Murder plot hatched in alcohol haze

Kim Smith

Tuesday, Nov. 16, 1999 | 9:43 a.m.

His memory spotty because of months of heavy drinking, Christopher Moseley took the stand Monday and testified he ordered the murder of his stepson's girlfriend.

Moseley was the second of two crucial witnesses in the government's case against Ricardo Murillo, a Las Vegas man on trial for the August 1998 strangulation death of Patti Margello, 45.

The other key witness, Diana Hironaga, testified Friday.

Moseley and Hironaga are hoping that by testifying the government will ask U.S. District Judge Justin Quackenbush to sentence them to something less than the life sentence normally assessed in murder-for-hire cases.

According to the pair's testimony, Moseley hired Hironaga, Murillo and Joseph Balignasa to kill Margello last summer because she was interfering with Moseley's attempts to get Dean MacGuigan a job and off drugs.

Moseley, a 25-year Army veteran, is married to MacGuigan's mother, Lisa, a direct descendant of the founder of the Du Pont chemical corporation. The couple live in Delaware.

Moseley, Murillo and Hironaga were charged in federal court because authorities believe much of the plot was discussed over the telephone and via fax. Murillo and Hironaga also allegedly traveled to Philadelphia for their $15,000 fee. Balignasa was charged in state court and awaits trial.

Margello's body was found Aug. 6, 1998, stuffed inside an air-condition vent at the Del Mar motel on Las Vegas Boulevard South. Hironaga testified she lured Margello to the motel and Murillo strangled her with Balignasa's belt.

Moseley told jurors Monday that he arranged for MacGuigan to come to Las Vegas so he could establish residency and get a divorce from his wife, Linda. He gave MacGuigan $10,000 and got MacGuigan's promise that Margello would not join him.

"Whenever she was around that was the end of whatever was supposed to be happening," Moseley said.

However, Moseley said Margello showed up almost immediately and the two spent the $10,000 within a week of arriving in Las Vegas. Angry, Moseley said he flew to Las Vegas to fix the situation. He met Hironaga while losing at video poker and spent the next few days "embellishing" on his military career and his recent accomplishments.

"I think I told her I was a hitman or something ridiculous like that," Moseley said. "It seems to go with the alcohol."

Soon thereafter, Moseley hired Hironaga, Murillo and Balignasa to assist MacGuigan in getting a Nevada identification, a home, a job and a divorce.

Somehow the plan became known as Operation Dean, Moseley said. He doesn't exactly remember how because he was drinking copious amounts of vodka at the time.

"I probably (named it) since I'm the military guy," Moseley said.

When asked by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Ko what time of the day he would begin drinking, Moseley said "I don't recall stopping."

Moseley said he does remember, however, telling Hironaga and the others that if all else failed, Margello was to be "removed" and he would give them $25,000 if killing her proved necessary.

A couple of weeks later, Moseley said, he had Hironaga make plane reservations for him and Margello to go back East. Margello refused and he ended up so drunk he had to be wheeled to his plane in a wheelchair.

"Sometime between getting in the wheelchair and getting to the gate, I told Hironaga to go through with Step 5," Moseley said.

Later, Murillo confirmed the plan with him on the telephone, Moseley said. Murillo also asked how Moseley would know it was done.

"I was smart and said I'd probably read about it in the newspaper," Moseley said.

He ended up getting a message from Hironaga saying that essentially, "Patti wouldn't be a problem anymore," Moseley said.

Moseley, his voice cracking, said he pleaded guilty and agreed to testify because, "I guess I've had it. The regrets, the whole situation has to end."

Assistant Federal Public Defender Arthur Allen noted that Moseley has lied about his military record, his occupation and his involvement in the case.

"But you're telling us the truth today?" Allen asked.

"That's correct," Moseley replied.

In an effort to distance his client from Hironaga, Allen asked Moseley if it were true that he once told FBI agents that he and Murillo only met once and they did nothing other than say "hello" to each other. Moseley said yes, he did say that.

Allen also asked Moseley if he had offered fellow inmate Robert Panaro "vast sums" of money to have Hironaga killed in the months before he pleaded guilty.

"No," Moseley said. "This borders on the ridiculous. No, I never did."

To which Allen retorted "You'd certainly never offer anyone money to have someone killed would you?"

Panaro was one of several men accused of killing underworld figure Herbie Blitzstein in January 1997 so they could take over his loan-shark business. Panaro was acquitted on the murder-related counts, but he received 7 1//2 years on an extortion charge.

The trial was expected to continue this morning.

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