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Robert Fratta again found guilty
of capital murder of Farah Baquer Fratta
Click here
for videos of local ABC affiliate news stories on
Robert Fratta's retrial currently taking place
 Farah
Baquer Fratta, loving mother of three young children,
was 33 years old when she was shot twice in the head after driving into her garage.
Neighbors saw the gunman flee the house and jump into a
car driven by an accomplice. Farah and her husband,
Robert Fratta, were in the middle of a nasty divorce and
were fighting over custody of their three children.
After detectives learned about the acrimonious divorce,
they began investigating reports that Fratta had asked
many of his acquaintances if they knew someone who would
kill his wife. Just days after Farah was murdered,
Fratta tried to collect life insurance worth over
$200,000. Detectives began tying the pieces together and
six months after Farah's death, police arrested Fratta
and the two men he had hired to kill Farah. Joseph Prystash
was the middle man who had hired the killer, Howard
Guidry. Eventually all three defendants were found
guilty of the murder of Farah and were sentenced to
death.
Farah's children Bradley, Daniel and Amber were lovingly raised by her parents, Lex and Betty Baquer.
The
murder of Farah Fratta was featured on A&E's American
Justice in an episode called "The
Brit and the Bodybuilder." You
can purchase a DVD copy of the episode
here. There
was also a book written about Farah's murder, "No Safe
Place" by Bill Cox.
Howard
Guidry won a new trial in 2005 and in 2007 was again
sentenced to death for taking the life of
Farah.
In
October 2007, eleven years after his conviction, federal
judge Melinda Harmon
granted a new trial to Robert Fratta,
citing what she called "constitutionally inadequate
testimony."
Fratta's retrial is expected to begin in
May 2009.
Click here for a local news interview with
Farah's parents.
From Lex Baquer, Farah's
father:
Farah was born on
5th
August 1961 in St. Luke's Hospital in Guildford, Surrey,
England..She a bonny little baby, full of life and
charm.
She was very
popular with her friends in kindergarten and socially as
child. She went to Newman High School in Croydon, South
London where she lived and finally graduated in 1978.
After her seniors years in college, she decided to
pursue her career in Airline Ticketing. She worked in
Croydon with a Travel Agency for a year.
Farah was very
popular with her employer and her friends adored her.
She had a boyfriend to whom she was engaged. Farah had
two very close school friends and later become very
friendly with her brother’s girlfriend. All three of
those girls have remained loyal...
In 1981, her parents
emigrated to Houston Texas and although
Farah was engaged, she accompanied her parents to the
USA. She had very strong bond and love for her parents
and was very close to her Father.
She applied to various airlines in
Houston and within a week, American Airlines offered her
a job as a ticketing Agent. Farah had charisma, charm
and a dynamic personality. She got along so well with
her colleagues as well as Management. She was very
popular.
This is where she met Robert Fratta.
He charmed her and Farah, being a simple English girl,
fell for his charm and looks. In spite of other girls in
her office warning her about Fratta, she broke her
engagement with her English boyfriend. Fratta exploited
her and took advantage of her morals and values of life.
They got married and three years later had three
beautiful children. She loved her husband very much and
was willing to do anything to keep her family together.
Farah adored and loved her children.
Farah kept very close contact with
her friends near and far. Every Birthday, every
Christmas, every NewYear - she never forgot and was
always there to be the first one to remember and
celebrate for each member of the family and friends.
When she died, there were hundreds of
friends and relatives near and far who attended her
funeral. Still to this day she is missed and remembered.
Farah was not only my daughter she
was my friend, confidante and an excellent navigator. I
miss her and always will. She will always remain close
to my heart.
”A TREE IS BEST MEASURED WHEN IT IS
LAID”
Legal Rulings
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