Inman

Open-house murder story gets stranger

LOS ANGELES — The man that was found stabbed to death in a Westchester open house over the weekend has been as identified as Ricardo M. Contreras, a real estate agent. And here’s where it gets REALLY interesting: According to the Daily Breeze, Contreras’s sister, Rosalba Contreras, is currently serving two life sentences for murdering Valentine and Elvira Partida, an elderly couple, and bilking them out of millions.

The details of the murder are grim, and while Ricardo was never charged, he was named in a wrongful death suit that alleged he helped rob the couple by notarizing fraudulent documents. Via the Breeze: "In 2002, a judge dismissed the lawsuit while ordering Rosalba Contreras, (Peter Campos, a financial adviser) and two RE/MAX real estate offices to pay the Partidas’ niece nearly $1.3 million."

Meanwhile, about the house, which is located at 8917 Kittyhawk Ave., according to the LA Weekly. Via the Breeze: "The bank-owned house Contreras was showing was listed by the Modern Realty Co., which specializes in foreclosures and bank-owned homes. A woman who answered the phone said the company had no comment Monday. The house was removed from the company’s Web site." It’s still up here.

Reposted with permission from Curbed.com. Click here to view original post.

Copyright (c) 2009 Curbed.com LLC

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