WASHINGTON, March 3 (UPI) -- An illegal immigrant has been charged with first-degree murder in the 8-year-old slaying of Washington intern Chandra Levy, police said Tuesday.
The suspect is Ingmar Guandique, 27, of El Salvador, who is presently serving a 10-year prison sentence in California for attacking two women around the time of the Levy killing, The Washington Post reported.
For some time the investigation into Levy's death focused on former Rep. Gary Condit, D-Calif., from Levy's home district, ignoring evidence that allegedly pointed to day laborer Guandique, the Post said. Condit had been having an affair with the 24-year-old federal government intern.
Levy's body was found a year after her death about 100 yards off the trail in Washington's Rock Creek Park.
The Post said police have a number of witnesses who talked to Guandique, who in one taped conversation allegedly said he grabbed Levy along with two other men, raped and killed her.
Officials say that the evidence against Guandique is circumstantial but substantial, CNN reported. Authorities say they hope to have Guandique transferred back to Washington in 45 to 60 days.
