Prosecutor Found Dead

PM_Mama00 · #1 12-07-2003, 12:29 PM

BALTIMORE, Maryland (AP) -- Authorities haven't ruled anything out as they try to determine what led to the brutal killing of a federal prosecutor who was repeatedly stabbed and found face down in a Pennsylvania creek, an FBI spokesman said Saturday.

Investigators have been interviewing people connected with cases Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Luna prosecuted, as well as friends and associates, to determine if his death was related to work or something more personal.

"Everything is on the table," FBI spokesman Larry Foust said. "We've drawn no conclusion either way."

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, District Attorney Donald R. Totaro wouldn't comment on whether investigators had specific theories or suspects in mind. He denied reports that investigators had determined the attack on Jonathan Luna was the result of a personal dispute.

"There are many avenues that need to be explored, so I think it would be very premature to suggest that this case or the course of this investigation has been narrowed to that extent," Totaro said.

However, a federal law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press on Saturday that investigators had found nothing to indicate the crime was connected to Luna's work and were looking at his personal life.

The motive is significant and could determine where the case would be prosecuted and at what level.

If Luna's death was related to his official duties, it would be a federal case that could be prosecuted in either Pennsylvania or Maryland, said Joseph Evans, a former federal prosecutor in Baltimore. If it was personal, it likely would go to state authorities in Lancaster County.

Totaro said he would meet Monday with Thomas DiBiagio, the U.S. attorney in Maryland who was Luna's boss, to discuss strategy in the joint investigation.

Meanwhile, the FBI in Baltimore released a statement Saturday saying federal agents continued to work with the Pennsylvania State Police and numerous other law enforcement agencies in the investigation.

"All I can say is we are putting as many resources as we possibly can in the FBI, along with other supporting agencies, and we are working around the clock, nonstop, and we will continue to do so," Foust said.

Luna, 38, was attacked after leaving his office in Baltimore around midnight Wednesday.

His body was found Thursday morning with 36 stab wounds. Even though he had been repeatedly stabbed, possibly with a penknife, and actually died from drowning, Lancaster County coroner Barry Walp said.

Luna's car was found nearby with blood on the driver's side door and fender, a large pool of blood on the floor, and money and cell phone equipment scattered inside, according to a police search warrant affidavit. The affidavit also said Luna had a "traumatic wound" on the right side of his head.

The day before his death, Luna had worked out plea deals with an attorney for two men accused of running a violent heroin ring from their rap studio. He also had recently prosecuted a man who plotted to burn down a home to force six Mexican men out of a neighborhood and three men involved in a violent crack distribution network. All the defendants entered guilty pleas.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/12/06/sl....ap/index.html

I'm really really curious what rap artists he was prosecuting against.

ThetaPrincess24 · #2 12-07-2003, 01:10 PM

I've been curious abotu that too as to which rap artist he was prosecuting.

If he's prosecuting drug rings and things like that before, the rap artists could really be non-related to his death as I'm sure he's made many enemies. But nonetheless it all makes you wonder still doenst it?

Peaches-n-Cream · #3 12-07-2003, 10:07 PM

They said the name of the rappers on the local news last night, but I can't remember them. If they repeat the names tonight, I will let you know.

aabby757 · #4 12-08-2003, 01:02 PM

This is pretty big news here. It looks like the rap artist didn't have anything to do with his murder or at least the "experts" are saying that his 36 stab wounds were superficial and he died of drowning. And the stabs were done with a pen knife.

Now it turns out that the prosecuter had a credit card that he was using that his wife didn't know he had and he had spent some time in the Lancaster area often. And, on top of that there was some sex site message boards with his name. But, there is also a registered sex offender in that area that has his exact name.

But, the credit card is fishy to me. And that he visits Lancaster often is fishy too.

I think it has another twist to it that we may never hear about because he's a prosecuter and they don't want to disparage the dead etc.

Sad regardless.

ThetaPrincess24 · #5 12-08-2003, 01:32 PM

Dont get me wrong i'm not makign light of this issue...........but if indeed it is true about the sex sites, etc.......I keep being reminded of a story that went with the line my grandmother used to tell me often as a little girl..."Your sins will seek you out."

PM_Mama00 · #6 12-08-2003, 06:25 PM

What's Lancaster? Is it a bad area?

Peaches-n-Cream · #7 12-09-2003, 07:37 PM

Lancaster, PA is Amish country. Franklin & Marshall is located there, too. From what I recall it is extremely rural. I have no idea about crime there.

They didn't repeat the names of the rappers on the news.

ThetaPrincess24 · #8 12-09-2003, 07:56 PM

what i'm about to post may seem a bit ignorant.......but be aware I dont know much about this area or Amish country....

If Lancaster is Amish country, and he may or may not have been soliciting sex in that area..........how would that be? If Amish people dont have phones and computers and what nots (though i have seen some drive away in a minivan from a cracker barrel before that was a sight). I guess the questions I'm askign is do other or regular people i guess for lack of a better word live in Amish country too? I'm just trying to understand here.......

MuAZD · #9 12-09-2003, 08:04 PM

Actually it was a bit north of Lancaster city-near Ephrata. Lancaster is called Amish country, but the biggest concentration is right outside of the city, near the outlets and Strasburg, which are the touristy areas. There are Amish farms interspersed near the place where he was found, but its not all Amish like you may think. Lancaster city is a shithole imho, and there is crime there, but in a smaller town like Ephrata, this is big news.
I heard on the local news that apparently the place where he was found is notorious for meeting people for sex.

Peaches-n-Cream · #10 12-10-2003, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ThetaPrincess24
what i'm about to post may seem a bit ignorant.......but be aware I dont know much about this area or Amish country....

If Lancaster is Amish country, and he may or may not have been soliciting sex in that area..........how would that be? If Amish people dont have phones and computers and what nots (though i have seen some drive away in a minivan from a cracker barrel before that was a sight). I guess the questions I'm askign is do other or regular people i guess for lack of a better word live in Amish country too? I'm just trying to understand here.......

I haven't been to Lancaster in a long time. My description is based on what I recall as a tourist. F&M is in the area as are farms and a large Amish community. It was pretty touristy from what I recall. There are a lot of non-Amish, too.