Woman Charged With Murder of Boyfriend

A 32-year-old suspected embezzler has been charged with the murder of her live-in boyfriend, whose body was found buried in the backyard of the couple’s rented Topanga Canyon home.

Christina Marie White, who has been in jail since October on unrelated theft charges, was charged Thursday with fatally shooting Peter Paul, 29, on Sept. 14.

Los Angeles sheriff’s homicide Det. Martin Rodriguez said the motive for the slaying is unknown, but “we assume that it was domestic discord, since they were living together as boyfriend and girlfriend.”

Paul’s partially decomposed body was discovered by the landlord on Sept. 30 as he was inspecting the property after White moved out.

White, who also used the aliases Timi Vaughn and Tia Williams, was arrested in October and charged in two separate cases with stealing from previous employers, according to Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman for Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Gil Garcetti.

Authorities suspect that White embezzled approximately $800,000 from a Beverly Hills printing company and a Malibu businessman.

Detectives said she spent much of the money remodeling a home, living well and traveling to Hawaii, London and Amsterdam. She grew up in Pacific Palisades and is believed to have been involved in the high-society drug scene, authorities said.