?? Not only to show the truth ( that Is Obvious to those wanting to see it...) But also to crack the "line of Men"....Telling a story of suicide...(showing on big screen some 'flat" "evidence"...Their conclusion was so "flat"...it's a shame on them...Mr. roy Black...is trying to convince of No evidence of struggle".....Is he for real ?? Because it's his duty to find the truth..@ we all know now abot "Evidences" of struggle...What are the Brises on her Had ?? what are the shoe Prints ---Not of police..Cloth in Mouth.."anckered to Bed...Died on her back....Ms. Ann Bremner could easily...Enlighten Him...Why are these men Not "interested" ???....It Is clear...that a Man did this, It happened right after the Tragic fall....there were a Lot of Emotions.@ anger ( was acted upone)....Texting by Adam to Jonah....Just "Passing information"....this makes me mad....Please Bring this to the highst court...Expose the truth...+++ How Money may have affected the rulling.....with Sympathy to the families.....

KLGG said...

This case stinks of cover up. Should the police be investigated? Did someone pressure the Sheriff to close the case? Something is very wrong here. Can the family hire investigators and present the information to the District Attorney to have the case re-opened? The scary part is, a murderer is getting away with this.....

Katy England said...

I thought it was standard operating procedure for police to assume murder until it can be ruled out... It seems odd and disheartening that despite evidence to the contrary that they're closing this case and ruling suicide.

A Voice of Sanity said...

Katy England said: "I thought it was standard operating procedure for police to assume murder until it can be ruled out."

Good heavens no. Like everyone, they do whatever is easiest for them. Without very strong leadership, usually lacking, they take the path of least resistance. Prosecutors do the same, as do judges. The level of interest of the media is as important (or more so) than the facts of a case.

Compare the cases of Scott Peterson and Gilbert Cano if you want a shocking example of this.