Don’t miss the Fall 2018 Issue of True Crime: Case Files Magazine! Here is a preview of this dynamic issue:
https://view.joomag.com/true-crime-case-files-fall-2018-edition-fall-2018/0141191001531156380?short
Part 2 of my story on the mysterious death of beautiful Rebecca Zahau begins on page 7. On the morning of July 13, 2011, Rebecca was found hanging by a noose from the second-story balcony of the Spreckels Mansion in world famous Coronado, California. Her body was nude, making the red rope wrapped around her neck, and binding her arms behind her back, and feet even more prominent. A blue t-shirt was wrapped around her neck and a gag placed harshly in her mouth. Rebecca’s death was ruled a suicide, but a jury in a wrongful death trial found it to be murder. Come with me inside the courtroom for this unforgettable case.
Another gripping and heartbreaking case is the murder of twenty-year-old Maithem Alfuraiji by his best friend Salvador Sanchez. My story “The Snapchat Killer: Was He Legally Insane When He Killed His Best Friend?” starts on page 38 and takes you into the courtroom where a defense of not guilty by reason of insanity is offered up. Why did Salvador Sanchez, a youth fresh from high school, who had spent months fully immersed in his church youth group, and filled with a faith he was eager to share suddenly turn into a killer?
On the night of April 22, 2017, nineteen-year-old Salvador Sanchez clothed himself in all white because it was symbolic and pure, before heading out to kill Maithem. Salvador then immediately posted videos to Snapchat, boasting and joking about what he had done.Was Salvador a cold and callous murderer as the prosecution contended? Or did he suffer a psychotic break, overcome by mental illness, believing he must kill in order to save others as the defense propounded? Was there really a vision that Maithem’s reckless driving would cause the death of 20 children and Salvador alone was called upon to stop it? Or was this a manufactured excuse concocted to save himself? Or did the answer somehow lie in Salvador’s unstable childhood, born to a thirteen-year-old mother who at times suffered from mental issues, bounced from home to home, and exposed to fanatical religion? Or was the answer more straightforward: a marijuana induced psychosis?
About Aleida K. Wahn, Esq.
I am an attorney, award-winning true crime writer, and legal analyst of criminal cases. I cover criminal trials and write stories and books about compelling, gripping, and unforgettable cases that impact our world. I take you into the courtroom in high-profile murder trials, rape cases, crimes of passion, cases involving mental illness, deviant behavior, and more. I have a deep passion for true crime, criminal law, and all aspects of the criminal justice system. I have appeared as an expert on true crime shows, including “48 Hours,” “Snapped,” and “The Dead Files,” and provided legal analysis on high-profile criminal trials on Court TV, the Law & Crime Trial Network, Fox 5 News, ABC 10 News, and KUSI News. I also create and host shows with the Del Mar Television Producers Group, addressing criminal justice and social issues in recent criminal trials.
I provided my insight and legal analysis on Court TV and the Law & Crime Trial Network of the high-profile trial of former NFL star Kellen Winslow Jr. It was a trial that captured the nation as the heralded ex-football star with fame, fortune, and a famous name stood accused of multiple rapes and other sex crimes involving five women. As the trial delved into shocking facts, complicated legal issues, and unexpected twists and turns, I was there for every minute. After the trial, I wrote a book on the case, going behind the headlines to share the extraordinary details of what happened inside the courtroom. Judging Winslow Jr.: From NFL Star to Serial Rapist? Inside the Shocking Rape Trial of Kellen Boswell Winslow II is now available on Amazon.
I am passionate about telling true crime stories, as these penetrating stories have the power to move us all, while highlighting societal issues which need to be addressed. I have personally seen the human devastation which is present in each trial and believe there is a lesson to be learned in every single case. It is through awareness and examining critical issues society can effect change and even make new laws. To learn more, please visit: https://www.aleidalaw.com.
Read about the gripping and unforgettable trials that I have covered in my latest books:
