Prosecution accuses Moonda of misleading investigator

Her lover, Damian Bradford, says she hired him to kill her husband.

AKRON (AP) — Donna Moonda, accused of arranging the Ohio Turnpike shooting death of her wealthy husband, gave a state investigator information that authorities later said was meant to mislead them, according to trial testimony Tuesday.

Vickie Casey, of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, testified at the U.S. District Court trial of Moonda, 48, that Moonda described the killer of her husband, Dr. Gulam Moonda, 69, as a short man, about the size of the doctor.

That would be too short to be Donna Moonda’s lover, Damian Bradford, 25.

Testimony in Donna Moonda’s trial began Monday. She faces the death penalty if convicted of murder for hire in the death of her husband.

Moonda’s attorney, Roger Synenberg, has portrayed Donna Moonda as a naive housewife who fell in love with a street criminal, Bradford, after they met in drug rehab in 2004. He told jurors that Bradford acted alone.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy Kelley said in her opening statement that Donna Moonda misled authorities, describing the shooter as about 5-feet-3 like her husband, when he was closer to 5 feet 10 inches, Bradford’s height.

Bradford pleaded guilty in July to interstate stalking and a gun charge and says that the Hermitage, Pa., woman hired him to kill her husband and promised to split any inheritance with him. He is expected to be the key prosecution witness.

Questioned a week after

Casey said Donna Moonda was questioned a week after the May 13, 2005, killing and said that when she pulled off the side of Ohio Turnpike south of Cleveland no one was following her.

The prosecution alleges that Donna Moonda and Damian Bradford arranged for Bradford to follow the Moonda car and kill Dr. Moonda in return for part of the millions of dollars in his estate.

Under cross examination by a defense lawyer, Casey said Donna Moonda answered all questions put to her.

U.S. District Judge David D. Dowd Jr. would not allow a defense question about whether Donna Moonda had volunteered any information about her romantic involvement with Bradford.

In earlier testimony Tuesday, Farouq Moonda, Dr. Moonda’s nephew, said he found out about the affair days after his uncle was shot and that he then confronted Donna Moonda.

“She said, ‘We had an understanding,’” Farouq Moonda testified.

The nephew testified that on the night of the shooting Donna Moonda told him the marriage was perfect and they were much in love.