Millionaire's girlfriend found hanged in series of intricate knots. Murder or suicide?

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

iHeartPodcasts and CrimeOnline

True Crime, News

3.9 • 7.6K Ratings

🗓️ 6 June 2018

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The mystery of how Rebecca Zahau was hanged off the balcony of her boyfriend's Southern California mansion was investigated by police and the subject of a wrongful death lawsuit -- but the truth is still evasive. Investigators initially concluded the 32-year-old killed herself days after her boyfriend's son suffered a fatal fall in the same home, but a jury recently decided the boyfriend's brother was legally responsible for her death. Nancy Grace digs into the case with famed forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht, who investigated it for the civil lawsuit and Zahau family lawyer Keith Greer, who won a $5 million judgment against Adam Shacknai, the man who called 911 to report finding Zahau dead. They are also joined by Seattle lawyer Anne Bremner, forensics expert Joseph Scott Morgan, Dr. Carole Lieberman -- author of "Lions, Tigers & Terrorists, Oh My! How to protect your child in a time of terror," and Crime Stories contributing reporter Ninette Sosa.

Transcript

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0:36.0	Crime stories with Nancy Grace on SiriusXM Triumph channel 132.
0:42.0	A gorgeous girl comes to the US with her family from Burma to seek a better life and they work like dogs to provide their children a better, a different life and education.
0:59.0	So how did this beautiful girl Rebecca Zahaw end up dead hanging naked?
1:08.0	Her hands bound behind her in an intricate knot a hood over her head, well a sweatshirt over her head around her face.
1:21.0	Her mouth gagged hanging outside naked off a balcony.
1:28.0	That doesn't sound like an accident to me.
1:33.0	But when you throw in millions and millions of dollars and influential families involved, everything seems to go sideways, right?
1:42.0	I mean, Nancy Grace, this is Crime Stories. Thank you for being with us with me an incredible lineup.
1:50.0	Keith Greer, the lawyer for that girl Rebecca Zahaw's family.
1:58.0	A veteran trial lawyer and with me world renowned forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht who worked diligently for Rebecca Zahaw's family.
2:10.0	A profile lawyer and breminer forensic expert professor of forensics Joe Scott Morgan, Dr. Carol Lieberman, psychiatrist and author of Lions Tigers and terrorists.
2:22.0	Oh, my had a protector child and crime stories investigative reporter Nanette Sosa.
2:28.0	You probably already figured out by now I'm talking about the beautiful young girl Rebecca Zahaw dead at the mansion of a millionaire.
2:37.0	Jonah Shatney. Now two bizarre deaths shaking this wealthy, wealthy Southern California community and sending armchair sleuths into a frenzy.
	...

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