9 Long Years Later, Chandra Levy Murder Trial Begins

More then 9 years after the skeletal remains of Chandra Levy's body were found in the Washington DC park of Rock Creek, the trial for her murder is about to begin. Ingmar Guandique, an El Salvador native, is being charged with first degree murder in her death. But the trial is unlikely to reveal answers to many details surrounding her death, according to legal experts. The prosecution will have the burden of proving guilt without physical evidence, which could be a challenge. They're relying on statements Guandique made to fellow inmates as well as his admission of assaults on 2 other women in Rock Creek Park. He was given a 10 year prison sentence in Feb. 2002 for attacking those women. Further anguish for Levy's parents could result being a conviction is not a sure thing in the trial in the death of their daughter.

Chandra Levy arrived in Washington DC in the fall of 2000 for an internship. The 24 year old from Modesto, California went missing in May 2001 when she supposedly went jogging in Rock Creek Park. It was a year later that her remains were discovered in that park by a man who was walking his dog.

Levy's disappearance received widespread publicity because of her relationship with congressman Gary Condit. The relationship contributed to Condit's eventual demise and downfall as a politician. Gary Condit was questioned about the disappearance of Levy, but was never charged with anything. He secretly provided police with a DNA sample that matched semen on Levy's underwear and his apartment was searched after it was revealed the two were having an affair.

In August 2001, according to court records,a jailhouse informant told police that Guandique confessed to killing Levy but that story was later dismissed by police and prosecutors. When terrorists struck the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 9, 2011, Levy's case pretty much vanished from the headlines.

Almost 5 years later a DC police chief assigned new detectives to the Chandra Levy case and new light was cast on it. In Jul.2008 the Washington Post published a 13 part investigation into the case that identified Guandique as the most likely suspect in the case. A couple of months later detectives visited Guandique in a California prison and took a DNA test and obtained a statement from him stating he "touched Levy". They also found a photo of Levy in his cell. Unidentified witnesses came forth over the next few months stating that Guandique confessed to murdering a woman who looked Italian and also saying he murdered a woman in a park. Finally in May 2009, Guandique is indicted for the murder of Chandra Levy, 9 years after her disappearance. He plead not guilty in DC Superior Court.

A jury was seated on Fri. Oct.22,2010 in the trial of Guandique, the man charged in the death of Sandra Levy. Will her family finally get the answers to exactly what happened to their beloved daughter in Rock Creek Park in Washington DC almost a decade later? Let's hope that the final chapter in this sad story may soon be over when this trial concludes and the family can find some sort of peace and be able to move on with their lives.

Sources: CNN Justice.com
Chicago Tribune.com
Washington Post.com