Man Said He Killed Wife With a Bottle, Policeman Testifies

Joseph P. Lynch admitted that he fatally bludgeoned his wife with a champagne bottle and told police where to find the weapon, one of the first officers on the scene of the double murder testified Friday.

The testimony came in the preliminary hearing in Santa Ana Municipal Court for Lynch, 43, a native of Scotland who is accused of murdering his 35-year-old wife, Helen, and their 13-month-old daughter in the couple’s Santa Ana condominium. Two other children, Holly, 9, and Angela, 4, slept through the attack.

Lynch was at the condominium when police arrived, and he first blamed the Jan. 17 attack on a neighbor, Santa Ana Police Officer Steven Alegre said.

But moments later, Alegre quoted Lynch as saying: “I’m leading you guys on a wild goose chase. I did it. I’m sorry.”

Police also found their daughter Natalie Alexandra Lynch suffering from massive head injuries in her dead mother’s arms. She was declared brain-dead 2 days later.

When police first arrived at Lynch’s apartment, they found him naked, according to Deputy Dist. Atty. Tom Borris. Not sure of what had happened, officers immediately handcuffed Lynch as a security precaution, he said.

Alegre, who arrived moments later, testified that he entered the apartment and saw the wife’s body on the floor and another officer giving cardiopulmonary resuscitation to the baby.

Alegre said he turned to Lynch, who was still naked, handcuffed and sitting on the floor, and asked for a description of the assailant. Lynch named a neighbor and gave only a description including weight and height, Alegre testified.

When pressed for details, Alegre said, Lynch hesitated, then said, “I did it,” while nodding his head toward his wife’s body. Lynch appeared jittery and frequently stood up before being told by officers to sit back down, Alegre recounted.

At one point, an officer asked a colleague about the weapon that had been used, Alegre testified. He said that before the officer could answer, Lynch interjected: “It’s a bottle of champagne. It’s in the dishwasher.”

Officers said they found a large, dark-green glass bottle in the dishwasher.

Lynch’s attorney, public defender Brian Ducker, objected to Alegre’s testimony, contending that his client had not been advised of his rights at the time of the confession.

But Alegre said that Lynch was not considered a suspect at the time. Municipal Judge William R. Froeberg allowed the testimony to stand.

Lynch, handcuffed and wearing orange jail clothes, sat quietly throughout the hearing, which is scheduled to continue Friday.

Throughout his conversation with police, Lynch did not mentioned his slain daughter, Alegre said.

Lynch faces the death penalty if convicted of the double murder.