Third murder trial for ex-Penn student

Did Irina Malinovskaya, a former University of Pennsylvania student, brutally murder a love rival three years ago?

So far, two juries haven't been able to decide.

Today, Malinovskaya, 25, goes on trial for a third time, accused of killing Irina Zlotnikov, 24, of Northeast Philadelphia, who was found lying in a pool of blood in the North Wilmington apartment of Robert Bondar, 34, a Widener University law school graduate who had dated both women.

During the second trial, which ended in October, prosecutors said Malinovskaya, from Moscow, was obsessed with Bondar, and they presented evidence that she staked out his apartment from Dec. 21 to 23, 2004. They said the crime of passion occurred after Bondar went to work the morning of the 23d and left Zlotnikov alone. Although witnesses saw Malinovskaya outside the apartment, no one saw her enter or leave it.

Bondar found the body that day and alerted police.

After jurors deliberated unsuccessfully for more than 28 hours over five days, a New Castle County Superior Court judge declared the second mistrial in the case.

Juror Denise DeSantis said afterward that she was troubled by the lack of physical evidence. No murder weapon was identified, the defendant's DNA was not found on the victim, and the victim's DNA was not found in Malinovskaya's rental car.

The shoe that left prints on the victim's body was never located, and an unidentified hair clutched in the victim's hand raised questions, DeSantis said, adding that the coroner's inability to estimate the time of death was also problematic.

The relationship between the defendant and Bondar, which began in June 2003, was intense, fueled by a shared cultural heritage, a passion for Russian literature, and an X-rated e-mail exchange.

Bondar, who grew up in Northeast Philadelphia, described the relationship as mostly one-sided. She once she said was pregnant then later said she'd miscarried, he said. She'd even threatened suicide, he said.

The defense introduced phone and computer records that suggested a more mutual attraction, including a salacious July 2004 e-mail he sent titled "Bedtime Story." Bondar insisted it was tasteful literature, but backed off when defense attorney Eugene J. Maurer asked about the three-on-one sex.

Bondar conceded that he maintained ties with Malinovskaya after he started seeing Zlotnikov, and Malinovskaya, who took the stand in her own behalf, said she hid her contact with Bondar from Sergey Dedov, a dentist she planned to marry.

By the end of the summer of 2004, Malinovskaya's advances bordered on harassment, Bondar testified, describing her unannounced visit to the Widener campus on Sept. 21. He said he was angered and dropped her off at a nearby liquor store so she could call a cab.

Several hours later, she called to tell him that she had nearly been raped and begged him to come and get her at a location that was later identified as the Marcus Hook train station. Bondar called 911 twice for police to respond.