Federal prosecutors have decided to drop their case against a man who was convicted of killing former Washington intern Chandra Levy in 2001.
In a court filing Thursday, the U.S. Attorney's Office asked a D.C. Superior Court judge to dismiss the murder case against Ingmar Guandique, 34.
"This Motion is based upon new information that the government received within the past week," prosecutors said in the court filing, without elaborating on the new discovery. "After investigating this information and reviewing all of the evidence in this case, the government now believes it is in the interests of justice for the Court to dismiss the case without prejudice."
"The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia is deeply committed to ensuring that justice is served in all of its cases," U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman William Miller added in a statement. "Today, in the interests of justice and based on recent unforeseen developments that were investigated over the past week, the Office moved to dismiss the case charging Ingmar Guandique with the May 2001 murder of Chandra Levy. The Office has concluded that it can no longer prove the murder case against Mr. Guandique beyond a reasonable doubt."
Levy's disappearance in 2001 was a subject of national fascination and a media frenzy. Much of that attention focused on then-Rep. Gary Condit (D-Calif.), who was reported to have been engaged in an affair with Levy at the time she disappeared in May 2001. Her remains were later discovered near a jogging trail in Rock Creek Park in May 2002.
No charges were ever filed against Condit, although the controversy caused the married congressman to lose his primary in 2002 and leave the House the following year.
Guandique was an early suspect in Levy's murder, but was not charged initially because of concerns about the credibility of an informant in the case. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, however, for attacks on other women in the same park.
In 2009, prosecutors brought charges against Guandique in connection with Levy's murder. He was convicted the following year.
However, defense attorneys repeatedly challenged the conviction and complained they were denied key evidence, including evidence potentially implicating Condit in the murder.
Last year, defense lawyers argued that some evidence that was kept from them were statements from women who said Condit engaged in "aggressive sex," including bondage. Prosecutors eventually agreed to a new trial for Guandique.
That trial was set for October, but seems certain to be scuttled in light of the prosecutors' motion to drop the case.
A defense attorney for Guandique did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Guandique entered the U.S. illegally from El Salvador, authorities said. He's likely to be released from jail shortly and handed over to immigration officials for deportation proceedings, Miller said.