Jury Finds Adam Shacknai Responsible for Rebecca Zahau’s Hanging Death in San Diego Mansion

Adam Shacknai has been found responsible for the death of his millionaire brother's girlfriend, Rebecca Zahau, whose body was found hanging in the San Diego Spreckles mansion in July 2011.

A coroner ruled Zahau's death a suicide, but her family believes Adam killed her and staged her death to make it look like she took her own life. Adam was the only other person at home when Zahau died.

The decision was the culmination of a civil case against Shacknai, the brother of Zahau's boyfriend, millionaire Jonah Shacknai.

The day before her death, Zahau was caring for Jonah Shacknai's son. The 6-year-old boy fell from a second-floor landing at the Coronado mansion and suffered injuries that led to his death five days later. 

Jurors were told to answer to questions to determine responsibility in Zahau's death: Did Adam Shacknai touch Rebecca Zahau before her death with the intent to harm her? Did that touching cause her death?

The panel answered yes to both queries, and awarded Zahau's family $5 million in damages.

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