An Indio Judge has dismissed murder charges against Vanesa Mihajson, a Palm Desert woman, for the second time. The charges were intially dismissed in October of last year, but the were re-filed by prosecutors.
Mihajson a 21 year old, was charged with the murder of Shalonda Morris of Palm Springs. Morris vanished in October of 2007 allegedly after she was involved in a drug deal with Sean Mihajson, Vanesa'a brother. Mihajson herself was a fugitive until she was finally apprended weeks after she was featured on KPSP Local 2's Wheel of Justice. She was then extradited from North Carolina to Riverside County.
"Im thrilled that the Judge finally found justice in the case..and dismissed the charge", said Mihajson in an exclusive interview with KPSP Local 2.
Morris, 36, was last seen about 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 12, 2007 when she left her home in the 61000 block of Wilson Road to meet Sean Mihajson according to the prosecution. She never came home.
A witness who spoke to investigators alleged the siblings had talked days before the murder about "ripping Shalonda off and killing her for the drug money" according to a declaration filed by detectives in support of an arrest warrant.
Prior to the meeting Vanesa Mihajson purchased duct tape and plastic sheeting and delivered it to her brother said Riverside County Sheriff's Detective Gary LeClair who prepared the declaration. Vanesa Mihajson told a friend that her brother "had killed Shalonda and was home cleaning up their condo" LeClair wrote.
The siblings later "counted the money that Sean had taken from Shalonda and they used the money to rent a house in Las Vegas after they fled the area" he alleged.
Sean Mihajson who is being held without bail at the Indio Jail is scheduled stand trial this year for Morris' murder.
While the murder charge cannot be refiled against Vanesa Mihajson, she still faces a single count of being an accessory. Her lawyer says he believes that too will be dismissed,
