Mark Stephen Mechikoff, a 39-year-old man from Pacifica, California, has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering Claribel Estrella. Mechikoff, who allegedly recorded the victim’s last moments and uploaded the disturbing video to his Facebook page, appeared in a San Mateo County courtroom for his arraignment on Monday. He waived his right to a speedy preliminary hearing and now awaits his trial in a Redwood City jail without bail.
According to prosecutors, Mechikoff stabbed Estrella to death in her San Mateo apartment on July 26 and then filmed the aftermath of the crime, posting the video on his Facebook account. The prosecution added enhancements to the first-degree murder charge due to the video’s existence.
The crime first came to the attention of law enforcement when a woman from Florida, a Facebook friend of Mechikoff’s, reported the disturbing video. Authorities were able to track Mechikoff’s cellphone to an apartment complex in San Mateo, California, where they found Estrella’s body after a three-hour search.
Mechikoff managed to evade capture at the crime scene but was apprehended two hours later in San Jose. The connections between Mechikoff and Estrella are known, though their specific relationship has not been detailed by the prosecution.
Despite Mechikoff’s not guilty plea, he retains the option to change his plea at future court appearances. His defense attorneys may attempt to present an insanity defense. However, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe clarified that committing a horrifying act like posting a homicide to Facebook doesn’t necessarily imply legal insanity.
A follow-up court appearance for Mechikoff is set for September 15. Meanwhile, investigators continue to scrutinize evidence in an attempt to establish a motive for the heinous crime.