A Safety Harbor man who is accused of strangling his ex-wife, then throwing her body off a cruise ship in Italy is now behind bars in the Pasco County Jail.
Pasco County Sheriff's Deputies arrested Lonnie Kocontes, 55, Friday evening on a murder arrest warrant issued in California, according to Pasco County Jail booking records.
Kocontes lives in the Safety Harbor gated community of Cypress Hollow. He is accused of murdering his ex-wife, Micki Kenesaki, 52, in May of 2006. The pair, who were divorced at the time and lived in California, went on a cruise together in Italy. Kocontes reported Kenesaki missing after he woke up and could not find her. Her body washed ashore the next day in southwest Italy, the Huffington Post reported.
Today, prosecutors said Kocontes strangled Kaneski on board the ship and then threw her overboard, according to the Huffington Post.
The FBI began the investigation in 2008 when Kocontes allegedly tried to transfer more than $1 million from Kaneski's bank accounts into joint accounts he had with his new wife, the Huffington Post reported.
Pinellas County property records show Kocontes owns the Safety Harbor home valued at $338,290 with his wife, Katherine Kern. The home was purchased for $607,000 in October of 2006.
WTSP reported Saturday that investigators used surveillance to locate Kocontes in Wesley Chapel, which might explain why Kocontes was arrested by Pasco County Sheriff's Deputies and booked into the Pasco County Jail.
The Huffington Post reported that Kocontes is an attorney, however an online search found that he is not a member of the Florida Bar.
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What the heck is wrong with people?
Now, a federal judge in Orange County is mocking the FBI's alleged stunning lack of evidence against Kocontes, and has ordered the agency to return to him more than $1 million it confiscated after the death of Micki Kanesaki, a legal assistant. On November 20, 2012, a U.S. Magistrate Judge Marc L. Goldman issued an opinion that granted Kocontes' motion for pre-trial summary judgment for return of the assets after declaring that the FBI's reasoning in the case was erroneous, stale, illogical and "circular."
From ORANGE COUNTY -- OCWEEKLY Judge Slams FBI's Italian Cruise Ship Murder Case; Orders $1 Million Returned To OC Suspect By R. Scott Moxley Published Mon., Nov. 26 2012 at 9:15 AM
This is baloney. Mr. Kocontes told the cops exactly where he was --I know because I was a party to this conversation –the same conversation in which I asked the officer we were speaking with if there was an arrest warrant for my client and the officer said no.
when you ask "What the heck is wrong with people?" are you talking about the media stalking people BEFORE MAKING EVEN THE SLIGHTEST ATTEMPT to RESEARCH THE FACTS OF THE CASE BEFORE THEY STALK PEOPLE 24/7 AND RUN THEM OUT OF THEIR HOMES AND NEIGHBORHOODS AND CAUSE CHAOS AND MISPERCEPTIONS IN THE MINDS OF THEIR NEIGHBORS ??? You should Google Mr. Kocontes and see how he has been harassed by the FBI --they have taken all his money BEFORE they ever had any evidence against him, before he was arrested OR convicted--how can you defend yourself from the massive federal structure after they seize ALL YOUR ASSETS and put a lien on your property?? DO YOU THINK THE FED GOVT SHOULD HAVE THAT KIND OF POWER to do this to YOU - take everything BEFORE acquiring any evidence, before arrest, before conviction???? Good Luck when it happens to you and you have to fight the federal govt who has all the money in the world and access to all kinds of info AND WAYS TO ALTER all that info. I hope it never happens to you, but until then, you might WISE UP and see what's going on around you - FEAR THE FEDERAL GOVT.
OC Judge Dismisses Murder Charge May 31, 2013 9:32 PM SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — A Superior Court judge Friday said Orange County didn’t have jurisdiction to bring a murder charge against a man accused of killing his wife at sea and dismissed the case against the suspect. But Orange County prosecutors immediately filed a new case against Lonnie Loren Kocontes to keep him behind bars. The DA said Kocontes, a former Orange County attorney, strangled his ex-wife and threw her overboard while on a cruise in Italy. Following three days of hearings, Kocontes’ attorneys argued that Orange County prosecutors lacked jurisdiction, Superior Court Judge William Evans agreed and dismissed the case. Evans ordered Kocontes freed, but Deputy District Attorney Susan Price immediately filed a new case — alleging murder with special circumstances of killing for financial gain — against him. Kocontes, 55, now resides in Safety Harbor, Florida. He is scheduled to be arraigned June 17 on the new charge.
2) You attacked Bobby simply for stating his mind and asking a very harmless question. He didn't call anyone any kind of name. Last I checked that was allowed in our wonderful country. Get over it. 3) The only person on this specific article that I have seen attacking and name calling is you. 4) Try to enjoy the day and have a good life.