Murder suspect to stand trial in '07

Tyrone M. Delgado was convicted Monday in a Louisiana courtroom of aggravated assault and false imprisonment, satisfying that state's claim on him and opening the door to extradition to North Carolina to stand trial in the slaying of Melissa Ann Galade Mooney.

The case should go to trial later this year, New Hanover County District Attorney Ben David said.

Delgado, 37, is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Mooney, 28, who was a secretary and office manager of the Wilmington FBI field office. Her body was found Aug. 5, 1999, in her Castle Hayne home.

Investigators have previously said Mooney's connection with the FBI did not appear to have been a factor in her death.

Delgado was arrested in December 2005 in Leesville, La., near the Texas state line. He resisted extradition to North Carolina, and authorities had to obtain a governor's warrant to bring him back. Delgado was returned to Louisiana to stand trial for a 2003 incident in Leesville involving his ex-wife. He entered the guilty plea Monday as jury selection in his trial was to begin, said Cliff Strider, an assistant district attorney in Louisiana's 30th Judicial District.

Delgado was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison. He can still stand trial here, Strider said.

"There's an extradition agreement in place. I'm not quite sure yet when he will be returned to North Carolina," Strider said.

It's possible that evidence from the Louisiana case against Delgado can be introduced during the murder trial, David said.

"We are pleased with the progress of the case this week. We'll certainly evaluate any potential benefit the case has on the trial involving the death of Melissa Mooney," he said.

Mooney, the divorced mother of a girl who was 4 years old in 1999, had lived in Wilmington about two years. She was in the process of moving from a Canterbury Woods apartment to a small two-bedroom house on Reminisce Road in the Apple Valley subdivision. Delgado also lived on Reminisce Road.

Investigators said Mooney spent Aug. 5, 1999, moving into the house. She was supposed to meet co-workers at the FBI office on Aug. 6 so they could help her move. She never arrived and they went to the Castle Hayne home, where Mooney's body was found.

Mooney's door was broken in, investigators said at the time. She was strangled to death, the medical examiner said.

Lawyers Jennifer Harjo and Nora Hargrove were appointed to represent Delgado.

"He definitely has declared his innocence, he's not guilty, and that's the way we're proceeding on this case," Harjo said Wednesday.

William Peregoy had been Delgado's lead lawyer before withdrawing from the case late in 2006.

"We're still fairly new in the case and we both need some time to make sure we're fully prepared to represent Mr. Delgado," Harjo said.

"There are boxes and boxes of discovery documents."

Harjo said prosecutors have little solid evidence to link Delgado to the murder.

"I think the case is fairly weak on the state side," she said.

Delgado entered the guilty pleas to the Louisiana charges "so he can concentrate on the more serious case," she said. Harjo said she planned to attend the Louisiana trial before Delgado entered the guilty plea.

More help approved

Prosecutors said last year that they won't seek the death penalty for Delgado. Because of the complexity of the case, Delgado was assigned two defense lawyers. A judge also approved hiring a private investigator and two expert witnesses in the fields of DNA and metallurgy to aid in Delgado's defense.

Delgado could receive a prison sentence of life without parole if convicted of first-degree murder. He has a previous conviction of involuntary manslaughter in connection with a 2000 shooting in Wilmington that left an 18-year-old man dead.

Ken Little: 343-2389

ken.little@starnewsonline.com