Trial begins in death of du Pont heir

Kim Smith

Tuesday, Nov. 9, 1999 | 11:13 a.m.

The trial of a man accused of killing a du Pont heir's girlfriend began Monday with the testimony of those who found the victim's body.

Ricardo Murillo, 37, faces life in prison if convicted in the Aug. 2, 1998, death of Patricia Margello, 45.

Authorities allege Murillo was one of three people hired by Delaware resident Christopher Moseley to kill Margello, who was dating his stepson, Dean MacGuigan.

MacGuigan is the son of Lisa Dean Moseley, whose great-great-great grandfather started the Dupont chemical company in 1802. According to court documents, neither of the Moseleys liked Margello because she used drugs and was a part-time prostitute.

MacGuigan and Margello were in Las Vegas last summer so he could establish residency, get divorced and marry Margello.

Margello's body was found strangled and wrapped in coaxial cable and bed linens in the air-conditioning vent of Room 6 of the Del Mar Resort Motel on Aug. 5, 1998.

Diana Hironaga, 40, confessed to her part in the slaying and implicated her co-defendants when police were able to figure out that she had rented the room on the night Margello died.

On Monday Del Mar desk clerk Gerald Wright testified that Hironaga initially rented Room 6 for three hours, but a person he could not identify later paid to extend their stay.

Hironaga faces life in prison when she is sentenced Dec. 10. Moseley, 58, pleaded guilty last week and he, too, faces life in prison when he is sentenced in February.

Balignasa is scheduled to go to trial in state court in February.

Hironaga, Murillo and Moseley were indicted in federal court because authorities believe they discussed the murder over the phone and via fax. They also allege Murillo and Hironaga flew to Philadelphia for their $15,000 fee.

The trial was expected to continue this morning before U.S. District Judge Justin Quackenbush of Spokane, Wash. He is stepping in for Judge Philip Pro, who has a scheduling conflict.