EXCLUSIVE: 15-page document reveals new details about Hillsborough mother's murder defense

ByKate Larsen KGO logo
Friday, March 8, 2019
EXCLUSIVE: 15-page document reveals new details about Hillsborough mother's murder defense
ABC7 News obtained a 15-page trial briefing released by the suspect's attorney detailing their defense in the murder of a Hillsborough heiress' boyfriend.

HILLSBOROUGH, Calif. (KGO) -- ABC7 has obtained a trial brief about a murder case that's been making Bay Area headlines for three years.

In 2016, Millbrae resident, Keith Green turned up dead, his body dumped on the side of a road in Sonoma County, with a bullet hole in his neck. His ex-girlfriend and the mother of his children, Tiffany Li, and her boyfriend Kaveh Bayat, are charged with his murder.

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Initially, Li and Bayat's personal trainer and bodyguard, Olivier Adella, was also charged with murder. But, he cut a deal with prosecutors and the murder charge was dropped, in exchange for his testimony. He is however charged with accessory, for dumping Green's body.

Almost three years later, Li's attorney, Geoffrey Carr, filed a 15-page trial brief, detailing his defense. ABC7 News obtained the document, which says that despite Adella's testimony-that Green was shot and bleeding in Li's Mercedes-no blood or DNA evidence matching Green was ever found in her car.

The document also said that despite the prosecution's assertion that the murder took place in the garage of Li's Hillsborough home, no bullet marks or shell casings were found-, just an insignificant amount of gunshot residue.

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We spoke to Carr who says his brief not only absolves Li of the murder but further implicates Adella.

"There's very important circumstantial evidence that can be as strong as direct evidence that Mr. Green may have been placed in the trunk of that Chrysler vehicle that took him up, to dump him off, in Healdsburg, alive."

We also spoke to San Mateo County District Attorney, Steve Wagstaffe, whose office is trying the case.

"Our case is based in part on Mr. Adella. I know that Mr. Carr believes it's entirely on Mr. Adella. I don't concur with that view of the evidence and we'll have 12 people decide that for us."

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The trial is scheduled for this summer. Li is out on more than $64 million bail, one of the highest bails ever made in state court. Bayat is still in custody on $35 million bail. If convicted of murder, both could face up to 25 years to life in prison.

If convicted of accessory, Adella would likely go free on time served.

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