WASHINGTON — Prosecutors in the Chandra Levy murder trial abruptly rested their case Wednesday against Ingmar Guandique, the man charged with killing the former federal intern nine years ago in Rock Creek Park, and dropped two of the charges against him.
The government’s decision to rest came as a surprise in the courtroom, because prosecutors had told the judge overseeing the case that they intended to call a second Guandique cellmate to the stand.
The cellmate was to testify that Guandique had confessed in prison to killing Levy. Last week, prosecutors called one inmate to the stand, who testified that Guandique had confessed, and the second inmate was expected to corroborate that story Wednesday.
But Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Haines told Judge Gerald Fisher that authorities were having issues with prison officials concerning bringing the inmate to District of Columbia Superior Court.
In nine days of testimony, only one prosecution witness — the first inmate — has linked Guandique, 29, directly to Levy’s death, probably in 2001. It has been a difficult case for the prosecution from the start.
There is no DNA or other forensic evidence linking Guandique to the crime scene; no murder weapon; no eyewitness; and no definitive ruling from the medical examiner on what killed Levy.
On Wednesday, prosecutors dropped two of the six charges against Guandique, including attempted sexual assault and felony murder associated with that sexual assault. Guandique still faces first-degree murder and attempted-kidnapping charges, among others.
Two themes have stayed prevalent throughout the trial: police and federal investigators’ numerous mistakes in the case, and the importance of former Rep. Gary Condit, D-Calif., in Levy’s life.
On Wednesday, an FBI forensic scientist testified that Condit’s DNA was found on a pair of Levy’s panties that authorities found in a laundry bin in her downtown apartment shortly after she disappeared.
When he testified last week, Condit refused to answer questions about the extent of his relationship with Levy.
Noticeably absent from the witness stand have been the three lead detectives who took over the case in 2008 and who ultimately charged Guandique. Prosecutors called none of them to testify.
