seem credible. but i didn t know if any of the jurors felt sorry for him. five months after trial started, the case was handed to a jury. what they see an innocent man taken advantage of time and again or a heartless murder? micki s brother told she wondered. they are 14 years to come up with a story, 14 years over and over to make everything fit. after just an hour of deliberation, it all came undone. the verdict? guilty of first degree murder for financial gain. how did lonnie take it? he shook his head. he just stood there and shook his head, because i watched him. and watching him. he s shaking his head. he wouldn t look back at you? no. micki s niece, julie, had been waiting to. as soon as i heard the verdict, it was as big sense of relief. like, my aunt finally got justice. lonnie was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. he is appealing his conviction. because of a life sentence, the da s office dropped the murder for hire charge. f
whether micki was a good or bad person, nobody deserves to die. that way. nobody does. and i suppose, the guilt that i would ve had then would be, i believed him. that hurts. you are a pro and he fooled you? yeah. for micki kanesaki, the ocean always carried hope. a coal miner s daughter from japan, she once traveled across the sea for a better life. and the island escape was supposed to carry her and lonnie to calmer shores. he didn t know how good he had it? yeah, he does not know. he did not know. yeah, to the end. she was always there for him. and look what happened. look what he did to her. she didn t deserve that. she had a lot to live for. she was a beautiful person. and i m talking about her soul.
Lonnie Kocontes, ex-Orange County lawyer who killed ex-wife on ship, is 'Dateline' focus – Orange County Register ocregister.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from ocregister.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Lonnie Loren Kocontes, 62, was convicted June 15 of murder with a special-circumstance allegation of murder for financial gain in the killing of 52-year- old.