Victim’s car plays key role in trial

By Matt Pordum (contact)

Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2004 | 9:36 a.m.

A self-described friend of a man accused of murder and robbery said that after the killing he saw his friend driving a car that matched the one that had been stolen from the dead man.

Steven Thiessen, testifying in Daniel Wolff's trial in the Dec. 13, 2001, slaying of Richard Marotto, said he didn't ask Wolff many questions about the Nissan Ultima that he saw Wolff driving later that month.

Marotto, 37, was a successful businessman who owned hair salons in Miami and Dallas.

Thiessen said he was under the impression Wolff or his sister had purchased the car because Wolff worked at a "car auction place." Wolff later told him the car was his sister's, Thiessen testified.

Thiessen also said that on Dec. 19 and Dec. 21 of that year he had received two phone calls that came up on his caller ID as coming from Marotto's phone. Thiessen said he never confronted Wolff about the phone calls.

Prosecutors allege that Wolff met Marotto at a bar. Wolff went home with him and used a slab of marble to bash Marotto's head, covered Marotto's head with a plastic bag, choked him with an extension cord and stabbed him several times before leaving Marotto under the covers of his bed, according to the police reports.

In their opening statements, defense lawyers hinted that Wolff's defense will revolve around Marotto's HIV status and whether or not Wolff knew about it before he went home with him. Marotto's former partner testified Monday that Marotto didn't conceal his medical condition.

Prosecutors allege Wolff also stole Marotto's jewelry, Nissan Ultima, luggage, writing desk and birth certificate, among other things. Wolff later allegedly pawned the jewelry at four different pawn shops in Las Vegas.

Much of Monday's testimony came from Zane Dalal, who was in a relationship with Marotto for about five years and lived with him in Dallas.

Dalal, who moved to Los Angeles after he and Marotto ended their relationship, fought back tears as he examined more than 20 pieces of jewelry belonging to Marotto that authorities recovered from Wolff's trailer park home.

Many of the rings, necklaces and pendants were gifts either Dalal had given to Marotto or had received from him and left them with Marotto for safe keeping.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Vicki Monroe asked Dalal to explain the use of GHB and methamphetamine and also about how he and Marotto dealt with being HIV positive.

Dalal said Marotto had been hit hard by the symptoms of his HIV infection in the months leading up to his death and Marotto had discussed moving to Los Angeles, where he believed he could receive better care for his disease.

Dalal said Marotto was an "adult" about his disease and didn't hide it from others.

Dalal, who, like Marotto, is HIV positive, recounted how he and Marotto used to use methamphetamine and the illegal club drug GHB in combination.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys agree that Wolff, who had never met Marotto previously, met him at a bar called The Eagle the day Marotto died. They say Marotto and Wolfff with several others used methamphetamine, GHB, marijuana and alcohol and partied into the early morning.

Prosecutors allege that after the partying Wolff went with Marotto to Marotto's home on the 5200 block of Alta Drive and robbed and killed him.

Dalal said he used to take methamphetamine and GHB together with Marotto because they "balanced each other out."

During opening arguments Deputy Public Defender Bret Whipple said homosexuality; the effect that marijuana, methamphetamine, GHB and alcohol have on the body and the AIDS virus; and the effects the virus had on Wolff and Marotto's states of mind would all play big roles in the case.