A man convicted of murdering his ex-wife's boyfriend in what prosecutors described as a fit of jealousy was sentenced Monday to 26 years to life in prison.
A San Diego Superior Court jury found Bilji Varghese, 31, of Normal Heights guilty of first-degree murder Feb. 17 in the slaying of Dr. Haval Ravin, 47, a fertility doctor and prominent member of the region's Kurdish community.
Ravin's body was found in his garage Nov. 12, 2004. He had been stabbed at least five times, authorities said.
During a monthlong trial, prosecutors argued that Varghese became obsessed with his ex-wife's two-year relationship with Ravin and carried out a “precision attack” on the doctor outside his home on Ridge Manor Avenue in Del Cerro.
Vilia Varghese signed divorce papers ending her marriage with her husband nine days before the slaying, prosecutors David Hendren told the jury.
Judge Michael D. Wellington said the jury's verdict was supported by ample evidence of Varghese's guilt.
The judge said he wouldn't soon forget hearing testimony from the doctor's son, who described coming home about 2 a.m. to find a trail of blood leading up brick steps to the front door.
Rizgar Ravin, then 17, testified he also saw a shadowy figure through a set of windows near the door. He walked away from the house, called his sister and then called police.
Prosecutors said Varghese's blood was found on a wall near a stairway, and a black shoe, which also contained Varghese's DNA, was found behind the house. Investigators later searched the hard drive on Varghese's computer and found he had conducted hundreds of searches for information on Ravin, his three children and Vilia Varghese in the weeks before the slaying.
In several searches, he used the key words “revenge,” “adultery” and “law,” indicating he wanted to know what consequences he could face if he acted on his jealousy, prosecutors said.
Defense attorney Dan Williams argued that there were serious problems in the investigation, particularly regarding collection of evidence. He also said that Vilia Varghese, or some other unknown person, could have committed the slaying.
Vilia Varghese is not facing charges and did not testify during the trial. While being questioned during a court hearing in February 2005, the part-time belly dancer repeatedly invoked her Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate herself.
One of Bilji Varghese's former employers, Sandra Buschmann, told the judge Monday that she remains convinced of Bilji Varghese's innocence, adding that he would never do anything that could separate him from his young son.
One of the doctor's brothers, Alan Ravin, told the judge that he was the one who had to deliver the news of his older brother's death to his siblings and his parents, all of whom were devastated by the crime.
“Haval was everyone's favorite brother and friend,” Ravin said.
Rizgar Ravin told the judge he had a great deal of respect for his father and said he planned to follow in his footsteps by becoming a fertility doctor.
“My father was my best friend,” Ravin said. “He was my role model, my hero.”
Dana Littlefield: (619) 542-4590; dana.littlefield@uniontrib.com
