Prosecutors Drop 2 More Charges Against Levy Suspect

Prosecutors have dropped two of the four remaining charges against Chandra Levy murder suspect Ingmar Guandique.

The statute of limitations has expired on attempted kidnapping and robbery charges, prosecutors said. Two felony murder charges remain. Last week, prosecutors dropped a third felony murder charge and a sex assault charge.

Guandique is accused of killing the Washington intern almost a decade ago. She disappeared in May 2001, and her remains were found in Rock Creek Park more than a year later.

The case grabbed national headlines because Levy was romantically linked with then-Congressman Gary Condit, a California Democrat. Condit was once the main suspect in the case but authorities no longer believe he was involved in her disappearance or death.

Guandique formally told Judge Gerald Fisher on Monday that he wouldn't testify in his own defense, the Associated Press reported. Had he taken the stand, it would have been a major surprise.

A former cellmate of Guandique testified that he never heard Guandique mention Levy, a dead girl or rape. Under cross examination, Jose Alaniz revealed that he belonged to the same gang as Guandique and didn't speak Spanish, which Guandique speaks almost exclusively, NBC Washington's Pat Collins reported.

Earlier in the trial, another cellmate testified that Guandique admitted to killing Levy while serving a sentence for two assaults of women in Rock Creek Park.

The defense rested Monday. Jurors are expected to hear closing arguments in the case on Tuesday.


Follow @nbcwashington.com on Twitter for the latest information from the courtroom, and check the Twitter widget below for the latest chatter on the trial. 

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