Who's who in the Chandra Levy trial
In the case of former federal intern Chandra Levy's murder, dozens of police, detectives, attorneys and others have played or are expected to play key roles in Levy's case and the trial of Ingmar Guandique, who has been charged with her killing. Here are snapshots of some of the players.
Character profiles
Chandra LevyShe was a 24-four-year-old intern for the federal Bureau of Prisons and graduate student at the University of Southern California when she vanished on May 1, 2001, after leaving her Dupont Circle apartment. She had been dating a married member of Congress, Gary Condit, who was 52 at the time. Levy’s skeletal remains were found by a hiker in Rock Creek Park a year later. | |
Gary ConditPolice, prosecutors and the press suspected that Condit might have had something to do with Levy’s disappearance. The congressman maintained his innocence and later lost his congressional seat. He was never connected to the murder and is now living in Arizona. | |
Ingmar GuandiqueAn illegal immigrant from El Salvador, Guandique was attacking women at knifepoint in Rock Creek Park around the time of Levy’s disappearance. He is currently serving a 10-year-sentence for those attacks and goes on trial in the Levy murder case on Oct. 18 in D.C. Superior Court. | |
Halle ShillingShe was a Washington-based writer when Guandique attacked her on a trail above Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park on May 14, 2001—two weeks after Chandra disappeared. She fought him off and escaped. | |
Christy WiegandShe was a recent law school graduate working for a Washington firm when Guandique attacked her on a jogging path along Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park on July 1, 2001. She, too, fought him off, and he was arrested later that night. | |
Amber FitzgeraldShe was a law school student when she says a man fitting Guandigue’s description chased her near the Peirce Mill in Rock Creek Park on May 1, 2001, the day Chandra disappeared. Fitzgerald was not assaulted and did not report the incident to police for two years. | |
The jailhouse witnessesDetectives have interviewed several inmates who claim that Guandique confessed to murdering Levy. While the inmates details vary -- sometimes wildly -- the central claim, that Guandique had allegedly murdered a woman in a park, remain the same. One of the inmates claims Guandique tied him up and raped him in prison and then told the inmate he did the same thing to Levy. | |
Amanda HainesAs the lead prosecutor, Haines is a veteran D.C. homicide prosecutor who now specializes in cold cases. She has handled several high-profile cases, including the murders of Shaquita Bell and New York Times reporter David Rosenbaum. In 2009, additional security was called to the courtroom after she received death threats during her prosecution of two drug dealers and convicted murderers. | |
Fernando CampoamorA veteran prosecutor, Campoamor has worked on numerous cases involving violent gangs. They include Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13, the gang Guandique joined while in prison. A native of Puerto Rico, Campoamor is expected to be the lead attorney during the questioning of Hispanic witnesses in the case. | |
Santha SonenbergThe lead attorney on Guandique's defense team, Sonenberg is considered one of the top lawyers for the District's Public Defender Service. She is a veteran trial attorney who specializes in difficult homicide cases and is seen as a vigilant fighter for her clients. She speaks fluent Spanish. | |
Maria HawiloA fluent Spanish speaker, Hawilo is considered by her colleagues in the Public Defender’s Office to be a thorough and meticulous defense attorney. She is relatively new to the office and began practicing law in the District about six years ago. | |
Judge Gerald I. FisherFisher began his legal career more than 30 years ago and worked as a high-profile criminal defense lawyer and civil litigator before being named to the Superior Court bench by President Clinton in 2001. A native of Newport News, Va., he has served in the criminal and civil divisions of the courthouse and in the domestic violence unit. Full bio » | |
Detective Anthony BrigidiniLead detective in the Levy case. Joined the D.C. police department in 1989. Joined the homicide unit in 1992. In 1994, worked on the case involving the shooting deaths of two FBI agents and a homicide sergeant inside D.C. police headquarters. In 2005, Brigidini joined the cold case unit and teamed with Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Haines and Detective Kenneth "Todd" Williams on cold cases including Shaquita Bell and Levy. | |
Detective Kenneth "Todd" WilliamsLead detective in the Levy case. Joined D.C. police department in 1989 and then joined the department's vice unit, where he specialized in drugs and guns. Williams joined the homicide unit in 1993. In 2005, he collaborated with the FBI on gang investigations. Teams with Haines and Brigidini on major cold cases. | |
Detective Emilio MartinezHelped translate letters allegedly written by Guandique and helped translate meetings between the officers and Guandique. Martinez spent much of his career with the D.C. police in the intelligence unit working on identifying and infiltrating violent Hispanic gangs. |