"Former O.C. Attorney Suspected of killing Ex-Wife On Cruise" by Andrew Blankstein

In the Los Angeles Times Andrew Blankstein, wrote an article about a former attorney suspected of killing his ex-wife on a cruise. Lonnie Kocontes, a former attorney from Mission Viejo, was arrested in Florida for killing his ex-wife Micki Kanesaki, of Ladera Ranch for financial gain in 2006. Authorities said, that the suspect was a former Orange County attorney, who on a cruise across the Italian Coast, strangled his wife and threw her overboard. The suspect is 55 years old and a former resident of Mission Viejo, and the victim 52, a former resident of Ladera Ranch. The suspect was arrested at his home in Safety Harbor, Florida on Friday. He is charged with one felony charge for special circumstance for financial gain. "If convicted, he would face a maximum sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole and would be eligible for the death penalty, authorities said. Kocontes, who is being held without bail, faces extradition proceedings at a date to be determined"(LATimes). Authorities said that Kocontes was going to benefit from his wife’s death, and that he was the beneficiary for several of their bank accounts, and would receive proceeds from the sale of their home. The couple divorced in 2001, and was in the middle of court battles, when they decided to put aside their differences and go on a Mediterranean vacation together. "Kocontes is suspected of killing his wife on the night of May 25, 2006, or the morning of May 26, by strangling her and throwing her body overboard, authorities said"(LAtimes). At the time the suspect said his wife was missing, and that she had gone out when they were in bed to get a cup of tea and never returned. Her body was found on May 27, by the coast guard in the sea near Reggio di Calabria. "I wish I knew what happened," Kocontes was quoted as saying at the time (LATimes). He told authorities that his wife spoke of committing suicide, but an autopsy showed that the victim had been strangles. " Kocontes is accused of attempting to transfer $1 million between various banks accounts with his new wife, Katherine, in 2008, authorities said. The FBI began investigating the money transfers for possible illegal activity and the U.S. attorney's office ultimately seized the money from Kocontes' bank account. A civil asset forfeiture case was subsequently filed in U.S. District Court in California"(LATimes). On Wednesday the district attorney's office filed its murder case against Kocontes.